Page 112 of Forbidden Harmony

“Take these.”

He was holding some cold medicine and sheshook her head. “I’d better not. They make me sleepy and I don’t want to passout on the bus. I’ll take some as soon as I get home.”

She tried to smile at him, but it died on herlips when he glared at her. “I told you – you’re staying here tonight.”

“Preacher -”

“Take the pills, Addison,” he said.

She washed down the pills with a swallow ofwater. Part of her wanted to be thrilled at the idea that Preacher caredenough about her to watch over her while she was sick, but she couldn’t seem toaccept it. He had to have another motive, but her head was aching too badlyfor her to figure out what it was.

He’d disappeared again and she curled intoa small ball and pressed her hands against her aching abdomen. She would sleepon the couch at least. It wasn’t as comfortable as Preacher’s bed, but thecold meds would knock her out. She could hear Preacher rustling around behindher, but she was suddenly so damn tired. She yawned and shivering wildly,curled into a tighter ball before drifting into sleep.

* * *

She woke up a couple hours later. She hada blanket on top of her, a crick in her neck, and her bladder was screaming ather. She sat up and stared at Preacher in the soft glow of the TV. He wassitting at the other end of the loveseat, with his head tipped back and hisbody relaxed. He was snoring softly. The alarm clock by his bed said it was almostmidnight. She coughed quietly and grabbed her toothbrush and toothpaste from theovernight bag before entering the bathroom. When she was finished, she washedher hands and brushed her teeth. She studied her reflection in the mirror beforemaking a low “ugh”. Her face was still bloated, her nose still swollen and red,and her eyes were rimmed with red as well. God, she looked like a nightmare.

She sneezed and blew her nose beforewashing her hands again and leaving the bathroom. The TV was off, and theapartment was pitch black. She could just make out the large shape of Preacher’sbody stretched out in the bed. Holding her hands out in front of her andhoping she didn’t trip, she shuffled toward the couch.

The light by the bed clicked on and Preachersat up in the bed. “What are you doing?”

“Going back to the couch,” she said. “I’m sorry,I didn’t mean to wake you.”

He got out of bed and she said, “Do youhave an extra pillow I could borrow?”

He sighed in annoyance and took her arm.“Get in the bed, Addison.”

“I can take the couch,” she said as hetugged her toward his bed. “Really, I don’t mind at all.”

“My bed, now,” he said.

She climbed into his bed without furtherargument as he shut the light off. Her stomach was cramping, and his bed wasmuch more comfortable than the loveseat. She curled on her side on the edge ofthe bed and pressed her hand against her stomach as another cramp went throughit.

She made a startled “eep” when Preacherpulled her into the center of the bed and up against him. His large body was deliciouslywarm against her back and ass.

“Move your hand,” he said.

She moved her hand away from her stomachand he reached over her and pressed the heating pad against her belly. He musthave plugged it in as soon as she got up from the couch because it was already warm.He held it there with one big hand as he rested his head on the pillow behindhers.

“Thank you,” she whispered. She wasfeeling a little weepy at how nice he was being to her and she held back thetears grimly. Crying would just stuff her up even more.

“Go to sleep,” he said.

“Okay,” she said. “Good night, Preacher.”

“Night, Sunshine.”

* * *

“Pinky-pie, you’re not looking so hot.”

Addison laughed and tried a different anglewith her phone. “Better?”

“Nope. You sound terrible too,” Harpersaid.

“Remind me again why I answered your videocall?”

“Because you love me and because when you didn’tanswer three of my texts in a row, I threatened to text Gideon and have him doa wellness check on you?”

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