Page 68 of Nikolai
He hushed.
Next was a crystal chalice and a glass bottle of sparkling water.“No wine for you, I’m afraid.Sorry.”
Then a thermos and she poured out a creamy liquid that was the same light green color as the flowers.Food that matched the décor.That was a new one.
She unfolded with a snap a light green linen tablecloth the size of his desk and put it around his neck and put the solid silver spoon in his hand.
He ate a spoonful of the soup and nearly laughed.It was absolutely delicious—fresh tasting and somehow minty.And a small slice of focaccia.“What is this?”
She smiled a witch’s smile.“I should keep you guessing but you’re sick and all, so I won’t.Cream of zucchini soup with basil and mint.As easy to digest as cream of wheat but much better tasting.”
God yes.He ate the entire bowl and the slice of focaccia.At first, he thought she wasn’t serving him much food, but it turned out she’d calculated it perfectly.He was full.
Parker turned to fiddle with the small case and pulled out a small pretty china plate with a small slice of the lemon cake made by her neighbor.And a small silver dessert fork.He wasn’t hungry, but he knew first-hand how good that cake was and finished it off.
He was happily stuffed when he sat back while she put everything away.For the first time since the earthquake, he felt…okay.Not great, but okay, and better all the time.Part of it was just the natural healing process of a healthy body, but part of it was her.Parker.Here, by his side.
A reason to get better as fast as he could.He watched her as she put away the dinner things, graceful and smiling.She’d made an extra effort to provide him with better than hospital-quality food and make it an exercise in elegance, something hospitals weren’t known for.
She was tired but still looked amazing.Even more alluring than normal because he knew how she got so tired.By trying to help him.
They should have had their evening at her house.Dinner followed by sex all night.They’d missed that.It was a weird feeling to want sex with Parker but not feel warmth in his groin.The burning desire was there, but the blood wasn’t pooling between his legs, and he didn’t have a hard-on.It would come, just not now.
However, therewasa pooling of blood in the middle of his chest.Where his heart was, though up until now it wasn’t an organ he paid much attention to.Now he was forced to pay attention because he could feel heat, feel it beating in his chest.Like sexual arousal without an erection.Was his heart getting a woodie?
Fuck.
Parker was messing with him without meaning to.
She’d put away his dinner things and pulled a chair to the bed.She sat down and held his hand.It warmed up his entire arm.“What else can I do for you?”
Nick shot her a look, and she laughed.
“Besides that.Down, tiger.Dr.Crowley would definitely not approve.And you’ve got stitches.There are rules.”
Nick gave an exaggerated sigh.
“What’s happening with the Consulate?Are you going to continue the contract when you get out?Even if they’ve caught George, surely there’s some mopping up to do?Putting new security features in place?”
“Dylan’s taken over the contract.He’s a vice president of both Go Solutions and Black Inc.like me.The Consulate’s in good hands.He’ll put a super secure system in place and figure out what’s been compromised.”
“Is he as good as you?”
Nick waited a beat.“Yeah.”
She laughed again.“Did that hurt?”
He shrugged.“A little.”
She cocked her head.“Does that mean you can take some time off?Rest and recover?”
“Oh, yeah,” he breathed.Parker Donovan was going to be his personal rehab.
“Good.And I still need to feed you my tiramisu.But only at home, not here.Dr.Crowley would have my head.”
Two days later,Nick eased back on Parker’s comfortable couch, feet up on a hassock.
Nick had discovered something shocking about himself.Helovedbeing pampered.Simply loved it.
