Page 22 of Falling for the Hot Billionaire

It would have been wrong for me to say that I was happy that all of this had happened. Right? I wasn’t happy, but I could see opportunity in the situation. Justine was now under my roof and that was more time together. I wouldn’t have wished that it happened, her house catching fire from a space heater malfunctioning, but it could have been the best thing that had happened to me in a long time.

I couldn’t show my happiness though. It would be impossible to explain in a way that she would understand my jubilation. It was devasting to her, a whole life burned up in a few moments.

I was trying to see the bright side of it all. I would be able spend some time with her and do more than just talk. It felt even more important now that Justine was talking about moving away. When I had called her boss, I never realized that it would upset her so much. But Justine didn't see it that way. She took it personal, and I didn't know what to do. I kept trying to tell her that it wasn’t like that, but she didn't think that I knew. As soon as I saw her reaction to it all, I knew that I could never tell her what I had done. I didn't think that she would understand or appreciate the fact that I was trying to keep her safe. Why was it all such a mess?

A little while after she went to bed, Justine knocked after a minute to come in. I asked her what was going on and she just kind of shrugged. “I can't seem to get any sleep and I could hear you moving around in here. What's your excuse?”

My excuse was one that I couldn’t say out loud. There was a woman only a few feet from my bedroom that I wanted, but I couldn’t say any of that. I couldn’t be truthful, so I shrugged and said something about how it had been a day.

“Thank you for coming to warn me after work. I don't know how I would have reacted if I hadn’t had a warning. I can't even imagine coming home to everything going on and not at least preparing myself a little bit. You saved me from that, Tyrell.”

I told her it was no problem and again I felt guilty because I could find the silver lining in the situation. I almost didn't want to, considering how much she had lost for me to gain just a little bit of time with her. The way she was talking about leaving, I might have overshot my hands. What if I lost her permanently because I couldn't be patient? I would just have to work something out. If I got her out of the ER, maybe she wouldn’t want to leave.

“I'm sorry that any of this happened. I'm sure that you will find something quick. You are welcome to stay here as long as you need a place to stay.”

Justine smiled. “I still don't know why you're being so nice to me.”

“You saved me before, remember?”

“You know that I didn't really save you, right?”

“What do you mean? I know what you did.”

Justine insisted that she had just done her job, she had said that several times, but of course I didn't feel that way at all. I would always think that she had done more than that, though I wasn't quite sure how much more. There was a lot that I didn't understand, and I was still looking for information.

I asked her if she wanted to watch a movie or something and Justine shook her head that she didn’t.

“Well, we are both up, Justine. What do you want to do?” I didn’t mention what I had in mind. I am pretty sure that was clear and not a good idea. I wanted it to be though.

“Would you lie with me for a little while?”

I hesitated because I knew exactly what close proximity to her did to me. It wasn’t pleasant to be honest. She left me with a void that needed to be filled and she was the only one that could do so. She was also untouchable in a way. She’d never been touched before and I still wanted to do it right. I wanted her to be able to take her time and get used to me. The last time we’d been across from each other at a table, she had practically trembled the whole time. If it was anything like before, I didn't know if I could take that again. It's hard to say ‘no’ to something that I wanted so badly.

“I don't know if that would be a good idea,” I concluded with an unsure voice. Even as I said it, I knew it was the right call, but I also left enough leeway that I could back out of it.

Justine frowned at me. “Come on, you can't lie with me for a little while? After the day I've had? I laid with you a couple of times when you were in the hospital.”

I hadn’t known that, but I didn't doubt her. She’d been kind to me, and we’d been complete strangers at the time. How could I do any less? Apparently, that's all she had to say, and I was moving toward the other side of the bed. She moved the sheet back and I could see her wearing my T shirt. I didn't dare wonder what it was that she had on underneath it.

Lying down next to her I felt stiff, like I shouldn't be there. I knew that I said I would, and I was trying to help her, but if I couldn't control myself. I would not be a help at all. She had a traumatic day. The last thing she needed was me trying to take advantage of it…More than I already was.

Justine huffed after a moment and I looked over at her, trying to see what the matter was. I shouldn’t have asked.

“What's the point of lying with me, if we're not even going to touch?”

I groaned inwardly, because, of course, she had a point. She was looking for comfort and I was avoiding her under the sheets like the plague. As I pulled her against me, I closed my eyes to the feeling, as well as the immediate desire that it brought out in me. How could an innocent touch bother me so much? Justine moved closer, until she was halfway sprawled on top of my chest. I quipped about how I was sure that she had not laid like that at the hospital, and she agreed that she had not.

“There is no way that I would let somebody see me like that. I would never hear the end of it. We are not supposed to get close to our patients.”

“What made you go against the rules?” It was something that I honestly wanted to know. I knew why I was so transfixed with her, but why was it the same for her, even when I hadn't even woken up yet? Why had she not given up on me, when my own wife had?

“Honestly, it was Monica that probably made me feel so protective of you. Just the way she acted; I didn't think that anybody deserved that.”

I wanted to ask more for my own curiosity but knew that it wasn't going to help the situation now and I doubted that she would give me any specifics. Justine had tried hard to not say anything negative about my ex, even though I'm sure she had a lot to say.

“Well, whatever made you, I’m glad you did. You are my guardian angel, whether you want to hear it or not.”

“You really have to stop saying that, Tyrell. You know that I'm not the one who saved you. There were several surgeons and doctors involved with your care. They most definitely had a bigger hand in your recovery than I did. I'm just a nurse.”

---