I didn't want her to see me like this. It was bad enough that I needed her help getting home from the health club, but to need her help getting off my hall floor would be utterly humiliating. Maybe if I just stayed perfectly still she would leave, I thought.

"Miranda? Where—" I heard her gasp. Under different circumstances, that sudden intake of air could have been accompanied by that beautiful sex-flush. Jesus, what was wrong with me?

I quickly cleared my head as I heard her footsteps approach. "I needed to rest for a few minutes," I explained. "I was going to my bedroom to change clothes."

I didn't look over at her, but she must have bent down next to me, because I felt her hands reaching under my arms.

"Stop," I said. "Stop. You need to leave. I have been humiliated enough for one day," I said as I pushed myself onto my knees, biting my lip to keep from shouting in pain.

"I'm helping you," she said, linking her arms under mine and lifting me to my feet.

I flung my arms around, trying to break free from her grip, but she held firmly. Between unzipping the jacket and my recent movements, my left breast was completely exposed. I quickly reached down and zipped the jacket back up. I knew my face must have been beet red, but I couldn't look up at her after that.

"Andrea, take your arms off of me," I said quietly, knowing that it was my quietest voice that instilled the most fear. It must have worked, because I felt her grip loosen, and I quickly ran down the hall and into my bedroom, slamming the door behind me, and locking it just in case.

I proceeded to my bathroom, where I immediately headed towards the toilet, vomiting from the intense pain. Never mind that bending over a toilet and retching actually made the pain worse in my back.

When my stomach calmed, I took the jacket off. Because the pants were extremely loose, I only had to untie the drawstring to release them to the floor. Having been interrupted before leaving the health club, I didn't get to shower after the treatment, so I carefully stepped into my shower, and using the massage wand, I was able to rinse off.

I felt better already. My heart had stopped racing, and my back pain was manageable—well, maybe that wasn't the right word. It was less severe than before.

I selected a soft cotton jersey camisole and shorts from my dresser, and pair of nude briefs, but when I went to bend over and put them on, that sharp, piercing pain reappeared, restricting my movement. Instead of the cotton jersey, I pulled a short silk chemise from my drawer with matching underwear that tied at the hips. Who would have thought this rather sexy lingerie would be of use when I was nearly helpless to dress myself?

Thinking of sex reminded me of Andrea and her flushed cheeks. What I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall of her bedroom. I imagine she is a thing of beauty when she comes undone. Since the young woman was likely still in the house somewhere, I also grabbed the matching silk robe and tied it around myself, knotting the sash to be safe and hopefully prevent any future slips.

I unlocked the door—but kept it closed—before making my way to my bed. Since a seated position was probably the most uncomfortable for me at the moment, I crawled onto the bed and laid on my stomach, stretched out horizontally across the mattress. It didn't feel terrible, but the arch in my back was uncomfortable, so I grabbed a pillow and placed it beneath my hips.

I sighed, audibly, in relief. For a moment, if I didn't move a muscle, I felt…normal. My relief was interrupted by a knock at my door.

"Miranda? I have your medication, a glass of water, and some ice. Can I come in?"

"It's open," I said. I clearly hadn't thought this through, because my ass, elevated on a pillow and clad only in my short robe and barely-there silk bottoms, was facing the doorway. And I have no doubt that she noticed.

In fact, she probably blushed again—and I missed it.

I needed to control myself. I don't know what has gotten into me. I never thought of Andrea sexually before today, and even just saying it aloud in my head—what did I want from her? It's not like I am a lesbian, but my god Joan Rivers would turn over in her grave if I ever did come out of the closet. I took a deep breath and forced thoughts of her flushed cheeks out of my mind for good.

"Miranda?" Her voice sounded inches from my ear.

I blinked my eyes open, and saw that concerned look on her face. My god, I hoped I hadn't said anything while she was standing here.

"I have your medication," she said quietly, motioning to the tray on the bed next to me.

"Give me a minute—and look the other way," I said, knowing I would need to slither ungracefully off of the bed. She turned, and I did just that. At least the pain was tolerable. "Okay," I said, clearing my throat.

She held out a small cup with two pills and a glass of flat water. I swallowed, and finished the glass of water. She handed me an ice pack in exchange for the empty glass. It was one that you fasten around your body so it stays put. I put it in place, then took a deep breath and crawled back onto the bed, this time laying on my side and bringing my knees to my chest, stuffing a pillow between my knees like I used to when I was pregnant.

"Would you like a blanket or anything?" she asked.

"There's a light blanket in the trunk under the window," I said, pointing in the general direction. "The gray one."

She returned with the blanket, carefully draping it over me, then she picked up the tray and began to exit the room. "I'll be back later tonight with the Book, and it will be time to take your second dose of medication. Your cell phone is on the bed—in silent mode—if you need anything at all," she said.

I was surprised that she was leaving, but then again, maybe not so surprised. She did, after all, have a job that involved keeping my office running smoothly. Ever since Paris, it has been a dream. I hardly noticed when Emily left, and even the new second assistant was on the ball. I knew that would be no small feat, so Andrea surely had a lot of work waiting for her, least of all things, rearranging my schedule to accommodate the sudden incapacitation.

I closed my eyes as exhaustion from the afternoon began to set in. Or maybe it was the medication. Either way, it wasn't often that I had the opportunity to spend a Tuesday afternoon napping in bed, so I eagerly succumbed.

When I woke some time later, I felt as though I had been sleeping for days. I know I hadn't been paying enough attention to my own needs, but I never thought it would get this far, landing me in bed in the middle of a Tuesday afternoon.

I pushed myself up and immediately fell back into the pillows, overcome with a dizziness I hadn't felt before. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and tried again. I was able to push myself into a seated position, and I was quite relieved that the drugs had kicked in and I no longer felt the pain in my back.

Work would no doubt be piling up for me, even in my brief absence and despite Andrea's best attempts. No matter how hard I tried to get ahead, it always seemed like there was more work than I could ever manage. I climbed out of bed and headed to my closet to change into something more appropriate now that I could bend over, but out of nowhere, the room seemed to spin. I tried to focus on the door to my closet, but it felt as thought I couldn't even control my eyes.

I reached out for the dresser to steady myself and suddenly had the feeling that I was falling through the air—and then everything went black.

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TBC and let me know what you think so far!