Page 162 of Rebound
“Oh my god! What’s happening?” Mom’s voice crackles through the speaker. Of course, she chooses now to return to the call. “Lavinia? What’s going on?”
“Nothing, Mom. Everything’s fine.”
“Jules, it’s me. You just told the doorman to let me up.”
“Roman?” I glance at Jules.
She winces. “Oh, yeah, I forgot about that.”
Steadying me against the foyer table, Jules shuffles forward to the door and pulls it open. My husband stands on the other side, looking tired, but bright eyed, and carrying so many things I can’t even figure it all out.
“Roman? Is he there, Lavinia?” Mom asks.
“Yeah, Ma. He’s here.”
I can’t stop looking at him. Maybe it’s because I haven’t seen him for two weeks, but he looks even more handsome than he usually is. I mean, no wonder women send him naked selfies. He has a naked selfies worthy face and the personality to match.
Jules steps aside and waves Roman in.
I hand the phone to Jules and shuffle over to the couch, falling onto it. My eyes close as I listen to Mom and Jules talk. Something brushes my hair, and I open my eyes to see Roman crouching in front of me.
Seeing his handsomeness up close reminds me that I haven’t showered in two days, and I had my head hovering over a toilet hours ago. I groan, pulling the blanket over my head to hide myself.
“What are you doing here?” I ask through the blanket.
“I spent an entire morning thinking the worst had happened because you didn’t answer my texts or calls,” Roman says. “I’ve never been so afraid in my life.”
My heart melts and I lower the blanket to below my eyes. Roman’s gaze is tender as he watches me and there are so many hidden emotions in his eyes that I’m either too stupid or too sick to realize.
“I wanted to see you with my own eyes,” he whispers.
“I’m hideous.”
His mouth quirks up into a smile. “You’re still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
Roman shows me the care package he brought for me, with ten varieties of cold and allergy medication. A sage candle. Chocolates. Soup from Kita. Crackers. A teddy bear. A variety of herbal teas. I hug the teddy bear to my chest under the blanket, sniffling, and taking one of the tissues Roman offers me. He’s also bought me a new weighted blanket.
“Do you want me to warm up the soup, sweetie?” Jules asks, leaning over the back over the couch.
“I feel too disgusting to eat.”
Roman brushes some hair off my clammy forehead. “Do you want to shower before you eat?”
The thought of a nice, hot shower makes me moan. I think about having to get up and drag my weak body to the shower and standing under the spray and it makes me cry.
“I can’t move.” I sniffle, wiping my nose with a tissue.
Cool fingers rest on my forehead, and I hum in pleasure. “I’ll help you.”
Opening my eyes, I look at Roman. His hair is mussed, hazel eyes lined with worry, his brows dipping in. Reaching a hand out of my cocoon, I smooth it over his brows. Seeing it as an opportunity, Roman takes my hand in his and pulls me up until I’m standing, and then he sweeps me off my feet.
“Second door on the left,” Jules tells him.
“You have to quit manhandling me,” I grumble. “Good boys don’t do that.”
He gives me a sardonic look. “You’re the only one under the impression that I am.”
Entering the bathroom, Roman sets me on the counter and goes to turn on the shower, adjusting the temperature so it’s perfect for me. When he’s satisfied, he comes back to me.
