Chapter 4 Damon
Damon
Something catches on my foot, jolting me out of my sleep. I inhale sharply and sit up, freaked out that someone broke into my apartment.
Then I remember I’m in a hotel, sharing a bed with none other than Ellis Donlan. I clutch at my chest and slow down my breathing before glancing around. The snowstorm must have gotten stronger because the wind’s howling. The sound of snow hitting the glass grates on my nerves.
Glancing at the digital clock, I see that it’s almost midnight. We’ve been out for a few hours, and the alarm I set should go off soon.
I unrolled Ellis from the comforter hours ago and slipped it down to his chest so he wasn’t so bundled up and had waited until his fever went down. He was so deep in sleep that he didn’t seem to care and didn’t make a sound when I slipped myself under the other side of the comforter.
I stayed a respectable distance away from him though, maximizing the comforter as much as I could.
But he must have moved in his sleep because he’s much closer now, his ankle pressed against mine.
Ellis is curled to his side, facing away from me, and his shoulders are shaking. He lets out a soft, pained moan, and I ignore how my dick takes an interest in that sound. Now’s not the time for a hard-on. And I tell myself that when it comes to Ellis, it will never be the right time.
But, God, does my heart drop when I see him shaking. Do I wake him up? It should be time for him to take medicine again. I rub my hands against my thighs, trying to think of a game plan.
I don’t think I can leave him like this, as much as he pisses me off.
“Ellis,” I say softly, nudging his shoulder.
“Nrgh…”
“Ellis, wake up. Take some medicine.”
He makes another soft sound. It sends a rush of warmth through me, but I can’t even be thankful for it—not when my dick just won’t read the room and behave.
“Hey. Wake up.” I grip his shoulder and turn him to his back, and he flops without any resistance. There’s barely any light in the room except for a faint glow from the city lights outside the window, but it’s enough for me to see how pale he is.
Fuck.
Ellis’s chest rises and falls in slow successions as he blinks at me slowly. Everything happens very gradually, and I wait for him to come to his senses. When he does, his eyes dart around the room, and his eyebrows furrow together. Ellis hugs his arms.
“W-what?” he whispers. I don’t think I’ve ever heard him speak so quietly before.
“Are you okay? You’re feverish again, and I think it’s worse than before.”
He fixes his eyes on me, and his mouth curls into a slight smile. “W-worried about me?”
Despite being at risk of burning up, of course he finds my concern amusing above anything else. God, he drives me insane.
“I’m serious,” I say.
“I’m f-fine. Just being d-dramatic,” he says dryly.
I roll my eyes, and he lets out a shaky snicker. My mind racing, I make a move to get out of the bed. His eyes widen and his hand sneaks out from beneath the blankets. He reaches for my arm, clasping at my sleeve.
“Where are you g-going!?” he hisses.
“Grabbing medicine. Relax.”
He curses under his breath when I switch on a lamp to head to the bathroom and pop two tablets out.
I head back and nudge his shoulder. “Ellis. Medicine.”
He raises a weak hand, his fingers brushing against mine, and I grab the unopened bottle of water on the nightstand. He watches me warily as I twist the cap open, shoving the Advil into his mouth just as I give him the water.
His throat bobs as he does. When he’s done, I take the bottle away from him and put it on the nightstand.
In the few seconds I turn to put the water back, he somehow rolls himself into a burrito once more. Rolling my eyes, I pull the comforter’s edges from under him, yanking it down to his feet.
“What the hell are you doing!?” he yells angrily.
“You need to cool down. Wrapping you up will make your fever spike more.”
His teeth clack together. “I-I’m freezing!”
“I know you are, but you don’t have a choice.”
“Y-you’d better watch your back when this is over. W-wait. Where are you going? Hey! C-come back here!”
I ignore his panicked demands and head back to the bathroom, grabbing a washcloth and running it under the water.
When I head back to him, he’s glaring at me.
If looks could kill, I’m sure this would be what ends me.
I place the washcloth on his forehead and I guess I’m forgiven for leaving him for a few seconds because he visibly relaxes and slackens against his pillow.
Ellis lets out a soft sigh and closes his eyes.
We don’t say anything as I wipe the sweat off his forehead and neck.
I think I’ve done all I can right now, so I switch the lamp off and climb back into bed, lying on my side facing away from him. The space between us isn’t that wide, but I’ve never been more aware of another person’s presence in my entire life.
“Fuck,” he curses under his breath. It comes out shaky and weak, and when I turn to see what’s wrong now, he grabs me by the arm and pulls me toward him. Ellis clutches the front of my shirt and presses his face against my chest.
And… this. This is familiar.
Painfully so. It reminds me of our night from years ago, which was followed by a morning I wish could have gone another way.
“Ellis,” I say, throat dry. “You’re supposed to be cooling down.”
“It’s cold! Just—just a minute, okay? Then you can let me freeze to death again.”
Sighing, I give in and slide my hand to the back of his neck. Giving him my sweater didn’t help all that much because he continues to shiver even though his skin’s still too hot to the touch. Ellis makes a sound against my chest that makes my heart jump in a way it has no right to.
“I can’t believe we’re cuddling,” I mutter.
“It’s f-fine,” he mumbles. “It doesn’t count. Legally speaking, cuddling with someone you hate is fine in emergency s-situations.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
“What happens in a snowstorm, stays i-in a s-snowstorm.”
“Fine. Whatever.” I hesitate, then add, “Though next time, if you’re going to Buffalo in December, fucking pack for Buffalo in December. And don’t go on a goddamn work trip if you’re feeling under the weather. Do you understand?”
He lets out a soft wheeze. Then, he mutters, “Understood, Daddy.”
I suck in a breath and go completely rigid.
He must feel it because he lifts his head to look at me. Ellis blinks at me.
“Oh, Dee.” He giggles. Giggles. “T-that’s interesting. I should have known. Sorry I didn’t k-know when we slept together. Do you like being called Da—hey!”
I grab my pillow and press it against his face, and he flails his arms as his laughter’s muffled against it. I grunt and take my pillow back. Ellis lies on his side, his auburn hair falling across his face, and gives me a wide grin I can’t read.
As much as it physically pains me because I know he’s going to say something to set me off again, I have no choice. “What are you smiling about?”
“You. I’m smiling at you. You’re so fucking cute.” Ellis grabs my hand and puts it against his cheek, and my entire being stills. “Don’t read into this, Dee. I need your warmth.”
There’s a softness in his gaze that makes my heart rattle in my chest. I can’t even begin to comprehend it, but because maybe the universe is finally on my side, he relaxes and closes his eyes.
I feel him move against my hand, and I instinctively curl my hand around his cheek, ignoring how my brain is raging for me to not let go of his face.
I fight the urge to slide my hand down to his neck, to wrap my fingers around his throat and feel him swallow underneath my palm.
The urge is so strong it’s painful.
I settle my hand on his hip instead, only because there’s no other place to put it considering the position we’re in. I have no other choice. And when Ellis tilts his chin down and places his forehead on my chest, I’m just thankful I don’t have to look into those eyes anymore.
I wait for him to drift off to sleep then slowly untangle myself from him. Sighing, I grab my phone and set a timer for thirty minutes so I can check to make sure he’s not worse by then.
And if I maybe spend a minute or so watching his sleeping face, it’s only because I don’t think I’ve ever seen Ellis Donlan, the agency’s golden boy and piranha, this vulnerable before.