77. Chapter Seventy-Seven
Chapter Seventy-Seven
Kat
“Oh my God,” he groaned. My eyes fluttered open, my hand still where I had left it, in his hair.
“I am NOT moving,” he declared, his tone daring anyone to try and make him. I laughed and kissed his head.
“Don’t you want tea, though?” I teased. He gave me a very self-satisfied, loopy, sleepy look.
“You’ll get it for me,” he said primly. I laughed. Of course I would.
“Well, yes. You’re right. But don’t you want to shower?” I nudged. He shook his head.
“I live in this now,” he said simply. Jesus. I was going to have to cut this man out of his clothing and toss him in the shower. Gently, of course.
“No, sweetie, a shower will feel so good, I promise,” I tempted. He shook his head.
“I don’t wanna,” he pouted ridiculously. I nudged him gently.
“Think you can spring for a new suit? I can cut you out of this so you don’t have to move much. And how about instead of a shower... think. A BATH,” I whispered, doing my best to sell the idea. He giggled.
“I can get out of my suit, I think. A long hot shower sounds better than a bath though, honestly. I don’t tend to fit all of me in the tub all at once,” he said reasonably. That was cute. And very sad. Baths were amazing. Well, when they weren’t my ONLY choice.
“Okay. We can make that happen. But one day, we’re going to find you a bigger tub, sweetie. Baths are amazing,” I whispered in his ear.
“Mhm?” he asked unintelligibly, but sounding a little suggestive. Well, loopily suggestive.
“Think you could find one big enough for us both?”
I managed to make it through getting my sleepy, grumpy driver back to the hotel, undressed, showered, dressed, and into bed. Every step brought me closer to time for me to leave. It was terrible.
Excruciating, honestly.
The only saving grace was that he was no longer loopy. Just grumpy.
And Jesus FUCKING Christ was grumpy Henry one of my favorite things. It didn’t happen very often but this grumbly grown ass man acting like a small child was just so very adorable.
I hadn’t found a side of him yet that I didn’t love with all my heart.
But all I had to do was think about that phone call with Donovan to find the courage to leave later this afternoon.
Even if it made him hate me.
Which is surely would.
But that would make this easier, for him.
“Okay. You have your tea, your pasta, your cheesy bread, the remote, your phone, and some ibuprofen and acetaminophen. You can take them alternating every two hours. Capice?” I asked him sternly.
He nodded, not even pausing shoving cheesy bread into his mouth.
This was so far away from his diet it wasn’t even funny, but I wasn’t telling those sad baby blues no.
And I never would.
“You sure you can’t move your flight to tomorrow with me?” he asked, turning those sad eyes on me again. Okay maybe I would tell him no sometimes.
Because I couldn’t stay another night. I was already lucky he hadn’t found out what had happened so far.
And I was taking what Basti said into account. I was. But I also knew I’d be tied to the bed so fast if I told Henry in person.
I’d call him from the airport.
“I can’t, sweetheart. I already moved my flight once,” I said softly, kissing him on the temple as he stuck his tiny tongue out to try to snag some of his fettucine. Fuck I loved giving him yummy food. Like this man could ever get fat. Jesus.
“You did?” he asked, sounding surprised, looking up at me again. He seemed to have forgotten about the bite of pasta stuck between his bowl and his mouth as he did so. I steered his hand back down to his bowl, conceding that he was maybe still a little bit loopy.
The carbs should help.
I nodded.
“I was supposed to fly out last night,” I admitted. He grinned brightly at me. I couldn’t help but smile back.
“You stayed for me?” he asked, sounding so very happy and hopeful. Jesus, that phone call was going to kill him. And me. I nodded again.
“I wasn’t going to leave you alone in the medical center, honey,” I said reasonably. His grin grew even wider. He snuck closer, pulling me into him by the waist. He nosed my cheek, then kissed it.
“You stayed for me,” he repeated, no longer a question. I sighed, letting out a soft giggle.
“Of course, I did,” I admitted. He made a little questioning noise. I turned toward him so he could see the sincerity on my face, in my eyes, and slid my hand into his hair.
“You needed me. So, I stayed.”