Page 45 of Midnight Serenade
I squinted up at her, feeling like I had found a comrade-in-arms.
“So, is this a female thing?” Sebastian asked.
There was dead silence in the room.
“Tell me he didn’t just say what I think he said.”
“He did, ma’am,” the nurse nervously said.
I glared balefully at Sebastian and was about to give him an earful when I caught the spark of laughter in his eyes. I weakly threw a pillow at him instead. “Boo! Hiss! Bad show, old chap!”
Sebastian laced his hands and rested his chin on them. “Are you British now? You’ve been Canadian and Australian already today. I was wondering when another nationality would present itself.”
I groaned, smacking my hands over my eyes, accidentally gouging one of them. I grumbled as I blinked quickly to keep my eyes from tearing up. “Why am I such a loon when I’m sick? This is so embarrassing!”
“Let me check your oxygen concentration,” the nurse said.
Sebastian laughed. “Her oxygen is fine. This is just the wonder and beauty that is Grace.”
Awww.
His sweet words almost took the sting out of my eye. They didn’t really help my lack of visibility, though. I grumbled, closing my eyes. I didn’t like it when life ganged up on me.
The nurse gave me some more ibuprofen to reduce my fever, and Sebastian helped me sit up when the food came. I got most of the yuck vegetable broth down, and some Jello with whipped cream. I didn’t get warm ice cream, but I was given a frozen fruitbar instead and it was even better than the ice cream would have been. It was freezing, but still yummy.
I was wiped out after I ate that little bit of food, but I didn’t want to be alone, so I patted the bed next to me. “Let’s watch a movie.”
Sebastian gently picked me up, slid into his bed with me, and, leaning back against the backboard, settled me between his legs until I was resting against him comfortably. He then pulled all the blankets up to my chin, even though he was probably roasting underneath them all.
We settled on aWhite Christmas.I loved the comedy, and the singing and dancing.
“I think I’ll keep you,” I said to him before I drifted off halfway through the “Sisters”number by Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye.
“I hope so,” he whispered back.
Chapter 17
Grace
Iwoke up two days later feeling well-rested and like I could conquer Everest. And then I moved to the table, had breakfast, and afterward felt like I could maybe conquer a tv show before my nap. Needless to say, healing was happening very slowly.
I honestly didn’t have any idea why Sebastian hadn’t thrown me off the ship. Literally. He had the patience of a saint. He’d stayed with me 24/7, taking care of me. He showered when I slept, which was often, but otherwise ate when I ate, and worked when I slept. He didn’t need as many hours of sleep as I did, so he had a lot of time to work on ship business, which he mainly handled from my sick den.
Even Kazi had tired of the suite and had taken off earlier for his private level and some sunshine.
Ireallywanted sunshine. And not the balcony’s sunshine. I wanted the full sun beating down on my skin, maybe from a hot tub, watching a movie on the jumbo screen, with a sweet drink in my hand.
I sat up with effort and looked across the room to where Sebastian sat at a desk, typing away on his laptop.
“Sebastian?”
“Yes?”
“I need sunshine. My cavern of darkness is depressing me now. I look wan and pale. It’s not an attractive look for me.”
“You’re stunningly beautiful,” he said, without looking at me, and without stopping to think for even half a second.
I blinked, surprised that he thought so. I knew he found me attractive, but not beautiful.
