by Me, Tara Sue
“Where is everyone? Is it over?” She asked.
Fritz tucked her back in his arms and settled onto the bed with her. “I believe Daniel is once more beating safety into everyone’s head. I told him I’d be back later to clean up, but he said not to worry about it and that he’d take care of it.” She tried to sit up, but he pulled her back down. “And you will rest here with me for a bit.”
Suddenly exhausted, she declared it the best idea she’d heard.
She woke up coughing sometime later. Sitting straight up, she turned to find a startled Fritz beside her.
“Kate?”
She reached for the bottle of water she spied on the nightstand behind Fritz, but couldn’t reach it. “Water.”
He mumbled, reached for the water, getting and opening it before handing it to her. “Sorry,” he said. “I should’ve thought of that before you went to sleep and given you some then.”
She sucked down a quarter of the bottle. “It’s okay,” she said. “I’m better now.” But her throat was scratchy, and the water wasn’t helping. She cleared her throat. But that didn’t help either.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
She cleared her throat again, but couldn’t seem to get it to stop feeling like something was lodged inside. “My throat,” she said.
“Drink some more.”
She obeyed and finished about half the bottle. She swallowed, wincing when her throat still had a little tickle. “I’m sure I’m fine,” she said.
He didn’t look like he believed her.
“Really,” she said. “I bet it’s nothing.”
But when she sneezed, neither one of them believed her.
* * *
Fitz waited until Kate was snoring before he got off of the bed. He brushed the back of his hand across her forehead. She didn’t have a fever although he had a sinking feeling she would within the next few hours. Damm flu. And she was here alone with no one to take care of her.
He tried to picture her alone, sick with the flu, and trying to take care of herself and failed. There was no way she could ensure she got the necessary nutrients for a speedy recovery. Since she couldn’t do it, someone else would have to. And since so many people they knew had the flu or were taking care of another person with it, he’d have to do it himself.
Sure, he told himself. Keep telling yourself that and maybe eventually, you’ll believe it. The simple fact was, no one would take care of her the way he thought she should be cared for. He couldn’t entertain the thought of trusting anyone with her.
He glanced back at the bed where she still slept restlessly, knowing he'd have a fight on his hands as soon as she woke up and heard his plans. Too bad. She could argue with him as hard as she wanted.
This was one battle he intended to win.
Making sure she was still asleep, he took his phone into the hallway. Peeking into the garage, he found it empty and clean. He called Daniel and once more checked over his shoulder to make sure she wasn’t awake and in the hallway.
He thanked Daniel for cleaning up, explained he thought Kate was showing early symptoms of the flu, and that he would stay with her until she was better. With Daniel’s sister and her kids staying at the main house, it would be too risky for him or Julie to check in on her, he explained.
“Thank you for staying with her,” Daniel said. “I wouldn’t be able to sleep knowing she was sick and alone.”
“It’s no problem at all,” Fritz said. “I need for you to pick up a few things for me, if you don’t mind.”
“I’ll be happy to. Tell me what you need.”
* * *
Kate slept for two more hours and for the majority of that time, Fritz sat by her side in the chair she had beside the bed. It was much too small for his frame, but he thought it was important to be there when she woke up, so he folded himself into it as best he could.
She moaned as her eyes fluttered open, and he smiled upon realizing that she sought him out first thing.
“Sleep well?” he asked.
“Yes.” She sat up and groaned again. “I hurt all over, but I don’t think it’s related to the scene.”
“How does your throat feel?”
She swallowed. “Still sore.”
“Not any worse?”
“I don’t think so.”
He handed her two ibuprofen. “I want you to take these and drink some water. Then we'll have a chat.”
She popped the two pills and washed them down with water. “Chat about what?”
He shook his head. “Drink some more water.”
When she had finished enough of the water, he made sure she was comfortable. She watched him as he sat down across from her in a chair.
“I think you might have the flu and I plan to stay here until I’m sure you’re back at one hundred and ten percent.” He finished and watched her, ready for her to go off on him at any second.
She waved her hand. “It’s not the flu. It’s a head cold, or allergies, or maybe I’m allergic to that flame retardant.”
He shook his head. “It’s not a head cold and you’re not having an allergic reaction.”
She lifted an eyebrow. “I could be.”
“Have you ever seen an allergic reaction?”
“Shit,” she mumbled under her breath and then exhaled. “Okay, you’re probably right. It probably is the flu. Thank you for staying with me.”
He didn’t even try to hide his shock. “You don’t mind? I thought you'd argue with me.”
She shook her head. “I’m a horrible patient, and I hate being sick. If you want to stay here with me, I’m not about to argue. Just be warned, it’s not always pretty.”
“I can handle it. I was the caregiver for my grandmother for three years.”
Her eyes widened, she had not been expecting him to say anything of that sort. And though he would like to tell her about his grandmother, he could tell she wasn't feeling well, and needed to get back to bed. “I’ll tell you all about it later,” he said. “Right now you get some more sleep.”
She rolled to her side. “Will you make me some soup?”
“Of course,” he said. “What kind would you like?”
“I don’t care,” she said through half a yawn.
He chuckled. “Back to sleep, Kate. I’ll have soup when you wake up.”
* * *
Her fever lasted for four days. And it was an additional three after that before he felt like he could leave her. He had taken her to a clinic early that first day and thought without the medication they’d given her, it’d have lasted longer. And though he was happy she was better, and didn’t need his help anymore, he had to admit he enjoyed caring for her.
She didn't mind when he ran a cool, wet washcloth over her fevered skin. Or when she would lean forward at his request so he could rub her back to relieve the tension and to ease the aches and pains brought on by the flu.
Not only that, but she liked his cooking. He’d rarely found anyone who enjoyed eating as much she did. Which was surprising because he thought she was very thin. Really, she was much too thin in his opinion.
He made sure that by the time he left she had gained a few pounds. Not bad considering she was sick the entire time he was there. He loved to watch her eat, how she attacked the food with gusto and yet, still seemed to enjoy the different flavors. She was a woman who enjoyed the sensual things in life.
Yes, he could see himself falling in love with Kate.
The thing was, when she was with Cole, she had caught his attention because she was so attractive and had enchanted him with the way she interacted with Cole as her Master. She was a natural submissive, and the role of slave suited her. He saw that, and he wanted it. Wanted her. But he could admit now it was the submissive he wanted then.
Now he felt as though he knew the real woman, the real Kate. He realized he was in much deeper than he thought. He wanted more than just the submissive Kate. He wanted the real Kate. The sometimes grumpy woman with her own opinion
s. The one who loved baseball. The dedicated architect. The hard worker with the sharp mind and attention to detail. And an affectionate friend.
But as much as he tried to ignore it, the truth was the truth. He only had her, at most, for a few more weeks. She’d be leaving for New York and he’d be going back to Berlin.
The writing was on the wall.
The fact was, she wasn't his. And she never would be.
9
“I’d like to thank you for staying here and taking care of me while l was sick,” Kate told him.
“I appreciate the gesture, but it’s not needed.”
She jabbed him in the chest. “Come on. You don’t even know what I was going to suggest.”
“What were you going to suggest?” He asked in a sinfully sexy voice that made her want to rethink her suggestion.
“Nothing like what you’re thinking.”
“Damn,” he said, but he grinned.
“Daniel stocks his pond with bass. I thought we could take his boat, fish, and then I’d cook for you.”
“You fish?”
“I was practically raised in a boat, and it’s been much too long since I’ve been fishing.”
“In that case, let’s do it. When should we go?”
Kate shrugged. “I have nothing on my schedule until I go back to work tomorrow. Let’s change and go now.”
He’d agreed, and she couldn’t help but think he looked like he didn’t quite know if he should believe her. And really, when she thought about it, why should he? Cole had known about her childhood, but she couldn’t remember ever going fishing with him. Likely as not, Kate and fishing had never been used in the same sentence with Fritz before.
Five minutes later, they met back in the living room. She’d pulled her hair into a ponytail and slipped on sneakers.
“Do we need to take anything with us?” He asked.
She led him outside and down the path to the pond. “I called Daniel, and he said he’d have the boat waiting for us and it’d have everything we need. He did it first thing this morning because I told him yesterday we might go out.”
He was silent as they walked and she leaned her head back to enjoy the feel of the sun basking on her face. It was a beautiful day, and she was so glad she’d thought about fishing. She used to love it, and it made her sad when she thought about how long it’d been since she’d gone.
“Oh, wow,” he said, coming to a stop in front of the small boat waiting for them. “We actually are going fishing.”
She cocked an eyebrow at him. “You thought we weren’t?”
“I’ll admit I thought you might have fed me a line to seduce me.”
She couldn’t help but laugh. “You thought I might try to seduce you?”
“Yes. You said you wanted to thank me.”
“And you came anyway? Are you afraid I might still have a flu bug or two?”
“Let me be honest, okay?” he said with an amused grin. "I’ve seen you naked quite a few times. I enjoy being with you. Bottom line is, if you were offering, I wouldn't turn you down."
She didn’t know how to reply to that.
“What are you thinking?” he finally asked.
“Several things,” she said, and even though she knew she shouldn’t, she added, “Starting with, I wish this boat wasn’t filled with rods, lures, and minnows.”
He nodded. “Hard to seduce someone with fish bait underfoot.”
And with that, he took her hand and helped her into the boat. And while seduction had not been on her mind when she asked him to go fishing, it sure as hell was now. His fingers stroked hers as he made sure she was settled. Even then, his touch lingered. And his eyes when he looked at her were filled with a desire she knew she didn’t misread.
She could picture it. Him drawing the shirt over his head. Her hands tracing the planes of his chest. His body pressing her down, so he covered her. The warmth of the sun beating down on them. The taste of his skin.
She knew it’d take only the slightest hint from him and she’d slip out of her clothes and let him have her on Daniel’s boat, in the middle of his pond. And though she was almost certain he knew, he didn’t act on that knowledge. Instead, he offered to bait her hook, and she rolled her eyes and told him not in this lifetime.
They rowed to the middle of the pond. Actually, he rowed, and she ogled his biceps. As they waited for the fish to bite, he asked about her family and how she came to spend so much time on a boat growing up.
She told him all about her dad and his love of the water. She told him stories of her childhood she hadn’t thought about in years and a few she’d forgotten about until their chat made her remember.
By the time they made it back to shore with their catch, she felt better than she had in a long time. Fritz had been helpful with the fishing lines and when she spoke about her father, he listened intently. She got the impression he wanted to learn as much as possible about her.
She asked about his childhood, but he shook his head and said they could talk about it, but not today.
“Where do your parents live now?” He asked.
“They live in Florida, so I don’t get to see them as much as I’d like. I try to get down there a few times a year. They’re happy living there and that makes me happy. They keep trying to get me to move, but I’ve told them over and over, I can’t live in a place that doesn’t have a real winter.”
He chuckled at that. “Any brothers or sisters?”
“No, just me.”
It was surprising how fast time passed as they chatted, and before she knew it, they had cleaned all the fish and walked back to the guesthouse. She checked the time as they walked inside.
“I'll shower and then start on these fish,” she told him.
“Are you sure I can’t help?” He asked.
“No, I've got this. You go relax or something.” She waited until he sat down before heading to the bathroom.
* * *
Fritz knew he would have to make a move on Kate soon. They had spent a delightful afternoon fishing, and he wasn’t about to let that slip by. He had no idea what she would think about what he planned to propose, but he wasn't going to risk not saying anything. She went back to work tomorrow, which meant interacting with a multitude of vanilla men.
He’d be damned if he’d let one of them have her.
Though it went against everything inside him, he stayed out of the kitchen while she prepared dinner. It seemed very important to her to cook dinner for him alone.
When she finally called him into the kitchen, whatever she'd cooked already filled the small house with a mouth-watering aroma that made his stomach rumble.
“Something smells divine,” he said, sitting down at the table she’d already set with plates and utensils.
“Thanks,” she said, bringing him a glass of wine. “I hope it tastes as good as it smells.”
Her cheeks had flushed at his compliment. “I can’t imagine it not.”
She served him a filet along with a helping of cooked rice before making a plate of the same for herself. She sat down and waited for him to take a bite. He didn’t make her wait long. He couldn’t. Everything looked and smelled too good.
His eyes nearly rolled to the back of his head when he took the first bite. “Kate,” he half moaned, half spoke. It was a delicious mix of spices with an underlying hint of sweetness and it was like nothing he’d ever tasted before. “This is incredible.”
The flush he’d spied earlier was back and even darker this time. She ducked her head. “Thank you.”
“Did you come up with the recipe or did someone give it to you?”
“It's my father’s.” She tilted her head. “Although I made a few changes.”
“Kudos to your dad.”
She smiled, and they continued their conversation. He learned she was an accomplished chef even though she refused to call herself such. She told him that while she enjoyed cooking, she had done little lately because she didn’t like to ha
ve leftovers. He jokingly told her she could cook for him anytime she wanted.
They had just finished eating when she looked at him and asked, “Was there something you wanted to ask me?”
He wondered if they should clear the table first, but then decided it would be better and more casual if they stayed at the table as opposed to going to the living room.
“I want you to hear me out, before you say anything,” he said.
She cocked an eyebrow at him but agreed.
“I remember you said you wanted to date vanilla men,” he said. “And I don’t imagine that has changed since you had the flu. However, my opinion has changed. And if you’re still interested in that, I’d like for you to date me, as a vanilla man.”
“What?” She asked, her eyes wide with shock.
“I’m honest enough to admit what I want,” he said. “And I want you. Not only that, but I don’t want you to date anybody else. So, if you want to experience vanilla, I’d ask for you to consider trying it with me.”
She looked at him as if he was speaking to her in German. “You’re going to pretend to be vanilla?”
“No. I’m not going to pretend to be anything,” he said.
“Then what are you going to do?” she asked.
“I’m going to be vanilla for you.”
“How will that work?”
“Well, for starters,” he said, “we won’t have any kind of kinky sex.”
“Are you saying we can have sex, though?” she asked.
“I hope so,” he said. “Doing this with you will be an odd situation. It’s nothing like anything I’ve ever tried. And I’m honest enough to say I don’t want you with another man. Whether he’s into kink doesn’t matter.”
“I can’t see you doing this,” she said. “Any of it.”
“I like you, for one. And I want to be with you. As a result, I’m willing to do anything you’d like to ensure that happens. If it means going vanilla for a bit?” He shrugged. “I’ll be vanilla for a bit.”