not like I wanted to have the flu and my period at the same time. If only men would start having periods for a change."
My eyes began to water. I felt absolutely awful. I couldn't even stay in my own home, in my own bed. Instead, I was shuffled off to Meat's house, only to be moved on to Cannibal's couch. My belly hurt, my head pounded, my nose ran, I felt a bit woozy, and I knew delirium wasn't far away. All I wanted to do was sleep, and the sword that could knock me into nap time for a few hours lay way across the room.
"Sweetheart." Meat brushed a stray tear from my cheek.
"Oh, damn." Cannibal threw his hands up in the air.
"I'll just go to a hotel." I stood proudly, my box of tissues in hand. "That way I won't bother anyone or pass my germs around."
Meat looked over at Cannibal, and I swear they shared some unspoken words.
Cannibal sighed dramatically. "No. You can stay here, until you're better, that is." He puffed out a quick breath. "This isn't a motel or a homeless shelter, though. So don't get any ideas." His tone invited no argument.
Like I would want to move in permanently? It was all I could do not to salute him.
Meat nodded, cupped my heated cheek, and tugged me back down to sit on the couch. "I bet he would let you stay in the guest bedroom if you wanted."
I shook my head at them both. "Bed is for well people. Couch is for sickies."
A ghost of a smile hovered over Cannibal's lips. "Couch it is, then."
My body tried to evacuate a lung the hard way, leaving me weak, sore, and a bit breathless. For a split second, something flashed in the Enforcer's eyes, something akin to sympathy.
A quiet beeping sounded. Meat glanced at his watch, then gave me a quick peck on the cheek. "I've got to get going."
I bit my lip in nervousness.
"I promise. I'll be back to pick you up as soon as I can."
"I said she could stay here, and she will," Cannibal declared.
Meat smiled at him then headed toward the door. "I'll be back later to relieve you of your nursing duties."
Cannibal flipped him off, muttered under his breath, something that I knew had to be anatomically impossible.
I watched Meat leave and then turned my attention to my temporary roommate. "I'm sorry."
He waved his hand dismissively and headed to the kitchen. "Juice or soda?"
Cannibal was going to take care of me? Shock washed over me at his offer. Whoever heard of a cannibal caring for a sick woman? Maybe cannibals didn't eat ill people, lest they catch whatever their victim had. I could imagine the conversations over the stew pot at camp.
"I hope you didn't eat any of that Carl."
"Why not?"
"Didn't you read the red stamp on the package that said 'died of dehydration from rectal seepage and impotence'?"
My focus returned to the present with the sound of a throat clearing. "Can I have fruit and ice cream mixed into a smoothie?"
He glared at me sternly enough I wished my words back. Caring for and catering to seemed to be entirely different things
"I… ummm…"
He shook his head. "I guess I should actually use the stupid blender as it came with the kitchen."
Smiling, I stood, toddling slowly in his wake. "I'll help."
He frowned. "I'm not sure that's a good idea. You tend to blow up things if I recall."
My face heated, but I blamed it on the high fever. "Yeah, but you said it was entertainment."
"Yeah, there is that."
Between the two of us, we managed to toss some ice cream and fruit together, use the blender without difficulty, and make two smoothies ready to devour. I sat the container in the sink for cleaning while Cannibal played guinea pig.
One bite and his eyes lit up. "This is actually pretty good."
I grabbed my glass and took a sip. "I'm glad you like." A question popped in my mind. "Tastes better than toe soup?"
The corners of his mouth kicked up. "Depends upon whose toes you use."
Taking a large slurp, I tossed around my response options. None remotely fit. I settled for a blank stare. When in doubt, play dumb. That was my
My eyes began to water. I felt absolutely awful. I couldn't even stay in my own home, in my own bed. Instead, I was shuffled off to Meat's house, only to be moved on to Cannibal's couch. My belly hurt, my head pounded, my nose ran, I felt a bit woozy, and I knew delirium wasn't far away. All I wanted to do was sleep, and the sword that could knock me into nap time for a few hours lay way across the room.
"Sweetheart." Meat brushed a stray tear from my cheek.
"Oh, damn." Cannibal threw his hands up in the air.
"I'll just go to a hotel." I stood proudly, my box of tissues in hand. "That way I won't bother anyone or pass my germs around."
Meat looked over at Cannibal, and I swear they shared some unspoken words.
Cannibal sighed dramatically. "No. You can stay here, until you're better, that is." He puffed out a quick breath. "This isn't a motel or a homeless shelter, though. So don't get any ideas." His tone invited no argument.
Like I would want to move in permanently? It was all I could do not to salute him.
Meat nodded, cupped my heated cheek, and tugged me back down to sit on the couch. "I bet he would let you stay in the guest bedroom if you wanted."
I shook my head at them both. "Bed is for well people. Couch is for sickies."
A ghost of a smile hovered over Cannibal's lips. "Couch it is, then."
My body tried to evacuate a lung the hard way, leaving me weak, sore, and a bit breathless. For a split second, something flashed in the Enforcer's eyes, something akin to sympathy.
A quiet beeping sounded. Meat glanced at his watch, then gave me a quick peck on the cheek. "I've got to get going."
I bit my lip in nervousness.
"I promise. I'll be back to pick you up as soon as I can."
"I said she could stay here, and she will," Cannibal declared.
Meat smiled at him then headed toward the door. "I'll be back later to relieve you of your nursing duties."
Cannibal flipped him off, muttered under his breath, something that I knew had to be anatomically impossible.
I watched Meat leave and then turned my attention to my temporary roommate. "I'm sorry."
He waved his hand dismissively and headed to the kitchen. "Juice or soda?"
Cannibal was going to take care of me? Shock washed over me at his offer. Whoever heard of a cannibal caring for a sick woman? Maybe cannibals didn't eat ill people, lest they catch whatever their victim had. I could imagine the conversations over the stew pot at camp.
"I hope you didn't eat any of that Carl."
"Why not?"
"Didn't you read the red stamp on the package that said 'died of dehydration from rectal seepage and impotence'?"
My focus returned to the present with the sound of a throat clearing. "Can I have fruit and ice cream mixed into a smoothie?"
He glared at me sternly enough I wished my words back. Caring for and catering to seemed to be entirely different things
"I… ummm…"
He shook his head. "I guess I should actually use the stupid blender as it came with the kitchen."
Smiling, I stood, toddling slowly in his wake. "I'll help."
He frowned. "I'm not sure that's a good idea. You tend to blow up things if I recall."
My face heated, but I blamed it on the high fever. "Yeah, but you said it was entertainment."
"Yeah, there is that."
Between the two of us, we managed to toss some ice cream and fruit together, use the blender without difficulty, and make two smoothies ready to devour. I sat the container in the sink for cleaning while Cannibal played guinea pig.
One bite and his eyes lit up. "This is actually pretty good."
I grabbed my glass and took a sip. "I'm glad you like." A question popped in my mind. "Tastes better than toe soup?"
The corners of his mouth kicked up. "Depends upon whose toes you use."
Taking a large slurp, I tossed around my response options. None remotely fit. I settled for a blank stare. When in doubt, play dumb. That was my
Similar Books
Last One Home
Debbie Macomber
A Viking For The Viscountess
Michelle Willingham
The Lawyer
Alice Bright
Always a Rogue, Forever Her Love
Christi Caldwell
The Crack in the Lens
Steve Hockensmith
AL:ICE-9
Charles Lamb
The Tiger
John Vaillant
The Floodgate
Elaine Cunningham
