“Ed, I’m not taking a nap. I haven’t napped since I was two.”
“Sounds like you’re overdue then.” He returned from the closet with a black T-shirt in his hand. “You need help getting into this?”
“No,” she squeaked. She wasn’t ready for that. Was she? She wasn’t sure. The thought of his hands touching her bare skin . . . okay, get your mind off that quick!
“You need the bathroom? You haven’t gone since we left the hospital, you must need to pee. You also haven’t drunk anything though. I’ll get you some water.” He was muttering as he took her hand and led her to the attached bathroom which was through the closet. The bathroom was surprisingly elegant. Marble tile, black fixtures, and crisp, white towels.
“Use the toilet, get changed then climb into bed. I’m going to get you a snack and some water. Need to write up some sort of schedule so I don’t forget to feed and water you.”
“I’m not a pet!” she snapped at him then noticed he was grinning. “You’re having me on.”
“Sort of.” He closed the door behind him before she could reply. What did he mean, sort of?
16
Ed grabbed his phone and called Xavier. It went to voicemail.
“Need to talk to you about Georgina’s health and care.” After ending the call, he gathered up a bottle of water then cut up some apple and put it on a plate with cheese slices and crackers. He wasn’t exactly a gourmet cook, but it was healthy.
His phone rang. That was quick.
“I can’t talk to you, Ed,” Xavier said immediately. “Patient-doctor confidentiality.”
Patient-doctor confidentiality could take a flying leap out the window as far as he was concerned.
“I have her permission, asshole.”
“Wow, this is going to be a fun conversation if you’re name-calling already. I need to hear that from her.”
“All right. But she’s about to have a nap so you’ll have to make it quick.”
“You got her to agree to a nap and to staying at your place? I’m impressed. She’s not tied to your bed, is she? Should I send one of your deputies out to check?”
“Haha, keep it up, asshole, and I’ll have them ping you every time they catch you speeding.” Xavier had a lead foot.
“Now, now, no need for that,” Xavier said hastily. “Is she there?”
Ed put the plate of food and water down on the bedside table. He looked over at Georgie where she sat in his bed, wearing his T-shirt, sheets around her.
They were going to smell of her when he climbed in there tonight.
Hell. Yes.
Satisfaction unlike anything he’d known before filled him. He sat facing her then put the phone on speaker and settled it on her lap.
“Right, she’s here.”
Xavier sighed. “I’m on speaker, aren’t I?”
“Yep. Georgie, tell Xavier that he can talk to me about your health.” He hated this. He didn’t want to have to ask permission to find out what was going on with her.
Georgie was his.
“You can talk to him, Xavier. Make him stop worrying so much. When he hears there’s nothing actually wrong with me, then he might give up this ridiculous idea that I need to take daily naps.”
“I wouldn’t say that there was nothing wrong, sweetheart,” Xavier said cautiously.
She moved her hand through the air dismissively. “Yes, but nothing serious.”