down the
hall to the living room. It too was empty. There were noises coming from the
kitchen, so she made her way over to the doorway to the kitchen. But it was
only Alina, making what Gwen assumed was dinner. She didn’t notice Gwen so she
slipped out without a word.
“What are you up to sneaking
around?” Cole’s voice had her turning towards his bedroom door. He stood with
his arm bent, resting on the door frame. His dress shirt was unbuttoned at the
top and rolled up on his forearms. He must have been working. Gwen smiled at
him and made her way through the living room to the door that led to Cole’s
suite of rooms.
“I was looking for everyone.” Gwen
spoke as Cole enveloped her in his arms, her head resting on his chest and his
hand in her hair. He kissed the top of her head.
“McKayla went out for a while with
some friends. She was going stir crazy sitting around here all day. She hasn’t
had any work in a week. I was just working out of my room since it’s quieter
that way.” He stepped back and looked down at her. “How are you feeling?”
“Ok. I have a bit of headache and
my back hurts, but that’s probably just from lying in bed so much. I’m feeling
a bit hungry though.” Gwen smiled. She really was starting to feel a bit better
and for the first time in weeks she was getting a bit of an appetite.
“Well, let’s go see how long until
dinner is ready.” Cole scooped her up again, causing a squeal to come from
Gwen.
“Seriously, I can walk. I just
walked all over this side of your monstrous apartment perfectly fine by
myself.” Gwen laughed but clasped her arms tightly around his neck.
“I know. But I’m enjoying getting
to show off my brute strength when I can.” Cole wiggled his eyebrows at her. Gwen
just laughed and shook her head.
“You are so crazy. Men aren’t
really supposed to carry women around. And I know perfectly well just how
strong you are.” Gwen laughed grasping the back of his head and pulling his
head down to kiss his cheek.
Cole set her down on one of the
unused counters in the kitchen and turned to Alina. Gwen scooted back and
folded her legs in front of her. “How much longer until dinner is ready?”
“Any minute now, sir.” Alina spoke
just as a timer started to go off. “Perfect timing. How are you feeling, Ms.
Gwen?”
“Better. Slowly getting there.”
Gwen smiled at the sweet woman.
“That’s good to hear. Now chop
chop, get in the dining room and I’ll bring it in to you.”
Gwen slowly slid off the counter.
Cole held her hand as they moved to the dining room, sitting next to each other
at the massive table. Gwen had never bothered to actually count them, but it
was bigger than most dining room tables. She looked over at Cole after he
tucked her chair in for her then sat next to her. She smiled weakly. “I don’t
know how well this is going to go. I’m already feeling drained.”
“Let’s get you back to bed then.”
Cole started to stand but Gwen grabbed his hand and shook her head.
“No. I want to try. I think it
might help me feel better. I’m so tired of those smoothie things, I would much
rather eat normal food.” Gwen shuddered thinking about the high nutrition
drinks that she’d been drinking since she couldn’t keep much of anything down.
Cole sat back down and put a hand on Gwen’s thigh as Alina brought in two
steaming plates of food. She set the plates down in front of Cole and Gwen
before retreating for their drinks and silverware. Alina returned with them and
was gone again.
Gwen looked at the plate of steamed
broccoli and baked chicken. At least her stomach didn’t immediately roll. She
could do this. Gwen smiled as she gave herself a pep talk. Cutting the chicken into
tiny bites, she finally took a bite. It was juicy and flavorful. She carefully
ate little bites until she’d finished half the meal.
She sat watching Cole eat, but her
stomach rolled at the thought of putting anything else in it. She pushed
hall to the living room. It too was empty. There were noises coming from the
kitchen, so she made her way over to the doorway to the kitchen. But it was
only Alina, making what Gwen assumed was dinner. She didn’t notice Gwen so she
slipped out without a word.
“What are you up to sneaking
around?” Cole’s voice had her turning towards his bedroom door. He stood with
his arm bent, resting on the door frame. His dress shirt was unbuttoned at the
top and rolled up on his forearms. He must have been working. Gwen smiled at
him and made her way through the living room to the door that led to Cole’s
suite of rooms.
“I was looking for everyone.” Gwen
spoke as Cole enveloped her in his arms, her head resting on his chest and his
hand in her hair. He kissed the top of her head.
“McKayla went out for a while with
some friends. She was going stir crazy sitting around here all day. She hasn’t
had any work in a week. I was just working out of my room since it’s quieter
that way.” He stepped back and looked down at her. “How are you feeling?”
“Ok. I have a bit of headache and
my back hurts, but that’s probably just from lying in bed so much. I’m feeling
a bit hungry though.” Gwen smiled. She really was starting to feel a bit better
and for the first time in weeks she was getting a bit of an appetite.
“Well, let’s go see how long until
dinner is ready.” Cole scooped her up again, causing a squeal to come from
Gwen.
“Seriously, I can walk. I just
walked all over this side of your monstrous apartment perfectly fine by
myself.” Gwen laughed but clasped her arms tightly around his neck.
“I know. But I’m enjoying getting
to show off my brute strength when I can.” Cole wiggled his eyebrows at her. Gwen
just laughed and shook her head.
“You are so crazy. Men aren’t
really supposed to carry women around. And I know perfectly well just how
strong you are.” Gwen laughed grasping the back of his head and pulling his
head down to kiss his cheek.
Cole set her down on one of the
unused counters in the kitchen and turned to Alina. Gwen scooted back and
folded her legs in front of her. “How much longer until dinner is ready?”
“Any minute now, sir.” Alina spoke
just as a timer started to go off. “Perfect timing. How are you feeling, Ms.
Gwen?”
“Better. Slowly getting there.”
Gwen smiled at the sweet woman.
“That’s good to hear. Now chop
chop, get in the dining room and I’ll bring it in to you.”
Gwen slowly slid off the counter.
Cole held her hand as they moved to the dining room, sitting next to each other
at the massive table. Gwen had never bothered to actually count them, but it
was bigger than most dining room tables. She looked over at Cole after he
tucked her chair in for her then sat next to her. She smiled weakly. “I don’t
know how well this is going to go. I’m already feeling drained.”
“Let’s get you back to bed then.”
Cole started to stand but Gwen grabbed his hand and shook her head.
“No. I want to try. I think it
might help me feel better. I’m so tired of those smoothie things, I would much
rather eat normal food.” Gwen shuddered thinking about the high nutrition
drinks that she’d been drinking since she couldn’t keep much of anything down.
Cole sat back down and put a hand on Gwen’s thigh as Alina brought in two
steaming plates of food. She set the plates down in front of Cole and Gwen
before retreating for their drinks and silverware. Alina returned with them and
was gone again.
Gwen looked at the plate of steamed
broccoli and baked chicken. At least her stomach didn’t immediately roll. She
could do this. Gwen smiled as she gave herself a pep talk. Cutting the chicken into
tiny bites, she finally took a bite. It was juicy and flavorful. She carefully
ate little bites until she’d finished half the meal.
She sat watching Cole eat, but her
stomach rolled at the thought of putting anything else in it. She pushed
Similar Books
