Page 51 of Why Not Forever?

“I tried to call you first, to see if you wanted me to,” he says, standing and opening a drawer. “When you didn’t answer, yes.”

I think I might be delirious, because I’m warmed at the idea that he came home to check on me.

He pulls a thermometer from the drawer and crouches next to me again, sticking it unceremoniously into my mouth, before standing and leaving the bathroom. I’m very confused as my brain struggles to figure out why he left, but then he’s back with a glass of water.

He takes the thermometer back, checking my temperature. He frowns and gets the bottle of Tylenol, handing me two pills and the glass.

“How bad is it?” I ask.

He shrugs, looking at me with those dark brown eyes. “I’ve seen worse.”

But he also looks concerned. I don’t realize I’m staring at him until he touches my hand.

“Take the Tylenol and I’ll get you to bed.”

“You do want to get me into bed, don’t you?” I say without meaning to make the words hearable.

“Yes, but for today, I’ll be leaving you there alone. Come on, Vic. Take the medicine so you don’t have to stay on the bathroom floor.”

I do as I’m told, swallowing with a grimace. The water hits my stomach like a weight. I turn away from him, breathing through the need to throw up again.

Tanner takes the glass from me but does nothing else.

“If you need to throw up, it’s best to let it happen,” he says after a moment.

I shake my head. It takes a while, but the feeling passes. When I look at Tanner again, he nods and scoops me up.

I make a wholly undignified noise and grab his neck.

“Tanner, put me down.”

“No.”

My body is tense as he carries me across the apartment to my bedroom.

“I hate being carried,” I say.

“Because of your control issues.”

I shoot him a look. “I do not have control issues.”

He sets me down on my bed. “You just willed yourself not to puke. You have control issues. But I kind of like them.” He turns to my dresser and pulls out some pyjamas from the second drawer.

“How did you know where I keep them?” I ask as he returns to my side.

“I remembered.”

“From when?”

His eyes meet mine and suddenly I remember, too. The way his hands had felt on my body, like he was worshiping me. I’d never before or since felt that same sense of belonging with someone. Not even with Emily. I swallow, then gasp as he starts taking off my suit jacket.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

“Taking off your clothes and getting you into something more comfortable.”

I move away. “I can do it myself.”

He takes a half step back and waits as I struggle to get my jacket off. I can’t seem to bend my arm enough to get it out, and after a second, I fall to the side in pathetic misery.

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