Page 22 of Her Braun
She turned to clap her hand over his mouth, but he was too tall, and they both ended up chuckling.
As her laughter faded away, she yawned.
And even though she turned away trying to hide the gesture, Gibson saw it.
"I know that feeling," he told her.
"You do more physical stuff than I do in a shift. I feel silly yawning as if you wouldn't kick my butt in physical challenges."
"Hey," his eyes narrowed slightly at that, "don't say those things. You've got skills I can't even begin to imagine, but that's what makes things interesting, right?"
"Right." She nodded in reply, but she could feel her energy waning again. "I wanted to take you out to dinner to say thanks," she lifted the back of her hand to her mouth to try and hide another yawn, "but I don't think I have the energy to go out."
"Then, why don't we order in." He gestured back over his shoulder toward the main part of the house. "I saw a pile of takeout menus on the counter by your coffee machine. I could order in and then I'll go after I know you've had something to eat."
She yawned again and mumbled an apology. "I'm so sorry."
"Nothing to be sorry for, Kay. I bet you had a hell of a day at the ER. You don't even have to talk to me while we wait for the food and eat it."
"I know you're trying to make sure that I eat. And I think that's sweet, but I'm not..." What did she want to say? What should she say? "I'm not really great company when I'm tired."
"Hey." He reached out and touched her arm and, in her head, she remembered the day when Hank had been injured at a fire, and she'd reached out to Gibson in an almost identical gesture.
"This doesn't have to be a thing. Please, just let me make sure you don't fall asleep without a few bites of something pseudo-healthy in your stomach."
What else could she say?
"Okay." She smiled, almost giddy with the idea that he wanted to stay.
It wasn't a forever, we're in each other's life thing, but it was nice.
Nicer than anything else she'd experienced since she'd moved to Center City.
Gibson put his hand on her lower back and urged her toward her dresser. "Go ahead and take a shower or a bath and when you're done, the food should be here."
Feeling the warmth of his hand against her lower back was almost as good as her favorite blanket. She wanted to curl into his side and fall asleep, his arms around her.
"Does that sound, okay?"
She managed a smile. "Sure, but there's no way I'm taking a bath now."
Kay had the feeling he was looking at her as if he wasn't sure where she was going with that comment.
"If I climb into a big warm tub right now, I'm pretty sure you'll have to bring my food to me in the bathroom, I'd never want to leave."
He took a step away and grinned at her. "I wouldn't mind playing butler. You could even add some bubble bath so I wouldn't be tempted to take a peek."
She rolled her eyes at his words. "I'll stick with the shower to keep the hot water use down," she shrugged. "The water heater's a little old so the hot water isn't all that much."
She saw him react to her words by not reacting.
As if he was making a mental note in the brain behind that gorgeous face.
A face that she thought about all too much.
"You can order whatever you want," she stepped back, "all of the To Go places I have the menus for? They have my card on file. The password they'll ask for? It's PARADISE."
With that, she turned and headed for the bathroom.
