Collide in Plain Sight

Chapter 16

Harlow

After a day or so of feeling like shit and then another day of eating mostly crackers and bananas, both Pierce and I seemed to be back to our normal selves. Although the newfound closeness we had from being sick together had stuck around. I was still sleeping in his bed at night, although we spent most of our days still lounging around so it wasn't really an active choice, more like just a happy accident. I didn't hate it. In fact, it was kind of nice to roll over in the middle of the night to reach for him and find him close to me. 

He seemed to be enjoying it too. I usually woke up to him wrapped around me, clinging to me in his sleep like he was scared I would disappear. He had even started working from bed on his laptop. It was interesting listening to him talk to his employees. He sounded calm, knowledgeable and professional.

Then he would hang up the call and say it could have been an email. 

He's my spirit animal. 

So when he rolled out of bed on the third morning and put real clothes on after his shower a little nugget of sadness grew in me. He must have noticed because he stopped what he was doing to watch me for a moment before walking to my side of the bed and sitting down. 

"What's wrong, love?" he asks gently, reaching out to run his fingers through my hair. 

"I liked this little bubble." I admit. "I like having you all to myself." I add with a grin. He chuckles and cups my cheek, running his thumb along my bottom lip. The move makes my body feel warm and I lean towards him on instinct. 

"I like it too, sweetheart." he murmurs, leaning forward to kiss the soft spot behind my ear. The gentle move makes my heart flop and a stupid grin spread across my face. "How does breakfast in bed sound?" he asks. I think for a moment and consider asking him to eat me, but just nod in response. 

"Yes, please." I say. 

"Good. You relax here and I'll make something  that will hopefully be gentle for our stomachs." he says, kissing my forehead again before he gets up to leave. 

I sigh and relax against the plush pillows before deciding to be useful. I get up and strip the bed, throwing the dirty sheets into a hamper in the closet. I walk out into the hallway and get some clean sheets from the linen closet. I love the way this old house has built in storage all over the place. I know Pierce renovated the house before bringing me here, but he kept a lot of the original details like the crystal handles on the doorknobs and it adds a touch of elegance to the other modern pieces. 

I head back into his room and stretch the sheets over the bed, arranging the comforter and tightening the corners. I finish putting the last pillowcase on as Pierce walks in with a huge platter of food in his hands. He smiles at me as it puts it down on the bed. 

"You didn't have to do that, sweetheart." he says, but I just shrug. 

"It's alright. I like being useful." I say. He looks down at me with so much warmth I feel my cheeks in heat in a blush. 

"Come eat with me." he requests, nudging me towards the bed. I sit and he pulls the legs of the tray out before placing it over my lap. There's a variety of fruits, breads and scrambled eggs. "Will any of this bother your stomach?" he asks. 

"Nope." I say, plucking a grape and feeding it to him since he gave me the tray. He chuckles and takes it, his lips grazing across my skin making me shiver next to him. He grabs the extra plate I didn't see under mine and starts adding some of the food to it. 

"What do you want to do today?" he asks. 

"I'm not sure. What are you going to do?" I ask. 

"Just work." he responds. I huff a little, not liking the way he barricades himself in his tiny office for hours.