Page 55 of Someone to Watch Over Me

“I’ve hardly been sick a day in my whole life.”

“You’ve been incredibly lucky. A few sick days won’t kill you but overdoing it before you’re ready just might. So don’t do that. We don’t want any setbacks.”

“Right. No setbacks. So the website really said six to eight weeks, huh?”

“It really did, and if you read the instructions they sent home from the hospital, you’ll find it says it there, too.”

“You’re a real buzz killer, you know that?”

“Grumpy Tom is cute Tom.”

“I’m not grumpy.”

“If you say so.” I kiss him once more and get up to leave. “Call me if you need me during the night.”

“What if I need another kiss?”

“Don’t call me for that.”

“Fine.”

“Fine. Good night, Tom.”

“Good night, Lexi. I miss you already.”

I can’t stop smiling as I go downstairs, shut off the lights and then go up another flight of stairs to my room over the garage.

My smile dims when I realize how far I am from him. What if he really does need me during the night? When he slept in the recliner, he was located at the bottom of the stairs to my room. Now he’s a whole house away from me.

Shit.

I change into pajamas, brush my teeth and bring my phone with the alarm set for the morning with me when I return to his side of the house.

He’s scrolling through his phone when I appear in the doorway. “May I help you, ma’am?”

“It occurred to me that I’m really far from you over there, and if you needed something, it would take me a minute to get to you, and worrying about that will keep me awake.”

“I believe I tried to tell you that.”

I walk into his room and go to the far side of his king-sized bed. “No, you tried to tell me you needed me tucked up against you while you sleep, which isn’t going to happen.”

He watches me with keen interest. “What is happening, then?”

“I’m sleeping over here, and you’re sleeping over there, and there will be absolutely no touching. Do I make myself clear?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

I bite back a laugh. He’s so grumpy!

I settle myself into his comfy bed and pull the covers up to my chest. When I glance his way, I find that he’s turned on his side to look at me.

“What?”

“Lexi Nelson is in my bed. You can bet your ass I’m going to enjoy this.”

“Shut the light off, Tom.”

“Not yet, Lexi. I need a few more minutes to commit this to memory.”

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