Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
Alice woke up with her throat burning and her nose clogged.
Christmas bells.
This was not what she needed right now. She glanced around, confused.
Where was she?
She reached around and felt something hard behind her.
What was that?
“Baby? You okay?”
Letting out a startled cry, she threw herself off the bed and landed on the floor with a groan.
“Alice!” a voice said with alarm.
Who was that? It wasn’t George.
Then a light came on and she blinked up in shock as a handsome, bearded face glanced down at her.
Anson.
Oh, thank God she wasn’t back with George.
“Anson,” she said hoarsely.
“What happened, baby? Did you have a bad dream?” he asked.
“I woke up and I didn’t know where I was.” She cleared her throat. “I need to go get a drink. I’m sorry I woke you. Go back to sleep.”
“Wait there.”
She watched in shock as he climbed out of bed. He was just wearing boxers and her mouth started to water despite how terrible she felt.
Seemed even a cold couldn’t stop her from getting turned on by him.
He clicked his fingers in front of her face. “My eyes are up here.”
What? Oh my God! Why was she staring at his . . . at his cock?
Alice knew she was bright red as she attempted to get onto her feet. He reached a hand down and she took it without thought. He helped lift her up.
Oh no. He shouldn’t be taking her weight like that. But he showed no sign of strain as he held her steady.
“Hey, you all right?” he asked as he placed a finger under her chin and tilted her head back.
“Just dying of embarrassment. Don’t mind me.”
He snorted. “You can stare at my dick all you like. I was just joking. You’re thirsty?”
She nodded.
“Get back into bed. I’ll go get you a drink.”
“I can get it,” she protested.
“Baby, stop arguing and do as you’re told.”
With a huff that turned into a slight cough, she climbed back into bed.
He eyed her for a moment before placing the back of his hand on her forehead.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Just checking that you didn’t have a temperature. You sound all stuffed up.”
“I think it’s just one of those things that will blow over quick.” She hoped so anyway.
“I’ll get you some cold meds. Stay in bed.”
So bossy.
But she’d also never experienced this level of care before from a man. George would have told her to go to another room so she didn’t infect him. And then he would have proceeded to moan the entire time that she was sick that he had to do everything.
Anson returned with a bottle of water and some pills. She swallowed the pills with a grimace. Her throat felt raw.
“Thank you,” she said. “What time is it?”
“Just after three.”
“Oh my God! I’m so sorry I woke you up. Go back to sleep.”
“I’ll go back to sleep once you do,” he told her firmly. “And in the future, if you ever wake up scared or feeling unwell, wake me.”
Alice shook her head. “I can’t do that.”
Would she even be with him in the future?
Lord, she hoped so.
“You can and you will.” He leaned down and kissed her forehead. “Now, do you need anything else? To pee? Another drink? Another pillow?”
“No.” She bit her lip.
“Alice. No lying.”
“Have you seen Lola?” she asked.
He pulled Lola out from between the pillows and handed her to Alice.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“Anything for you, baby.”
The next time she woke up, she was on her own and she actually felt better than she had during the night.
Thank goodness.
She’d been worried it was going to turn into something more and she didn’t have time for that.
Getting out of bed, she glanced around for her suitcase. Where was it?
Confused, she decided to go looking for Anson.
“Anson?” she asked as she walked into the kitchen to find him at the oven. What was that burning smell?
He turned with a tray in his hand.
“What are you doing? Are those cookies?” she asked, brushing her hair off her face.
She suddenly realized that she should have checked what she looked like in the mirror before coming out here.
Because he looked as gorgeous as always. He was dressed in a T-shirt, open flannel shirt, and dark jeans.
So sexy.
And she likely looked like a wreck.
“They were meant to be. I thought you might like to ice them if you were feeling up to it today. But I don’t know what happened. They spread out and then after ten minutes in the oven, I could smell them burning. They don’t look anything like reindeer.”
She just stared at him for a long moment before she took in the cookies, which just looked like blobs.
“That was . . . that was really sweet.”
He snorted. “Maybe if they’d turned out right. You said you liked to bake cookies with your mom before Christmas.”
“I did.” She was shocked he’d done this. “I can bake some, though. Maybe you could help ice them. If you wanted.”
“I don’t want you doing too much while you aren’t feeling well,” he told her, setting the tray down before he limped over to her. He grasped hold of her chin, tilting her head back so he could study her.
“I’m feeling fine this morning.”
“You don’t look fine.”
Oh great. Why can’t you get anything right, Alice?
“I look terrible, huh? I would have showered and gotten dressed, done my hair and makeup but I can’t find my stuff. I’m so—”
He put his finger over her lips. “Gonna stop you there.”
Shoot.
“Good call,” she said as he moved his finger away. “Do you know where my stuff is?”
“I do. I unpacked it for you. But you don’t need to shower and dress. Definitely don’t need makeup on. In fact, I want you to go back to bed and rest.”
“What?”
“You can walk around all day like that if you want. I won’t complain.” His gaze ran over her and she felt herself growing warm.
“But don’t I look like a mess?”
He raised his eyebrows. “No, you look sexy. But back to bed.”
“I don’t want to go back to bed.”
“You woke up in the night not feeling well,” he pointed out.
“But I feel good now.” Mostly. “I can’t go back to bed. I want to make cookies. Maybe do some work. And decorate that tree.”
He eyed her for a moment, then he crossed his arms over his chest. “Compromise.”
“Do you know the meaning of the word?” she teased.
Jesus, Alice. Be careful.
“Sassy,” he said, but he didn’t look annoyed. “Maybe you are feeling better.”
“I am.”
“You may sit on the couch. You are going to do nothing more than read or watch television or eat. No work.”
“But . . . but . . .”
“It’s that or bed,” he told her sternly.
“I want to make cookies.” She pouted. “And I need to work.”
“Why do you need to work? Do you have a book due?”
“Well, not until the end of January,” she admitted.
He raised an eyebrow. “So you could take a week off for Christmas?”
Alice swallowed heavily. “I have to work to support myself.”
“Baby, I know that’s scary. But you don’t have any expenses right now. Just have a break. You’ve been running on empty since you left George. When have you had time to sit and breathe?”
She hadn’t. Wait. “No expenses? But I have to pay . . . you . . . or not.” From the look on his face he did not like where she’d been going.
“My woman doesn’t pay for anything.”
Her breath caught and not because of his insistence that she didn’t pay for anything.
“Your woman?”
Anson grasped hold of her hips. “I know you might not be there yet. But that’s where we’re headed to.
If you need more time, I get that. It’s not long since you left George and that was a fucked-up relationship.
I will wait. I will go slow. But you will be mine.
Whether that’s today, next week or next year, I will wait. ”
She shouldn’t be surprised. It’s not like he hadn’t said a few things. But he seemed so . . . so certain.
And what do you want? To still wait?
She’d thought that she did. But with each moment she spent with him, she became more uncertain.
Anson cupped her cheeks. “It’s all right, baby. It’s too much. I know that. You don’t have to say anything. But you are resting today. If you are still feeling good tomorrow, you can get up and get dressed.”
Alice swallowed heavily. She really wanted to give in. To be his.
“Also, if you want to slip into Little headspace at any time, I’m all for that. Your Little needs to trust me to look after her too.”
Her mind was reeling.
“Come on, let’s make you a bed on the couch and I’ll get you some breakfast.”
How was this her life right now?
She was snuggled up on the couch under a comfy blanket. The fire was roaring. There was a large Christmas tree next to the fire. And a Christmas movie playing quietly on the television.
She sipped on a hot chocolate that Anson had made her. It was a bit too sweet, but she wasn’t going to tell him that.
It was early afternoon and he’d done nothing but fuss over her all day. She couldn’t believe how well he had taken care of her. And she felt kind of terrible, because she wasn’t even ill.
It had just been a bit of a sore throat. Sure, she was tired and croaky, but she really thought she should be helping more. Sitting around doing nothing wasn’t something she was used to.
You could slip into Little headspace. Your Little wouldn’t worry about having Daddy take care of her. Pamper her.
She hadn’t slipped into Little headspace just for fun in, well, ever. She had an ulterior motive, too. Because she wanted to test what sort of Daddy he would be. Whether he really would still want her after taking care of her Little.
With every minute that he took care of her today, she thought that he probably would. But she had to know for sure.
And so did her Little.