Page 55 of Imperfection is Beauty

I watched as he listened to the caller, and then he growled. “Fucking seriously? I’m busy.”

He growled again as he listened to the call.

Then he sighed, looked at me, and gave me a soft smile. “Alright, yeah, be there in thirty. You so fucking owe me.”

“You okay if I use your shower?”

I nodded, “Yeah, I just have girly stuff in there.”

He shook his head, “Don’t matter to me. If it keeps women away from me, I’ll be fucking grateful.”

I giggled as he climbed out of bed, “Gotta run down to my SUV and get my bag. Be right back.”

As he was doing that, I lay in bed, sighing, and then I rolled over and smiled at what was on my nightstand.

It was my medicine, the Kleenexes, and the cough drops. Smiling, I tagged a Kleenex and blew my nose, and yes, just in freaking time for Marcus to walk back into my bedroom and hear it.

He chuckled then whispered, “Fucking adorable. While I’m in the shower, take another dose, and then go back to sleep. Okay?”

I nodded. Then asked, “What time is it?”

“It’s fucking three in the morning.” I winced at his tone.

After he sighed, he headed to the bathroom.

I took another dose while he used the bathroom, and by the time he was done, the medicine was already in full effect.

But I wasn’t too far gone to miss the feel of his soft lips on my forehead when he whispered, “Get some good sleep, Shortcake. I know I did. Sweet dreams, text me when you wake up.”

Sleepily, I whispered, “Okay, Handsome.”

And then… then I felt the softest brush of his lips on my forehead as he pressed a soft kiss there.

And then, like that, he was gone.

And I was once again dead to the freaking world.

***

I wasn’t sure how long I slept, but I awoke to the sound of my phone ringing.

Sleepily, I rolled over and tagged my phone, then swiped the screen, well, I hoped I swiped it correctly, and put it to my ear, “Ello?”

That was when I heard that deep rasp of his, “Good morning, beautiful.”

I sighed when I heard his voice, this man was quickly becoming an important part of my life, “Good morning, handsome.”

He was silent for a beat, and I thought about asking him if he was okay, but before I could do that, his deep voice came through the phone, “Thanks for answering.”

I was fully awake at his tone, “Why wouldn’t I?”

I heard his sigh, “I don’t know.”

Something about his voice didn’t sound right, “Marcus, are you all right?”

He was silent again, and this was really starting to worry me.

“Yeah, just… well… found that my day was better if I heard your voice.” I swooned.

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