Her eyes grew wide. “But you need to eat dinner and do your laundry. You said.”
“And you need to stop worrying so much about other people, buttercup. I can do those things after I put you to bed. You seem worn out and I know you don’t feel good. Sleep will be the best thing for you. So let’s get you changed and settled so you can get some much needed rest.”
He went to one of the double-doored cabinets and pulled out a pale blue hospital gown. From the way she responded to him, Eric had more than an inkling that she might be a little, but he wasn’t sure she knew that herself so he’d keep the pretty pink and purple gowns with the unicorns and rainbows on them tucked away for now.
“Arms up, Devy.”
When she only bit her lip in response, he tipped his head.
“Do you remember what your only job is?”
Pink colored her cheeks as she looked at him wide-eyed. So pretty. She’d be prettier when she was well-rested and properly looked after but she was still beautiful now. Especially when she said softly, “To be a well-behaved girl?”
“Yes, that’s right. Do you think refusing to let me get you out of those clothes is well-behaved?”
“No, Eric.”
“That’s right, it’s not. So no more arguments. You’ll be more comfortable in this and I’ll put your clothes in the wash with mine so you have something clean to wear in the morning. This is the last time I tell you before you’ve earned a consequence.”
Her lips parted and he steeled himself for a snippy answer or for her to push out of bed no matter what condition she was in because that was just too much or a flat out fucking weird thing to say. If she did object, he’d apologize and order up a car to take her home because while he’d push and coax, he wouldn’t violate her consent. Instead of arguing though, she sat up and lifted her hands over her head slowly.
“That’s right,” he praised. “That’s a good, cooperative girl.”
He tugged the sweater over her head, careful to pull the neck wide so it wouldn’t get caught on her hair. There she was, generous creamy tits hugged by a pink lace bra. Did her panties match? Eric unhooked her bra in the back and drew the straps down her shoulders, letting her breasts spill out of the cups. They were big and soft and her nipples hardened almost immediately. It was all he could do to not take one of the firm buds into his mouth and suck.
For now though, he guided her arms into the short sleeves of the gown and tied the flimsy cotton behind her neck. Her hard nipples poked at the fabric as if to taunt him. After he got her to bed, he’d be rubbing one out for sure, thinking of playing with a healthy, happy Devy.
“Lie back, buttercup.”
She didn’t resist this time, or ask about the pet name. If anything, it seemed to soften her further, make her more compliant and submissive. Her lashes fluttered as he pushed the gown up to her waist and unbuttoned her jeans, slid them down her legs and peeled off her socks before reaching for the—yes, matching—pink lace panties and removing those too.
He wanted to look his fill, spread her legs and touch her but she was in too much pain for him to even suggest it. Yes, some people found arousal and getting off a good distraction or even relief from pain but he wasn’t sure if that applied to Devy and he wouldn’t risk the suggestion. Yet.
Instead, he pulled the hem of the gown to her thighs and tucked her in under the crisp white sheets and soft white blanket. There, that was better. He put her clothes in a pile by the door so he’d remember to take them downstairs to wash. He didn’t want her to worry about having nothing clean to wear in the morning. Now that she was dressed appropriately, he could get down to business.
“Devy baby, when’s the last time you ate?”
Even in the low light her skin had a greenish cast. “I can’t.”
“No, I know. I know you can’t eat. But I also want to make sure you’re getting some fluids and nutrients. So when was it? Has your tummy been upset for a while?”
“I…I grabbed a cup of coffee at breakfast?”
“And before that?”
“Mmm, I had a few bites of dinner the night before. I wasn’t really hungry and Logan is a bottomless pit these days.”
Eric sucked air through his teeth. Eating while you were nauseated was difficult at best, counterproductive at worst, he got it. But she couldn’t survive on air alone.
* * *
Guilt and embarrassment crowded Devaney’s lungs, made it hard to breathe. No, she wasn’t great at taking care of herself under the best circumstances and definitely not when she had one of her stupid migraines. There was always so much to do, so many things to manage. Just because she didn’t feel up to it didn’t mean she could just…not. Carter had made that very clear. So she’d always just pushed through.
Having Eric tell her that he didn’t expect that from her was both comforting and disconcerting. She didn’t know how to take it easy, felt that hot and twisty stomach-squeezing sensation like she was doing something wrong even as she was lying here. Even as she liked it, longed for more.
It would be nice, wouldn’t it, to just do as she was told? To believe that the only thing he wanted from her was to obey his instructions? To be the patient for once instead of the caregiver? But it felt so, so wrong. Like at any moment he was going to scold her for being a lazy, malingering bitch, which made it hard to relax at all and nearly impossible to give in to his caretaking.
But she was also tired. And it was nice to be in a clean, comfortable bed without having to worry about getting dinner on the table or helping Logan with math homework or Chase memorize his state capitols, or face her boss’s barely veiled hostility at her not being able to cover someone else’s shift at the last minute.