Page 33 of Power Play Pursuit

“You too.”

“Door open or closed?” I ask when I reach the threshold.

“Open, please. That way we can be sure I’ll wake you up if I’m screaming in pain.”

I shake my head, smiling. “All right. Good night.”

Right. As if I’ll get any sleep tonight with James Adler only a couple of doors away.

17

"Okay, the eight pack is totally real."

James Adler

The next morning, I feel like a man who just slammed his head at full speed against the boards. Fitting.

I shift in my bed and grab the bottle of painkillers, washing them down with water. Even if they’ll take a while to kick in, I already feel a bit better as Elizabeth’s glittering smile flashes through my mind. She volunteered to take care of me, made sure I had everything I needed. I even heard her coming in to check on me during the night. It was hard not to when she knocked over the vase I have in the corridor.

Movement by the door catches my eye, and I put my glasses on. She’s wearing a beige satin pajama set, leaning against the doorframe.

“You don’t know how many times I’ve dreamed of waking up and seeing you here,” I say, feeling a smile stretching across my face.

She rolls her eyes. “I guess now we can definitely rule out brain damage.”

I chuckle, which only increases the sharp pain in my nose. “Thanks for last night. For being here.”

She shrugs, trying to appear casual. “You needed someone to look after you, and my living situation is up in the air. It made sense, that’s all.”

“So, this nurse fantasy is really not going to happen, huh?”

She bellows out a laugh. “I’m afraid not. Thank you for defending my honor, though. It wasn’t necessary, but—”

“It was absolutely necessary. And I would do it again in a heartbeat.” I bolt upright, then clutch my forehead, the throbbing pain making me wince.

“Are you all right?”

I nod, adjusting my glasses painfully. “What’s the damage? Is my moneymaker ruined?”

She crosses her arms, then grimaces. “You might want to count on something else to pay those bills. This face is—”

Panic rushes through me as my eyes fly wide. I hop out of bed, rushing toward the mirror at the other end of my room, Elizabeth giggling in the doorway.

When I catch a glimpse of my face, I sigh. I don’t look great, but it’s not that bad, either. Beneath the dressing over my nose, I can see a bruise that will probably change colors ten times before going back to normal.

“You’re mean,” I scold, turning to her. “I’m already a wounded man.”

She muffles her laughter, the sound making everything better. “Come on, wounded man. Let’s get you some breakfast.”

“Yes, ma’am. Can I also get a side of ice pack for my nose?” I say with a grin. “It hurts like the dickens.”

“That can be arranged.”

I follow her through the hallway, and this whole thing feels surreal. Elizabeth is here, in my apartment, and we’re joking around naturally. In a way, I always knew it was possible, that she just needed to get to know me, but it still seems out of this world.

“Did you sleep well?” she asks. “I didn’t hear you scream, but . . .”

“Are you serious?” I stop, ahand on my hip. “I yelled and yelled for you. No one heard me. I think you need to retake that nursing test.”

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