Page 34 of Viral Affair

When she did, I grabbed her towel, dried her off as quickly as I could, and put the thick white robe on her.

“If I wasn’t ill, I would be riding you on this floor right now, and you would have never said no to me.” She sighed.

I smiled, wrapping a towel around my waist. This was going to be a long day. I could feel it in my bones.

“Without a doubt, sunshine, but right now we need to get you to bed. I’ll give you some painkillers, although I prefer to use a more natural method,” I told her.

She needed to rest. I touched her head. She wasn’t burning up any longer, but I was going to check her temperature to be sure.

We went back to my bedroom, where her scent filled the room. I dried her hair a bit while she sat on the bed and then helped her get under the covers.

“Thank you. I owe you one.” She smiled at me.

“Are you hungry? I think Justyna is already downstairs. I can bring you the soup?”

“No. I feel like I might throw up again. I will eat later,“ she said then closed her eyes, likely quickly forgetting about riding with me in the bathroom.

Isearched for some clothes to wear. Veronica breathed steadily. I wasn’t sure if she was asleep, but she must have been exhausted.

Moments later, I went downstairs where Justyna was re-heating something on the stove.

“Mr Banks, I made the soup like you asked for and thought I would make some Polish dumplings, too. I know how much you like them.” She smiled.

“Thank you. Veronica is sleeping so she won’t be eating right now. For now I’m going to make myself a protein smoothie and then I will be in my office if you need me,” I told her.

She nodded. Justyna's mother was from Poland and she had been in the kitchen, cooking with her mother, since she was a little girl. She didn’t always cook for me because I enjoyed preparing all my meals myself, but at times I got so busy with work that I asked her to fix some dishes. I was very regimental about my meals and rarely ate out.

Three hours later, I stretched out and rubbed my eyes. It was just before midday. I glanced at my watch, knowing Veronica would probably be up by now, and when I turned around, I nearly jumped as she was standing in my office.

“Christ, you could have given me a heart attack.” I stood and walked up to her. I touched her forehead, which for a change wasn’t burning, but she was still very pale.

“Thank you for looking after me, my guardian angel, but I woke up starving,” she said, embracing me unexpectedly.

I liked having her close to my body.

“There’s plenty of food downstairs.” I told myself that I couldn’t fall for this woman. She was trouble, and there was no way I could allow her to work in the club. Something had to give. “How is your stomach?”

“I felt nauseated before I fell asleep, but I feel fine now,” she replied before letting go of me.

“Good. Come on then, let’s go downstairs to feed you,” I said.

She nodded, and I sensed her tension. Since her fever has gone now, I suspected she was feeling a little embarrassed about everything that had happened in the bathroom, but I wasn’t planning to be a wanker and call her out on her neediness.

Justyna had left the dumplings in the pan, but I took out the chicken soup from the fridge and started reheating it. Veronica sat on one of the stools by the island, popping her hands under her chin.

“Something smells incredible,” she said. “So are you going to tell me why you reacted the way you did the other day when I asked you about that photo?”

I kept stirring the soup, feeling uneasy. I had to tell her since I’d overreacted the other day, but I didn’t like sharing that story with anyone. All these memories from the past made me feel helpless because this was something I could never control. Cancer had fucked me up when I was a child, and even years later I was told it could still come back. I waited until the soup was warm, then poured it into a bowl and placed it right in front of her.

“I was diagnosed with leukaemia when I was around four, hence why I had no hair in that photo. I’m sorry I reacted like that then, but I still find it hard to talk about the past,” I said, deciding to let go.

Veronica stopped eating and stared at me with wide eyes.

“Cancer… oh dear Lord, Rupert, I’m sorry, but you obviously fought it off, right?” she asked.

“I don’t remember much from that time. I knew I was in the hospital for several months, then I was home. My mother said my immune system was shattered so I couldn’t see anyone, so she moved my brothers somewhere else because she was scared I might catch something from them,” I explained.

These memories were slightly hazy. I remembered sitting in my room and staring outside the window, seeing some kids playing outside. I knew at some point it had been touch and go—my parents thought they were going to lose me.

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