Free Because of Kian by Sibylla Matilde

about him. Yet, there was a shadow of a smile that touched his lips. “You seem to like this. I’ll have to remember that when you’re feeling better.” He lifted his hand away and softly blew down over my abdomen causing my eyes to close with the sensation.
    He began to sweep the cloth over my skin again, up over my breastbone, across my shoulders, back up my cheeks and over my eyes, pausing intermittently to blow cool air over my body .
    I was in a heavenly hell. I was sick as a dog, yet somehow also horny as hell, which was a really crappy combination. Rather tortuous, actually. But I could have laid there forever.
    Finally, Kian lifted the cloth and pulled my pajama shirt back together, buttoning it partway, yet leaving it fairly open at the neck. His fingers smoothed the hair back from my temples and I slowly felt the world begin to slip away, lost in the comfort of his touch.
    “Get some sleep, baby ,” he whispered softly.
    So I did.
    Like I had a choice.

    Brynn
    When I woke up, it was nearly dark. A faint light shown from my little kitchen, just enough to see that my little apartment was clean. The tissues and empty cold medicine packages were gone. All the dirty bowls from soup and the empty and half-empty glasses of juice had disappeared.
    And Kian was fast asleep in the recliner across from the couch, barely covered with fleece throw that was way too small for his stout frame.
    As I propped myself up on my elbows, I took stock of my physical state. For the first time in a few days, my throat didn’t feel like it was going to crack. My head wasn’t pounding. My joints didn’t ache. I felt far from well, but I certainly didn’t feel like I was dying anymore. Although I had to pee like a son-of-a-bitch.
    Quietly, I climbed off the couch and made my way to the bathroom. As I was washing my hands, I glanced up in the mirror. Oh my God, I looked atrocious. And I didn’t smell much better. And for some reason, it mattered.
    I shouldn’t have cared . I should have wanted to look like shit, to show Kian what a wreck I was, that he was so much better off without me in a ten-mile radius. He’d been worried when he’d showed up today… about me . He’d been thinking about me. He felt responsible for me and wanted to protect me. Just like Sage had told me way back before the incident in the gym. Just like he’d admitted as he taped my hands.
    He was really way too good for me. It was bad to want him, even a little. So, I knew I shouldn’t care. But I did, so I flipped on the shower and undressed, quickly tossing my stinky jammies in the hamper. The water felt amazing as it coursed over my skin, drawing away all the ick of being ill. I shampooed my hair twice and soaped myself in every nook and cranny. I scrubbed my skin with a loofah until it felt almost raw.
    N othing like getting super clean after feeling super gross.
    For a long time, I simply stood in the heavy stream of water, feeling it beat down on my shoulders and neck. Almost lost in the sensation, I about jumped out of my skin when I heard Kian’s voice . Oh my God . In the room with me .
    “Brynn? You okay?” he asked.
    Fuck. I was naked and wet. I gingerly peeked around the curtain to see him sticking his head just inside the door.
    “Um, yeah. I just… um…” I was so very aware that I was so very naked. And, honestly, he looked amazingly fucking hot with his messy hair and sleepy eyes. “I just really needed a shower. I’ll be out in a few minutes.”
    He nodded and slipped back out, closing the door behind him, so I finished up and got out of the shower. Drying off quickly, I slathered myself with lotion before pulling on a soft deep eggplant-colored chenille robe and pressed some of the water from my hair. Although it was quite fine in texture, there was a ton of it, and it seemed to take forever to dry. I combed it back from my face and brushed my teeth. Feeling halfway human again, I stepped out of the bathroom.
    The recliner was