I lay down on the couch and try to concentrate on the giant flat screen television in front of me. My head is pounding at my temples and my eyes burn at the brightness at the screen.
I came home from work early because I wasn't feeling so well. I threw up at my desk and got so dizzy that I had to literally hold onto the walls to keep me upright. My boss, Jack sent me home for the rest of the day. I called Taylor to come pick me up, but I didn't want to bother Christian while he was in a meeting. He's been working so hard trying to seal this deal with the Taiwanese. So, I came back to his place around lunch time and have been lying on the couch in the media room ever since. My head feels like it's going to explode and my stomach won't stop churning. I'm pretty sure I have the flu or something. I'm burning up, but at the same time my skin is clammy and ice cold. I don't know if I want to take off my clothes or to cover up with a blanket. I just lie down with my head on a pillow trying to keep my eyes open until my cell phone starts ringing.
"Oh, shit." I murmur and reach over to fish my phone out of my purse. Christian's name and picture flashes across the screen. "Hey," I say as I answer the call.
"Why aren't you at work, Anastasia?" His voice is hard.
"How do you know I'm not working?" I reply back confused. Shouldn't he be the one busy at work right now?
"I called to take you out to lunch and the receptionist told me that you left. Why didn't you tell me?" His voice isn't as hard anymore. In fact, he actually sounds a little hurt.
"I'm sorry, Christian. I wasn't feeling too well at work and I left. I should have told you, sorry." My voice sounds so weak even to my own ears. My throat is so raw and dry that it hurts to talk above a whisper.
"You're sick? What is it? What's wrong? Do you need to see a doctor?" He rushes out at high speed.
"No, Christian, no." I reassure him. "I think I just have a bug or something. I'm at home right now just watching some movie. I'll be fine." I look over at the windows to see rain pouring down the glass. The sound of it makes me wince in pain.
"I'm coming home right now. Just make sure that you're drinking plenty of water." He says.
"No, you work. I'll be fine." The last thing I want is for me to drag him out of something important because I may have a little temperature.
"Don't be silly, Ana." He scorns. "I'll be there in five minutes."
"Okay." I say and end the call. Even though I don't want to take him out of work, there's nothing I wouldn't rather be doing than cuddling up with my fifty. I wait for him to get here and my eyelids slowly start to droop and I doze off into blackness.
"Oh, baby." I hear Christian say. I feel his large, smooth hands run across my forehead and down my neck. "You're burning up."
I slowly open my eyes and find his face just inches away from mine. His perfect gray eyes are filled with concern and his mouth is pressed into a straight line.
"Ugh, Christian, I fell like crap." I can't help but moan my complaint. I grab onto his shoulder and use it to help sit myself up on the couch. The room spins and I lean forward to put my head between my knees.
He runs his hands up and down my back. "Come on, baby, let's go get you a nice bath and then to bed." He bends down and puts one arm under my knees and the other around my shoulders and gently lifts me from the couch. I don't even have the energy to keep my head up so I let it fall against his neck. He walks us back into our master bedroom and into the connecting bathroom. He sets me down on my feet while he turns to fill the tub up. I grab the counter for support and try to steady my head.
"Come here, sweetie." He lifts the bottom of my shirt up and slides it over my head. Then he bends down and helps me out of my jeans and takes off my bra and underwear. My entire body aches with every step I have to take in order to get my clothes off. Christian kisses me on the forehead while helping me stand up straight.
The tub is now fully filled and he gently lifts me into the warm, bubbly, bath water. I sigh in contentment as I let the hot water ease my muscles into relaxation and I close my eyes.
"That feel good, baby?" I hear Christian ask from outside the tub. I look over to see him squirt a wash cloth with my jasmine body wash. He slides the cloth over my arms and behind my neck and back.
"Mmmm, this feels nice." I can't help but moan. He chuckles and continues to wash whatever skin he sees. Once he's done with the body wash, he takes the shampoo and softly massages the lather into my scalp, rinses the suds, and repeats the same thing with the conditioner.
"Are you ready for bed now?" I nod my head and wince at the pounding that vibrates through my skull. Christian sighs and helps me climb out of the water. He take a towel from the heated rack and wraps it around my body and starts rubbing me dry.
"Christian, my head is pounding." I put fingers up to my temple and try to rub the headache out.
"I know, baby." He kisses me lightly on the side of my head. "I'll give you some medicine and you can sleep it off." He finishes drying me and carries me into the massive bedroom. He doesn't even bother with clothes and just slides me underneath the warm, cotton sheets. Once my head hits the pillow I instantly close my eyes. I can feel Christian slide in besides me. He takes my hand and places two pills in my palm. "Go ahead and take these. They'll help you sleep better as well." I pop them in my mouth and he hold a glass of water to my lips. I drink the pills down and sigh when the soothing water runs down my sore throat.
"Thank you, Christian." I manage to get out and turn on my side towards him. He's already underneath the covers and leans back to switch off the lights. His arms wrap around my fragile body and he pulls me into his naked chest.
"You don't need to thank me, Ana. It's my pleasure to take care of you." He kisses the top of my head, "Just next time call me first and I'll be right here in a heartbeat, okay?" I nod my head and he tuck me in tighter.
"I love you, Christian." I mumble into his hardness.
He presses his nose into my damp hair and inhales deeply. "And I love you, so much, Ana." He kisses my head once again. "Now sleep, my beautiful girl. No work for you in the morning.
I slide down further into the covers and feel all my muscles relax. The pounding begins to cease as I quickly fall asleep in Christian Grey's arms.