Page 51 of Tempest

The image of her tiny body shivering under a blanket forms in my mind. It’s probably not what’s happening but I can’t seem to shake it now that it’s there. I spend another thirty minutes basically doom scrolling before I take action.

Another hour later, I’m at her door knocking.

“Gavin,” is all she gets out before tears stop her words.

“Hey, hey, it’s gonna be okay, Ode.” I step into her, carrying my bag of supplies in one hand and using the other to wrap her up.

“My hair is falling out,” she says, her voice rattling as much as her body.

“Ah, fuck, babe. Come here,” I say, bending to leverage under her ass and pick her up. “Where’s your room?”

“Upstairs,” she says, then she darts her eyes to mine. “I’m not going to fuck you.”

“Not why I’m here, Odette.” I laugh.

“Why are you here,” she says, relaxing some in my arms as I take the stairs as quickly and carefully as I can.

“You sounded like you needed some comfort. I brought some over.”

“You? Are you the comfort?” she asks skeptically.

“I wouldn’t dare to presume such an idea,” I answer, feigning aghast.

“Okay, good,” she says with a sigh as I walk into her room and place her on her enormous bed.

“Is this a king size?”

“No, bigger.”

“Why?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” she snarks, and I’m glad she at least has her moxie.

“Fuck yeah, I would, but again, not why I’m here. Bathroom?”

She points to a door, then rolls herself twice in the comforter on her bed, releasing a pained groan as she does. Her bathroom has an extra-large bathtub, because of course everything in this house is oversized. It takes a few minutes to find the right temperature, but when it starts to fill, I pull the essential oils from the bag and drop some into the water. Then I go to find her closet and rummage around. I’m trying to find a bathing suit because I don’t think she’d appreciate me dumping her into a bath naked as much as I would like to. But other than three drawers full of the sexiest, skimpiest lingerie I’ve ever seen in my life, I have no luck.

Though, like everything here, the closet is massive and full, I could have missed her stash of bikinis.

“Hey, Ode?” I crawl up the bed, moving away the blanket and her mass of hair until I find her face. It’s blotchy with tears, reminding me of a time I don’t want to remember. “Do you have a bathing suit?”

“Why?”

“I’ve started a bath,” I say.

“I bathe in the nude, weirdo,” she mumbles into the blanket.

“I figured you wouldn’t want to do that with me. And I was going to get in with you so I can massage your shoulders and help you relax.”

“That sounds…presumptuous but also like heaven. I really want a hot bath.”

“Okay, so we’re on the same page. Swimsuit?”

“I swim in the nude, too.”

“You’re fucking killing me here, Ode,” I say, starting to unroll her from her blanket taco. “Nude it is.”

“I’m too tired to argue with you, Gavin. Just get me in the bathtub.” Her arms wrap around my neck, and I feel fresh wetness as tears fall.

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