Page 38 of Quarantined with the Billionaire

Chapter Eleven

Bright lights blazing. Squeezing my eyelids together, I was gasping for air, afraid I’d never be able to get enough.

“Bailey. Bailey.” That voice. That comforting voice. Calm, low, sincere.

I was nearly hyperventilating, still unable to scream, barely able to open my eyes, but feeling his hands on my shoulders helped ground me. Peeling my eyelids open, I tried to focus—and then I nearly drowned in the blue pools above his cheeks. Up this close, the cleft in his chin combined with stubble made him look rugged.

Masculine.

Desirable.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” I said, sitting up a little in bed. I was still struggling to catch my breath, but having Maddox this close comforted me so that I was able to relax.

“Can I get you anything?”

“No, thanks. I’m all right.”

His hands remained on my shoulders and, suddenly, my mind went somewhere it shouldn’t.

“Do you remember what you were dreaming?”

“No,” I lied. I didn’t want to talk about it, because that horrible dream was based on a memory, one I didn’t want to remember, much less relive.

“Do you have nightmares like that very often?”

Not in a long time. “No. I think it must be due to sleeping in a strange place.”

His smile was soft and warm. “Maybe I should have poured more wine for you. Would you like some now?”

I managed a small chuckle. “No, I’m fine. I promise.”

“Warm milk? Hot chocolate?”

“I’m okay, Maddox. Really.”

Nodding, he squeezed my shoulders comfortingly. “Okay. Well…I’m next door if you need me.”

As he walked toward the door, I began feeling like the walls were caving in on me again. “Wait.”

He turned his head, caressing me gently with his eyes. “Yes?”

“I know this sounds weird, but…would you stay with me? Sleep in here?”

“If that would make you feel better, I could.”

I smiled, ready to scoot over and pull back the covers for him.

“But I have a better idea. My bed’s king-size, so there will be plenty of room for you in there.”

I intended to snuggle up close to him. The size of the bed didn’t matter.

But I did want to see his room.

“If you’d rather, I can sleep in a chair in here so you don’t have to worry about me doing anything ungentlemanly.”

“After the nightmare I had, you’re the least of my worries.”

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