Caroline woke up feeling drenched with sweat and pulled her eyes open to almost complete darkness around her. There were no lights from the windows at all. The light from under the door in the hall was the only sliver of light illuminating anything at all in the bedroom.

She could not even turn her head to see the time on her phone she had left on the nightstand and Roman's body was still nestled right up against her own in his bed.

One thing was clear, and that was he had sweated out his fever and everything was soaked. His cheek was laying against her chest, her long sleeved shirt was wet and nearly dripping, her tank top was likely wet, her shorts probably too, his hair, his forehead she could tell, rubbing against her neck, his muscle shirt was wet all over too.

His head started moving and he groaned. His arms were wrapped around her too, one under her waist and the other draped on top. Caroline noticed that the loose bun she had tied his hair in had fallen out and his more than damp long hair was tangled and sweaty all over them both.

Roman pulled his head up off her chest and she could just barely make out his face in the dimness of the hall light from under the door.

Caroline saw him looking at her, blinking so slowly to come back from deeply sleeping and realizing how he had been laying and what had happened, like he had so much to say but nothing was making it to his lips.

His lips... God, he looked so damn gorgeous just leaning over her like that, half asleep and his skin shining with sweat. She forgot for a moment that he was sick at all and just drowned in those eyes looking back at her as his tongue darted out to lick his lips.

Her thoughts took her totally by surprise and she caught herself glancing down right at that moment. Not thinking how insane all of that was. Not thinking she was supposed to focus on getting him better and not get sick herself. Not thinking of anything but wanting to pull his head to hers and see what those lips tasted like.

She shook her head and looked back up in his eyes, but she was sure he had seen her longing, even for that split second.

He cleared his throat and blinked again. "Umm, I'm sorry," he fumbled in his words and wiped the sweat from his face.

Caroline hardly had any idea what he was saying and could still feel so much of him pressed against her body.

Roman cleared his throat more. "You're uh, my fever breaking. I got you all sweaty Care. I didn't mean to."

She was already shaking her head more. "I am so glad something helped. I'm glad it broke." Caroline felt all over his forehead and it was so much cooler than before. She moved back a bit and pulled the very wet long-sleeved shirt off her and tossed it on the floor, leaving her in her tank top and striped PJ shorts and socks. She felt around on her chest, and it was damp but not nearly as much as her other shirt had been.

"We should get you out of those wet clothes too and probably change the sheets," she said very business-like, and this was the kind of thing she could do for home care clients no problem. There was nothing emotional about it and she just needed to treat him like a client. Right?

Caroline slid out of the bed and moved to open the ensuite bathroom door letting the night light shine in more just to see and not trip on anything more on the floor. Then she walked to the dresser and grabbed for another pair of gym shorts and another tank top and underwear too. She saw him start shivering almost right away once she left the bed and grabbed a zip up hoodie too from the closet and extra warm socks too. She brought the pile to the end of the bed and dumped it all down.

"Can you check on Mads? Please. It has been a couple hours I think and give her blankie back because she gave it to me to give me strength, but I know she sleeps better with it and I," Roman was looking towards the door like he wanted to check on her himself and holding out the blanket that had been by his pillow.

She didn't even let him finish and nodded and put a finger to his lips and smiled, scooping the sparkly blanket from his hands. "Of course, Roman just relax and I will be right back."

Caroline slipped out the door and went down the darker hallway seeing it too was only lit by the night light by now as the sun was down and the light from the windows was just the dim moonlight. The TV was flickering with the menu screen and Maddie lay curled up on the couch fast asleep.

Tucking the blanket in by her cheek the little girl sighed, nuzzled it, smiled and curled up tighter in all the blankets. "I hope it helped Daddy," she mumbled.

Caroline brushed her hair back from her cheek. "Yes sweetie, Daddy slept really well and got lots of strength from your blanket." Maddie smiled again and closed her barely half open eyes and looked to be back to sleep almost instantly, hugging the blanket tight.

Hurrying back to the bedroom Caroline was surprised to see him already trying to pull himself to sitting by himself. She helped him swing his legs over to the side of the bed and then stood between them.

Roman looked up at her and he already looked even a little bit stronger without the fever making him so exhausted.

"She's fine. And sleeping in the living room so far. Very happy her blankie help you." Roman smiled and then looked like he was stifling a groan, trying to pull his shirt up. "You need help?" she asked softly, and he nodded.

"I'm thinking so yeah. Just moving to sit up felt like a damn marathon," he whispered.

Taking a deep breath Caroline bent slightly and reached for the hem of the soaking wet shirt and pulled it over his head. His head dropped to her body, resting lightly against her chest the second the garment was pulled free, and she just stood there, her fingers running through his sweaty hair.

"Mmmm, cool air feels good on my skin," Roman mumbled against her. "You feel good."

Caroline inhaled slightly at his words. "You sure it's not what I'm doing to help Roman?"

He shook his head against her body. "No, YOU feel good. Your touch feels so good. Are you okay? Are WE okay Care?" She felt his hands slip around her waist and he pulled her in closer, still standing at the side of the bed between his legs.

Everything felt so foreign to her. So good.

Not like the other men in her life before. They were not gentle or soft or tender like Roman was being right now. They were often just daring and crossed lines she had said she wasn't comfortable with and then she would warn them she wasn't okay, and they would just say to relax and enjoy and not be so uptight. They never asked her how she was feeling, ever. Those connections never gave her the butterflies she was feeling in her belly right now either.

Now she was feeling cared for, and her needs put first and he was even thinking of her when he was feeling sick and feverish and getting over the flu. That made her even more excited to explore things with him.

The selflessness she saw from Roman's connection with his daughter showed her so much too.

"Mmm hmm," she nodded to him. "We are more than okay. You feel so good too Roman." And she felt the catch in her breath as he nuzzled against her chest as she was still tangling her fingers in his hair.

Roman lifted his head and looked up at her, pulling her in more, bringing her knees up and over his, and straddling his body on the bed. He stared deep in her eyes.

Her heart was racing at the intense skin to skin contact and feeling him so close to her like this. "Roman what are you doing?" she breathed out, feeling his hands slide up her back on top of her tank top and rub up and down on her back.

"Holding you, if this is okay too. I've missed you," he answered simply.

He looked like he was waiting for her reply as he was still ever so gently stroking her back on top of her tank top and she nodded slowly.

Yes, she was okay. Being in his arms felt so good and the mere fact that he was asking and careful of her feelings made her even more excited for more possibilities with him.

"I've missed you too Roman," she replied quietly. "I know we have both been busy but that doesn't mean I wasn't thinking about you and missing our late-night talks and wanting more dates and time...I do, I did. I.." She stuttered and smiled back at him all nervously.

He smiled and looked deep in thought as he kept talking and leaned his forehead on her shoulder. He still felt pretty warm but not nearly as much as before and she was so glad. "I've wondering how we lost touch months ago after only a few dates and been kicking myself that I never really kissed you. Just thinking a lot of things, I guess, since everything isn't hurting as much right now, and I can actually think."

Roman sighed, his hands resting lightly at her waist now and she just tangled her fingers in his hair as he lay against her, and she listened as he shared more.

"I'm thinking I am so glad Maddie came to find you. I was being way too tough trying to do this all on my own. My family couldn't help because Naomi and Jimmy just had a new baby. So, my mom brought food to Maddie and me when she could to help but stayed away otherwise to not catch anything. Jey was handling everything else at the shop where all 3 of us pretty much own it together. But I knew Jimmy was exhausted from everything about being a new daddy and I couldn't put any more on either of them or risk anyone getting sick.

And I did the best I could when Mads was sick, carried her back and forth to the bathroom and gave her baths often to fight her fever and I can't even remember the last time I washed my hair and got a shower. But we were doing okay."

He lifted his head then and looked back at her as if to get her to understand how hard he had fought, and she did understand. She did. There was nothing he needed to explain.

"It was only when it hit ME like a ton of bricks that it got too hard. Dragging myself to make food and take care of her or push myself too hard had me throwing up more and sleeping less and I just got worse and worse because it just wasn't getting better, and she could tell."

Caroline was stroking her hands down his face as he talked and was in awe of how strong he was and had been for that little girl. "You were doing the best you could Roman. Maddie knows that. I know that and I know your family does too. I'm sure they appreciate you keeping them and a newborn safe."

He nodded and smiled so sweetly and almost shyly it looked like at her praise of him and she saw his shoulders sink down like he just needed to hear that from someone.

"And maybe we should get you that shower then and feel more alive if you haven't even washed your hair in so long. That is at least one thing we can do."

Roman pretty much glared at her then. "Showering is standing and that sounds like pure torture when I could barely crawl to the bedroom before. So as amazing as that would be..."

"Well, I could run a bath and you could soak maybe while I get the sheets changed here. At least it would be something to feel better?" Caroline tilted his head up to hers hopeful that her idea might help. She was still sitting straddling him in his bed and wondering too if she was getting heavy for how weak he still was.

Roman looked like he was thinking about it and nodded slowly, and she smiled at him. Leaning over she saw it was late evening by now. They had slept a good few hours before and the meds had stayed down for him so she was determined she was going to see if food would yet too tonight after the bath.

Caroline untangled herself from his lap and his arms around her and kissed his head again. This time feeling more confident that he welcomed the affection and it felt good to hear that he had missed her even with them only beginning to know each other more months ago.

"Okay then I will go get the water ready and come get you?" She went into the bathroom and turned the lights on as dim as they would go there too and got some towels out and started running the water in the corner tub and added bubbles. She dug around in the cupboards for some Epsom salts too and found a half full container and dumped a bunch in.

Coming back to the bedroom Roman was laying back down but watching the door for her it looked like and already pulling himself back up to sitting as she came toward him.

"Can you walk this time or how should we do this?" she asked him and was already offering her arms to him. She knelt to have him put his one arm up over her back and slowly pulled him to his feet. He cried out and sunk back down to the bed. But growling and cursing she watched him stand up again and hiss out through his teeth and nod that he was ready.

They made their way back to the bathroom and he held onto the dresser with the other hand and gasped and took breaks and leaned on the wall too once they were past the door and Caroline had him sit on the closed toilet and wait while she checked the water level and adjusted the temperature again before turning it off.

Turning back to him he was breathing heavier but nodding that he was okay and almost there. She gripped him under the arms, and he held onto the wall and edge of the tub and stepped in.

Roman sunk down into the bubbles and water right up to his chest, still wearing the light gray gym shorts and Caroline smiled at the look of bliss that spread across his face. "Oh, that is so nice and warm," he pretty much purred and closed his eyes. She rolled up a towel for him to put behind his head and he laid his head down and sighed.

"I told you it would be worth all that struggle to get there. That should help more of your fever keep going down too and you won't feel so yucky from not showering too. So, are you good for a bit so I can get the sheets changed and maybe get Maddie to bed? Will she want to sleep here with you?"

Roman looked up at her and smiled at her so warmly. "Oh, wow Care you remembered me telling you all about that? I'm not used to feeling heard and my ex just barely ever acknowledged my existence or Maddie's, especially right close to the end of things."

"Of course, I listened to you Roman. Our late-night talks meant so much to me. I heard that Maddie needed to sleep with you more or just wasn't adjusting to being in school all day too. I didn't have anyone that heard me either, so I absolutely listened."

They held each other's gaze a moment and just didn't know what to say before Caroline shook her head nervously and then excused herself, fumbling more with her words that she would get the bed ready. She left the door open enough that she would hear him if he needed something and then turned the light on and quickly pulled the sheets and blankets off the bed and made a quick run around the room to toss the laundry in the hamper too before heading off to find the washing machine and then look for the clean sheets and blankets.

She had just gotten the machine started and she heard Maddie starting to wake up. Checking on her on the couch she still looked really out of it and wasn't hungry but just wanted to go back to sleep.

"Daddy is having a bath to relax so did you want me to tuck you in your room for now then and sleep there?" she asked her, and the little girl's eyes were so heavy, and she just reached her arms up and nodded and wanted to be carried again.

"Sooo sleepy too because sleeping with Daddy he was up so much coughing or throwing up so we both didn't sleep," she yawned and laid her head on Caroline's shoulder as they walked down the hall. A quick stop to the bathroom to go quickly and brush her teeth and wash her face and then Maddie was opening the door and ready to be picked up again and pointed her way to her room.

Caroline had not been in this room yet and even with the lights off she could see how girlie and sparkly the space was. There was a doll house in the corner and a tall cupboard with dress up clothes and wands and shoes and crowns. There were books and a rug, and a pile of pillows all tucked in another corner with a long draped sheer canopy.

There was art all over the walls, pictures in frames of her and Roman and it looked like friends from school and other family too. A table with sticker books and coloring books and crayons and puzzles were by the bed too and a big, beautiful lamp with unicorns dancing around the lampshade leaned over it.

She laid her down under the pink and purple striped bed spread and tucked it up to her chin, keeping her sparkly pink blanket by her cheek. "Night sweetie," she said kissing her hair and then pulling the onesie back up over the dark locks.

"Night Auntie Care. Turn on the lamp please." Oh, and kiss Daddy for me please," she mumbled already half asleep.

That little girl had no idea how much she had already thought of that and wanted to kiss Roman already even with him being sick. She wasn't thinking clearly at all.

Caroline stood back up and pushed the button on the lamp and the lights glowed. The unicorns danced all across every wall in various colors, and they changed colors as they moved. It looked beautiful. Stepping back, she slipped out the door, leaving it open hopefully enough to hear if Roman's daughter needed anything during the night.

She grabbed the sheets and blankets from the closet and had not meant to be away from Roman that long already and headed back into the bathroom to check on him to make sure he was still okay. A quick peek in and she saw he was still laying there quietly so she hurried back into the bedroom and put the clean sheets and blankets on the bed and was back in the bathroom almost right away.

It looked like he had not moved one bit since she left earlier and sure enough his eyes were still closed as she walked closer and knelt down at the edge of the tub just watching him. His chest was moving up and down nice and slowly and so she knew he was okay. He almost looked asleep again.

All of a sudden, a smile started curling on the corners of his lips. "Damn, I wish I knew what you were thinking right now Baby girl," his deep voice nearly echoed in the small room.

Roman's eyes slowly opened, and she saw him studying her.

Caroline grinned almost shyly at his use of a very affectionate name for her "I'm thinking you looked so peaceful just lying there like that, and you don't look like you are in any pain. And coming from how bad everything was when I got here, I am so happy to see you relaxed."

Roman smiled more. "I have to say it feels amazing not to be in pain after days or maybe it was a full week, I can barely remember of one thing after another and unending pain. Even if it comes back again, it feels good to get a break from the fever, from the dizziness or the headaches even for a while. I was going insane it hurt so much. "

Caroline leaned in and brushed a kiss to his head again and watched his eyes widen slightly at her affection to him. "Your daughter wanted to make sure you got a goodnight kiss."

Roman closed his eyes and sighed, understanding now. "She is pretty incredible, isn't she?"

Caroline nodded and totally agreed. "And you are an amazing dad. Don't ever doubt that."

"Thank you, I just hope it's enough after what she's been through. No child should ever be rejected by their own mother like she was. I just pray eventually things stop triggering those memories and she can have a normal happy life and trust that just because her mom fucked up with loving her and me doesn't mean she will have the same experience at all."

Wow everything was sounding way heavier than they gotten on any of their dates or late talks yet and it looked like Roman might have caught how deep that was too fast.

"Sorry, " he said quickly. "That was too much. I should probably figure out how to get out of here before the water gets much colder, but I really wanted to try to wash my hair yet somehow."

Caroline smoothed some strands back from his face. "Well why don't you lay lower and let me wash it for you. It shouldn't take long and then we can get you back to bed and try to get some food in you."

He smiled at her and chuckled slightly. "What on earth would I do without you?"

Caroline grinned back at him. That felt nice to hear. "Well like I said I have the whole week off to take care of you and Maddie so I'm yours. So, you don't have to worry about that at all."

She hadn't realized how that sounded till after she said it but saw him looking back at her from where he was still laying against the towel, and she could swear his eyes sparkled in the dim light. "Oooh, you're mine?" he teased in that sexy low voice, and she felt a blush spread over her cheeks and she dropped her head to the side of the tub.

Caroline felt a rush of warmth in her belly and her pulse raced at his words and tone. Fingers tangled in her hair as her head was still down and she was smiling so wide once she lifted her head to be met with those gorgeous dark eyes of his again.

"What?" he grinned back at her, his one hand still tenderly stroking her hair back from her cheek. "You don't want to be mine?" Roman practically pouted with his bottom lip out and she laughed.

"No, it's not that at all. We just need to get your hair washed up here before that water gets too cold," she deflected, and he just nodded with raised brows and didn't buy it for a second. But he was quiet and looked like he was letting her win and not talk about this more.

He still looked really tired, and she had the week like she said so they had plenty of time to talk more later too.

She pulled her eyes from his and moved to let the water run a bit more, adding some more warmer water too before turning it back off and then she gently pushed his shoulders down and held him up under them enough to rinse the water over his head and rub the soap in. There were less bubbles already from how long he had been soaking in the water but there was still plenty of water.

Finding the shampoo on the side of the tub she put a generous amount in her palms and lifted his head up out of the water enough to spread it all around and rub it in all over the scalp and behind his ears and all down the length of it. His head literally fell back into her hands as he groaned. It sounded like it was as soothing as it was getting him clean.

She held him up, enough to get the shampoo to stay and set in his hair but he dropped his head to her shoulder behind him, getting her tank top wet and soapy too even from her staying on the outside of the tub. She didn't care and would clean up later. After the shampoo was ready to rinse off, she helped lower him back into the water and scrubbed it all clean again already starting to notice the softness and shine starting to come back to the sweaty and tangly hair.

"Are you doing okay Roman?" she whispered close to his ear the next time she pulled him back up and he nodded slowly.

"Mmm hmm, feels amazing," he replied sinking back into against her and she saw his eyes slip closed again. He smirked laying back like that. "I could say something really bad right now Care but you might just drop me in the water to drown after so I probably shouldn't..." he trailed off.

Oh God, now she was so damn curious and yet she stayed silent and really didn't know what to say.

She saw him open his eyes then and peek at her and she could not help but laugh again. "Are you sure you are even sick Roman. I'm starting to wonder if you even need me."

He was shaking his head fast at that. "I do need you SO much. Talking, hell flirting like this has been the highlight of my week Care. And it doesn't take any energy compared to dragging myself across the house to make food or anything like that." He paused and turned his head more to lock his eyes with her. "And I am teasing. If anything is actually making you uncomfortable, then please just tell me. But the blushing, smiling and laughing was kind of making me think you were enjoying it too."

Caroline could not help but smile more at his wide brown eyes looking back at her all concerned that he had gone too far. It was so cute. She shook her head. "No Roman, I am enjoying the teasing, and flirting. We just hadn't done much of it yet so it's still kind of new." She grinned back at his lazy smile back at her. "But let's just focus on this. I'm almost done. Just the conditioner and then we can get you warmed up and dry again. So just relax, okay?"

Roman nodded and closed his eyes again and let her lead to keep rinsing out his hair.

She propped him up enough to stay upright against the side of the tub and reached for the other bottle and poured the liquid into her hand and lathered it up. It smelled so good and fruity and yet musky too like a just right combination. She held his head up against her shoulder again and waited the couple minutes for it to set and just heard him breathing slowly and saw his eyes were closed again as he rested by her head.

"Hey Baby girl," he mumbled the sweet pet name again and Caroline turned to watch him pull his eyes open. "Could I just soak in here for a while? The water feels so good and soothing when I was so hot for so long and I just really want to lay here longer and don't have any strength to get up yet."

She was already nodding to him while he spoke and dipped her hand in the water feeling it getting quite cool. "Sure Roman. I'll add some more warmer water and let you rest awhile. Did you want me to stay? Or..." She was already running the water to warm it up more.

"Could you?" was his almost pleading reply. "I'm scared to sink under if I stay here by myself."

Caroline thought she could clean up the kitchen or take out the garbage all over or check on Maddie but Roman's big brown eyes were no match for any kind of resistance.

She wondered what she would say no to when it came to this man.

Turning the taps back off she knelt back on the side of the tub and laid him back down to rinse his hair once more and cleaned the conditioner the best she could. Rubbing at the scalp, scratching all the soap off from everywhere she could see she lifted him back up happy it was so much cleaner and did not feel as tangly. She helped him wash the rest of him and washed his back herself and his chest with the loofah but let him do most of it as slowly as he needed before he sunk back down and was already gasping more. Caroline helped him rinse the soap off as much as she could too, and they he said he was ready to just soak more.

She wrapped her arm around his neck, and he laid his head on her shoulder, burying his nose by her throat and just silently curled in against her. The rest of him was covered nearly to his upper chest with the warm water.

They laid there in the dimly lit bathroom in silence, with nothing but the water swishing around anytime he might move his legs as the night light flickered from the far wall.

The silence was comfortable, the closeness of him breathing deeply felt so soothing. He felt so safe and strong and secure for her... even when he was the one so weak and sucking air in shallow gasps as his head was nestled by her throat. Roman's freshly washed hair smelled amazing and was dripping water all down her tank top. The water drops teasing her skin wherever they lazily slipped down her body.

Caroline closed her eyes and just shut out everything around her. Everything but the man breathing so deeply nuzzled against her neck. Minutes ticked on and she thought he likely was asleep after he hadn't moved for probably 10 minutes straight. She was starting to get a cramp in her leg from the awkward way she was sitting on the rug at the edge of the tub. She stretched out her hand on the other side of him and felt pins and needles and waited for the feeling to come back.

Looking around now she wanted a way to do the final rinse with clean water in case she left more soap in his hair from all the soap in the tub but not want to have to drain the tub completely. She tried to figure out how to reach the handheld shower wand that was hanging up all the way at the top by the shower. There was no way he could stand up to pass it to her, so she was going to have to go in and get it or figure out another way to rinse out his hair.

Slowly, she inched her arm out from under his head and moved the towel back under him. But he was already starting to wake up and groaning in what sounded like pain again. Oh shoot.

Pulling off her socks she stepped gingerly between his legs and into the tub and reached up to grab for the shower wand and unhooked it from the wall. She had it in her hand and was just about to step back out, managing to get nothing else wet on her than her calves when she felt hands pulling at her legs gently and she heard him cursing quietly.

Caroline looked down to see him biting his lip and shaking his head. "Roman, what's wrong?" She gently tilted his head up to hers and saw pain all over his face again and felt his grip on her legs tighten, before the slipperiness of the water on his hands had them sliding back down.

"The shivering is starting again...I can feel it. Damn it! I thought it was gone. I just wanted a break from the pain, just a little while longer!" he practically spat out angrily.

Caroline put the shower wand down and was ready to climb back out too and figured that his hair was clean enough. "Well then let's just get you back to bed Roman and warmed back up. I have a weighted blanket here we can try too, and we slept a long time so we can try more fever meds..."

He was shaking his head back and forth fast and grabbed again for her legs before she could step out of the tub. "No, that's so far. I just want it to stop..." he whimpered. "The chills and the aches feel like they are racing back up my body. How the heck can it come back so fast?"

"What can I do?" she asked him, and she had started draining the tub some to get ready to help him out, but it was still more than 3/4 full when he shook his head and stopped it from draining and sealed it back closed.

Roman lifted his head again, his hair flipped back soaking wet behind his shoulders and his dark eyes seared deep into her own. "Hold me, please..."

Caroline felt her legs weak under her and she sat down on the edge of the tub, but he was refusing to let her leave, his palms still widespread over her legs. "What here? In here? " She looked around nervously.

"Please, just for a minute..." he begged, and his dark eyes were full on puppy dog pleading as he looked up at her.

Oh God how could she resist those precious innocent eyes looking at her like that?


A/N No idea if there is much interest in this kind of story. I mostly wrote it for me when I was just lying in bed and sick myself and feeling too yucky too do much else. If there is interest in the sweet, fluffy, less dark type stories, less thriller and scary I'm happy to do more like these as I finish my darker ones too. Please let me know then if you like it.