Page 67 of Sin

When I stand up suddenly, dizziness washes over me, making the room spin. Ethan wraps his arm around my waist and yanks me against his chest.

“I’m coming with my girlfriend.” His tone is firm. “She’s so out of it, I don’t think she’ll remember any of the doctor’s instructions.”

Indignation flares in my veins, and I jerk my head in his direction. “I’m not out of it.”

His eyes flash. “You were muttering nonsense when you were sleeping a second ago. I’m coming with you.”

Without giving me a chance to respond, he yanks me against his chest, giving me support as a nurse guides us through a hallway. The scent of antiseptic makes my stomach churn.

“Let’s check your vitals,” the nurse says as she guides me to a chair and wraps a cuff around my arm. A moment later, the cuff inflates tightly and releases.

“Blood pressure is normal,” the nurse says.

“Her pulse is high though.” Ethan’s brow is furrowed as he stares at the screen beside me. “She’s been sleeping almost the whole time we’ve been here. Shouldn’t it be lower than that?”

The nurse smiles warmly at Ethan. “It’s common with a fever. Her body is working hard to fight off an infection.”

“I’m not an athlete,” I say. “My pulse is always high.”

He rolls his eyes. “Your fevers are always high… Your pulse is always high… Stop bullshitting me, Greenwood. We’ll see what the doctor says.”

My stomach flips over. Fuck, he’s so cute when he’s exasperated with me.

A while later, I’m sitting on a paper-covered table while Ethan paces the room. The door opens, and a man in a white coat appears. “Hi Lily,” he says with a smile. “I’m Dr. Carter.”

He immediately pulls out his stethoscope and places it against my chest. Ethan hovers over him, his brows pulled together. “Her pulse is really fast,” he clips out. “Is that normal?”

“With a high fever, yes.” Dr. Carter shines a light into my ear. “Do you have any other symptoms, Lily? Any nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea?

“Lots of diarrhea,” I say. “Explosive.”

Dr. Carter doesn’t even flinch. “When did it start?”

Ethan groans. “She’s joking. Trying to make me uncomfortable. It’s her favorite thing to do.”

I shoot Ethan a saucy smile, and he rolls his eyes. God, I’m acting like a child.

The exam is over within ten minutes. As I expected, nothing is seriously wrong with me. Just a virus of some kind.

“Alright, Ethan.” Dr. Carter hands Ethan a small slip of paper. “Tylenol every four to six hours, and make sure she drinks plenty of fluids.”

“Wow,” I murmur. “What a revelation. I have a fever and I need Tylenol. This wasn’t a waste of time at all.”

Ethan shoots me a stern look before grabbing the note from Dr. Carter’s hand. “Are you sure she doesn’t need some kind of antibiotic? Her fever was much higher earlier. A hundred and four. What if she has some kind of bacterial infection, like meningitis?”

I suck in my lips to fight my laughter, and based on Dr. Carter’s tight expression, I think he might be doing the same. “Meningitis is rare,” he says. “And she doesn’t have any other symptoms like a headache or stiff neck. Tylenol should be just fine. Just keep an eye on her temperature.” Dr. Carter pats Ethan’s shoulder. “If it climbs back up, don’t hesitate to bring her back in.”

We stand, ready to leave, and I sway slightly, still wobbly on my feet. Ethan catches my elbow, steadying me. His grip is strong—always so strong.

“Take care of her, but remember to look after yourself too,” Dr. Carter adds, his eyes twinkling. “It’s obvious you’re…anxious.”

Ethan blushes as he nods. “My girlfriend doesn’t get sick very often.”

Dr. Carter says something else, but I don’t hear the words. My whole body is enveloped in a warm haze.

Ethan didn’t have to call me his girlfriend just now. It would have made more sense to call me “Lily” or even “she.” He called me his girlfriend because he wanted to say it. Because he likes the sound of it as much as I do.

So I wasn’t imagining the hidden emotion in Ethan’s slip of the tongue.

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