Page 23 of Toxic

“Good.” The connection ended.

“Was that a fucking banshee?” Butcher asked, amusement heavy in his tone.

“Pretty sure it fucking was,” I muttered and shoved the phone into my pocket. I had chores to do—though the threat to my balls had made me cringe—I didn’t have time to call Keely back and tell her I wasn’t planning to hurt her friend. I couldn’t help but smile though—Lockout was in for a treat later. I had no doubt she’d be giving the same warnings about me to my president.

It was onlya couple hours later when I came to check on her again and I swore when I realized her fever was worse. I stuck a home thermometer under her tongue as she laid there, watching me. One oh three. Fuck.

“Alright, Sweet Girl,” I told her as I lifted her up into my arms. “You’re going to hate me for this, but it needs to be done.”

I wasn’t about to wait longer and risk letting her temperature get higher. This always worked on us as kids and if it was good enough for my Pops, it was good enough for me. I stepped into the bathroom and turned the shower on.

She sagged against me, not complaining as I manhandled her. I doubted she was about to be as docile here in a few minutes. Sure enough, as soon as I put her, clothes and all, under the cold spray she came alive.

“Toxic!” she shrieked, trying to get past me and out of the water.

Toeing off my boots, I stepped into the shower with her, gritting my teeth as the cold spray hit me and held her there. “You need to cool down,” I told her, holding her against my chest.

She looked up at me with such an injured look in her eyes, I nearly broke and let her out. She shuddered, trying to crowd closer to me, so I wrapped my arms around her. I couldn’t let her stand there and be miserable alone, so I waited with her. Really, it was only lukewarm, because it was impossible to get freezing cold water in August in Tucson. But against her heated skin it had to be torture. And it wasn’t much fun for me either. Though it helped keep my dick under control while I had her in my arms. That was a bonus at least.

I kept her in there for about ten minutes, then pulled her out. I jerked off my soaked clothes, leaving me in nothing but my boxer briefs, and then took off her clothes too. She slapped at my hands when I reached for her bra.

“I can do that,” she stuttered as her teeth chattered. She shut the bathroom door in my face and I gave her to the count of ten before I opened it.

If she was bare assed naked then we were both just going to have to deal with it. But she had dried off and managed to climb into clothes by the time I came out. Too damn bad. I wouldn’t have minded catching another glimpse of her.

Gathering her close, I pulled her into her bed and covered us both with her blankets. I didn’t care that my drawers were damp. I used the towel I’d brought with me to dry her long hair.

“I’m freezing,” she complained.

I tossed the towel into the nearby basket and pulled her back against me. It was a relief to feel that her skin was much cooler now. Tucking the blankets in around us, I wrapped my arms around her and held her until she fell back asleep.

Laying there with her, I brushed my fingers over her skin and through her hair as she slept. I hadn’t exactly figured that we’d end up in bed together this soon. And though I hated the fact that she was sick, I was taking what I could get, ‘cause something told me she was going to make me work to get back here again. I didn’t mind a challenge. Made it more fun.

I slowly untangled myself from her, making sure she stayed wrapped up in the blankets. Grabbing my wet clothes, I brought them out to the laundry room and tossed them in the dryer.

“What the fuck? The girl is sick,” Butcher said from behind me.

I rolled my eyes then looked over at him. “I had to cool her down.”

“Last time I checked, fucking doesn’t cool anyone down.”

“I didn’t fuck her, Butcher,” I growled.

“Sure you didn’t,” he teased.

“I put her in the shower.”

He held up his hands. “Shower, bed, bent over a desk. Not my place to ask.”

“I’ll fucking beat your ass,” I warned him.

“Not likely.” But he finally quit busting my chops. “Gonna need more paint soon.”

I’d spent the majority of the day taking care of Billie. “I’ll have the guys pick some up tomorrow before they come out.”

“Take it you’re staying the night out here?” he asked.

“Yeah. I want to make sure she’s alright. And I don’t want her staying alone out here even after she’s feeling better.”

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