Page 53 of You First
“That’s not necessary.”
Above him, Meredith rolled her eyes. “Gray, you just had a seizure, and you’re off your meds. I think it’s necessary.”
“I’ll be o—”
“I’m staying.” The ring of finality in her voice left no room for argument. Of course, Gray didn’t want to argue. He wanted her to stay.
And he wanted to sleep.
“Okay,” he said at last. “I need to get into bed.”
Meredith nodded. “Let me help you. Oscar, you stay here with the dogs. I’ll be right back.”
The toddler nodded but never took his eyes off Vulcan and Juno.
Gray commanded the dogs to stay before Meredith tucked her hands underneath him and helped him to sit. His head throbbed, and he gritted his teeth against the pain.
She stood. “We’ll put you to bed, and then I’ll get your meds squared away. Do you have any prescriptions for pain?” She bent down and braced him under the arm. Gray managed to get to his feet, hating the fact that it would have been impossible without her.
“I have Oxy, but I don’t like taking it.” Cinderblocks had to be chained to his legs, the way his feet dragged as he walked. Meredith wrapped her arm around his waist and gave him her shoulder, which he used.
“Nausea?”
Gray shook his head. “No. I’m too out of it to write. I just take OTC meds for the pain — unless it’s unbearable.”
“Well,” she said, stepping him through the door of his bedroom. “I don’t think you’ll be doing much writing anymore today. Want one?”
“Nah… I need to sleep now, but I’ll feel better in a few hours,” he said, hoping he was right. “You’ll see.”
She raised a skeptical brow, but they’d arrived at the edge of his bed. Before Gray could do it, Meredith pulled back the blankets and gestured for him to get in. He felt like a child. Or a very old man. But he kicked off his shoes and sunk into the bed. She pulled up the covers and tucked the blankets around him.
“Jesus,” he muttered. “I hadn’t been tucked in since I was six years old, and you’ve done it now twice in as many weeks.”
Leaning over him, Meredith giggled. She smelled wonderful, like satsuma blossoms, a promise of spring. Her scent and her laughter chased away his embarrassment and maybe even a little of the dread at Bax’s sudden visit. He didn’t want to think about having another scan. And what it might show.
Meredith disappeared and returned all in the span of a long blink. She pressed a glass of water into his right hand and dropped two Aleve in the left.
“Take this. I’ll be right back.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
GRAY SLEPT FORthree hours without moving once.
Meredith knew this because she’d watched him almost the entire time. Baxter Blakewood had been very clear. If Gray had another seizure, she’d need to call 911 immediately.
Brooke had come to her rescue — again — bringing a change of clothes and moving Oscar’s car seat into her truck. Between Brooke and her sisters, Oscar would be in excellent hands until Leona and Big Jim got home or Jamie bothered to call her back.
Her best friend had only been inside Gray’s house a total of three minutes, but it was enough time for her to declare it “freakin’ awesome… like Olivia Pope’s place but for a guy,” before hoisting Oscar onto her hip and jetting out the door. Meredith thought the house gave off more of a Rick Castle vibe, but to each her own. No matter what, it was stylish, but comfortable, and it suited Gray Blakewood perfectly.
She thought as much as she curled up in a toffee-brown arm chair in the corner of his room. The psych textbook in her lap normally would have fascinated her, but not while Gray was in the sight. Even asleep, he captured all her attention.
When he’d rested in her lap, she hadn’t been able to keep her hands off him. His dark waves were softer than they looked. Their caress against her fingers had been irresistible. She’d loved watching his eyes close as she stroked his hair.
Bending forward and pressing her lips to his would have been so easy. And so wrong…
She yanked her mind from this fantasy when Gray lifted his head and squinted at her.
“What are you doing?”
