by Rina Gray
“I, uh, think it would be more helpful if you remained at the office and transposed her notes.”
Slumping her shoulders, the intern pivoted back to the computer. “I suppose you’re right. But if she’s sick, please be sure to take care of her. She likes—”
“Birthday cake ice cream when she’s stressed, happy, sad, mad … Hell, anytime. I’ll be sure to take care of Ms. Holliday.”
The morning flew by and, as planned, he left to confront his scaredy-cat coworker.
Before he could buzz up, Tiana’s best friend and roommate flew down the steps.
Nathan grinned, prepared to charm the pants off Melanie. He could have sworn he smelled rubber burning when she did an impressive Fred Flintstone skid and froze when she recognized him.
“Well, hello there, Mr. Lawson. What brings you ’round our neck of the woods?”
Pushing off the stoop, he stepped directly in her path. “I just wanted to check on Tiana. Make sure she isn’t playing hooky when we have an important campaign to lead.”
Melanie crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. “I think we both know Tiana would never shirk her responsibilities. Not that it’s any of your business, but she has a fever and a cold. Now if you would excuse me, I need to get to work.”
Sidestepping his body, she walked past him. He chuckled and shook his head. She’s even got her roommate fooled.
She turned around, walking backward, eyes dancing with mischief and lips stretched in I’ve-got-a-big-secret grin. “Don’t worry. She has a strong, strapping young man upstairs who’s taking care of her.”
“What?” He grounded his hand into the cement rail, wishing it was the head of Tiana’s strong, strapping young man. Could it be that guy from Diago’s? The one that flipped his hair?
“Bye, bye, now!” She waved, bouncing as she walked away.
Taking two steps at a time, he jabbed the hell out of the buzzer.
“Who is it?” a deep voice answered.
“Tiana’s boss,” he lied easily. “Let me up.” Irritation buzzed around him like a mosquito at a summer barbeque. Too bad Mr. Hair Tosser wasn’t in front of him to swat and squash.
“Tiana’s sick. I thought she called into work already.”
Nathan squeezed his hands into a fist. “She called in but asked for her files. If she doesn’t get them today, she’s gonna be pissed.”
Another long pause.
“All riiight, man.” The laugh that accompanied the disbelieving tone was cut off by intercom static. “Come on up.”
Three staccato rings signaled him to enter, and Nathan rushed through the lobby doors.
He was pissed. Clearly, Tiana had exaggerated the unimportance of her date. She wouldn’t let just anyone take care of her if she were truly sick. Or worse, take a personal day to screw around.
He jogged up the stairs and banged on the door.
It jerked open, revealing a tall man-child at least six-five with a baby face and struggle beard that had probably taken him three months to grow. Tiana is a damn cougar.
“What in the hell are you doing?” the man-child whispered-yelled. “She’s sleeping, man!”
Jealousy attacked Nathan’s chest like a swarm of killer bees. He wasn’t going to explain himself to Tiana’s baby cub. Fuck it. He was going to storm the apartment. “Out of my way, Simba.” Smacking the door open with his hands, he walked in like he owned the place.
“Tiana!” Nathan yelled.
“Hey man, get the hell out of here.” Simba tried to grab hold of Nathan’s shoulder, but he did a two-step and easily avoided the young man’s hands.
“What’s going on?” a raspy voice barked from the other side of the room. Tiana leaned against the kitchen counter, a wad of tissue in her hand.
Damn, she is sick.
Simba answered for both of them. “This asshole claims he’s your boss and wanted to drop off some files from work. Then he pushed open the door and barged in.”
“Casey, don’t say asshole,” she admonished in a weak voice. Her puffy eyes focused on Nathan. “That true?”
“I … I was worried.”
Tiana sniffed, coughed into her hand, and slumped against the wall. Nathan and the man-child rushed to her side.
“I got it!” Casey yelled, elbowing Nathan’s side.
“No, I’ll take care of her,” Nathan responded with a stronger blow to the ribs. Simba was young. He could handle it.
“Guys.” She gasped for breath after another bout of coughing. “You’re giving me a headache.”
Casey’s lips thinned into a tight line, but his eyes were gentle and reverent. “Let me take care of you for once, Tee-Tee.”
A growl escaped Nathan’s throat. Who in the hell is this guy?
“No.” She shook her head slowly. “You’ve got your interview. Go on and finish getting ready in my room.”
“I’m not leaving you with this psycho.” Casey jerked his thumb at Nathan.
“He’s not a psycho. I work with him. He’s safe … promise.”
A sheen of perspiration glistened on her forehead. Nathan pulled the handkerchief from his breast pocket and gently patted her forehead dry. Sliding an arm beneath her legs, he scooped her up, walked her to the couch, and settled her frail body on his lap.
Casey stood, mute and staring at them from the kitchen. His dark eyes glinted and narrowed with murderous intent. “You better take care of my sister!”
Sister! The brewing storm ceased, and the dark, gray clouds receded. Oh, shit! I almost beat up her little brother.
“Sorry, man. Thought you were her … her … ”
“Boyfriend? That’s gross, man.” Now laughing, he walked back to Tiana’s room, pausing at the door. “Brother or not, you touch my sister or do anything else stupid, I’ll kick your ass.”
“Got it.” Nathan glanced down at Tiana, whose eyes were closed. Heat emanated from her skin. Pressing the back of his hand to her forehead, he checked her temperature. Damn, she’s burning up.
He lifted her again and settled her on the couch. Quietly, he crept to the bathroom for a washcloth, wet the fluffy yellow rag with cold water, and returned to sleepy beauty.
Each erratic breath seemed like a struggle, as if she couldn’t get enough oxygen. Bending to his knees, he wiped the sweat from her face. The cool cloth hit her skin, and she shivered but didn’t open her eyes. He lifted her again, holding her against his chest.
Tiana quivered in his arms, and he stroked her hair, staring down at her naked face. She’d never been more beautiful. Despite her five-foot-seven height, everything else on her body was petite and dainty. High cheekbones against flawless dark chocolate skin. Pert lips formed a perfect cupid’s bow. A small cleft perfectly divided her elfin chin.
Her eyes fluttered open, and she smiled.
He inhaled, and everything else ceased. He no longer heard the cat clock ticking on the wall, or the boring voice from the documentary on the TV, or the car horns and busy pedestrians from the street below. Only Tiana and her smile existed. A mysterious, Mona Lisa smile that was a punch to his solar plexus.
“Hey,” she whispered, her voice diluted of her usual rigid formality. “You’re here.”
He swallowed, tracing her lips with his finger. “Of course I’m here.”
“M’kay.” Her eyes closed again.
Leaning over, he grabbed the phone from his pocket, sent a quick text to his boss to let him know that he would be working from home, and then resumed his perusal.
“Will you stop perving on my sister?” Her brother walked over with a fleece blanket in hand. “You’re stroking her like Gollum from The Lord of the Rings.”
He handed Nathan the covering. “Mellie says she’s got the chills. She’s been hot and cold all night. So when she’s cold, just pull this over her, all right?” His forehead crinkled with concern. “Oh, and I gave her NyQuil earlier. Forewarning, she gets a little loopy.”
Nathan wasn’t sure if her brother’s concern stemmed f
rom her illness or because she was snuggled in his arms. “I’ll take good care of her. Don’t worry.”
A blinding light momentarily robbed Nathan of his senses. Casey waved the phone at him. “I know you will. I spoke to Melanie, and she told me you were legit. I also have your picture and looked you up on the company website since you’re Tiana’s boss and all.” Casey pocketed the phone. “If I return and my sister is hurt or missing, I’m sending your pic to the NYPD.” After his rant, her brother bent over and stroked her face. Her beautiful brown eyes fluttered opened again, and she smiled. Not her Mona Lisa smile, and Nathan’s heart pumped harder than an Olympic sprinter running a hundred-yard dash.
Tiana reached to grab Casey’s hand. “Don’t cry Casey-poo. I won’t tell Mama you broke the table. I won’t let her hurt you again.” She yawned and snuggled deeper into Nathan’s chest. “Promise.”
Something dark flickered through her brother’s eyes. He cleared his throat and stood. “Like I said, take care of my sister. God knows she takes care of everyone else.”
Chapter Ten
Tiana was having the most wonderfully delicious dream. She was warm, safe, and content nestled in the strong arms of a man. She didn’t know who the man was. But from what she could tell from the biceps around her arms, he was seriously built.
She inhaled his scent. Citrusy, but still all man. “You smell nice.”
“Still high off the cough syrup, I see.”
“Mmmhmm.” She squeezed his biceps. “You work out?”
“Run five miles and box every morning. But you know that.” His voice was soft and amused.
“I do?”
“Yeah.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “You know that, babe.”
“I like your voice, too,” she continued the compliments in her happy dream.
“What do you like about my voice?”
She inhaled him again, burrowing deeper into his carved-out-of-granite abs. “I like how it makes me feel. It’s like … ” She searched her brain for the right words. “It’s like silken sheets and sex. The good kind, not the ten-minute kind.”
His body shook. “It would never be ten minutes with me, Peaches.” His voice was rich with laughter. Goodness, his laugh was even better. She wanted to see his face. Watch him smile. And she liked how he called her Peaches. But she shouldn’t.
“You can’t call me Peaches,” she mumbled into his chest. “Nathaniel calls me that.”
“Right … You know I’m … ” Her dream man sighed. “Never mind. I take it you don’t like Nathaniel?”
Did she dislike Nathaniel? A few months ago, she wouldn’t have spat on him if he were on fire. Nowadays, she just didn’t know. Her head pounded against her skull, as hazy memories flashed. She didn’t hate him; she was upset that he thought she of all people, was a cheat and a thief. “He doesn’t trust me. Thinks I stole the internship from him but it wasn’t me it was … him.”
“Him who?” a deep and cautious voice asked.
“The professor he … wanted me. Lied to the company. Found out. Didn’t take the job. I couldn’t do that to … to Nathaniel.” Her head pounded as the memories became more painful. “Should’ve taken the job.”
“Why?” he whispered.
“Because I never would’ve met Greg.”
“I’m sorry, Peaches,” a soft, remorseful voice whispered as she drifted back to sleep.
• • •
Did I just finish running a marathon? Sweat-soaked with achy limbs and perspiration pouring like buckets of water from her body, she rolled over—smack into a muscled mountain.
What in the world? Her eyes scaled the large mound and landed on dark, fathomless eyes. Holding her breath, she immediately hacked her already-burning lungs away. Not a good idea seeing as I can’t breathe.
“I … you! What are you doing here?” She wheezed and gasped after her outburst. Apparently yelling was off the list of things to do, too, especially with the punk rock band that was having a concert in her head.
“Take it easy, Peaches.” Gently grabbing her shoulders, he moved her back to his lap. “You woke up just in time for soup.”
“Soup?”
“Yes. Your brother got the ingredients while you were knocked out. I made you homemade chicken vegetable soup. You can’t get better off of those high-sodium canned soups in your cabinets.”
“Did I sick dial you?” She scrunched her forehead, this time from confusion and not from the headache-inducing rock band. The band needed a name. Tiana’s Tormentors would do. “Sick dialing is just as dangerous as drunk dialing, and you should never take someone seriously if they call or text you in that condition.”
He pressed his lips together, eyebrows at his hairline. “Is that even a thing?”
“It is. You take NyQuil, and the next thing you know your ex is at your door with a box of Kleenex, condoms, and bourbon because the alcohol will knock out the cold.”
He tilted his head and narrowed his eyes, brimming with disbelief.
“True story. My ex, Remy, did that once.”
“I see you dated a lot of boys in Atlanta.”
Tiana faked a cough that, unfortunately, turned into a real one. “Where’s my soup?”
“Now is that any way to speak to your doctor?”
“You wish.”
Deep laughter floated and vibrated throughout her body. She wanted to bottle his laughter and open it whenever she felt dark and lonely.
“There she is.” He stroked her cheek with his thumb. Then he cleared his throat and looked away, jerking his thumb away from her face. “Let me up for a moment, and I’ll grab a bowl of soup and crackers. You’ll be good as new in no time.”
“Okay.” Shifting, she laid her head on the other side of the couch.
Closing her eyes, she retraced the path where he’d grazed her cheek. She liked it. And she liked when he’d outlined her lips with his strong, calloused fingers. Her eyes popped open from the recollection and other memories flooded in. “Did you really get into a fight with my little brother? And where is Casey?”
A warm bowl of soup in hand, he sheepishly placed it and a large glass of water on the table in front of the couch. “We didn’t come to blows, but I may have nudged the door open which resulted in a misunderstanding.” Dipping the spoon into the bowl, he scooped a hefty serving. “He went to get you more tea and honey. Now, open wide.”
She cocked her head and frowned. “I’m not letting you feed me, fool.”
“Just the first scoop. If you don’t, it’s bad luck, and you won’t get well as quickly.” He blew a breath to cool the soup and lifted the spoon to her lips, his expression as earnest as a kid sharing his prized possession.
For some reason, she couldn’t resist. “Fine. One time. That’s it.”
Rewarding her with a smile, he pressed the spoon into her open mouth. A bouquet of flavors—fresh herbs, lemon garlic, and a hint of spice—flooded her senses.
She chewed and swallowed. “This is … this is actually good! I’m impressed.”
“I excel at all things, Peaches.” He wiggled his brows suggestively.
Ugh. Leave it to him to make anything and everything sexual. She wasn’t going down that path with him, especially with everything that happened between them Saturday.
“Sure you do. Did you get the recipe from your mommy?” She grabbed the spoon from his hand.
The teasing expression left his face, replaced by something dark, heavy, and angry. “No. That woman doesn’t know how to boil water,” he spat. He looked away and then cleared his throat. “My dad. He was the one to show me. His grandmother’s recipe.”
Tiana turned at the sound of the twist and click of the top and bottom door locks.
Pushing the door open, Mel teetered on stilettos that she still hadn’t quite gotten the hang of wearing. A heavy laptop bag hung from her shoulder. “There’s my favorite patient!” She dropped her belongings in the middle of the floor.
Tiana sighed. One
day she would train her friend to put things in her room.
“And oh! Looks like you have yourself a gentleman caller.” Mel played up her southern accent in an I-dee-clare voice. Her eyes twinkled when she turned to face Nathaniel. “I guess doggedness will get you anywhere.”
Tiana frowned. What does she mean by that?
“Ten points for the word of the day. Catch up, T.”
“Ahh, Mel!” Tiana scooped her soup. “We can’t play the word game when I’m sick. My brain is fried.”
Nathaniel looked between both of them, face marred with confusion.
Mel answered his unspoken question. “We have a word game for non-commonly used words. We started it when we were in high school, studying for the SATs, and never quit the game.” She wagged and pointed her finger at Tiana. “And it’s still on! I distinctly remember when my wisdom teeth were pulled that you still made me play. I told you that you would rue the day you crossed me!” She shook her fist in the air, adding a flair of her infamous drama.
“Really, Mel?”
“Yes, really. And while we’re at it, rue counts as another ten points. I am so kicking your ass right now.” Shrugging, she poked out her bottom lip, pretending to look sorry. “It’s pathetic, really.”
Tiana dropped the spoon into her bowl. “Fine. I wish you’d use the same doggedness you do to hunt down a story lead and transfer that energy into organizing your room and putting things where they belong.” Forming a fist, she coughed into her hand.
“Slow down, Peaches.” Nathaniel rubbed her back until she finished the coughing fit.
“Not done,” she gasped and narrowed her watery eyes at her roommate. “And if you drop that damn laptop bag and kick your shoes off in the common area one more time, you will rue the day,” she shook her fist in the air, mimicking Mel’s dramatics, “you tossed your stuff around.”
“Fine, fine.” Mel picked up her shoes from the doorway. “You get bonus points since you’re sick, so it’s a tie.” Mel turned to Nathaniel. “You are officially relieved of duty, sir. Thank you kindly for taking care of my bestie.”
“My pleasure,” he replied to her but stared at Tiana. “Guess I better get going. Take all the time you need, Peaches.”