Consequences

Part 67

While he was out of the room Isabelle took the time to find fresh pajamas. It was more exhausting then she had expected, but she had changed by the time he returned some five minutes later with a hot lemon drink.

Much to his amazement on his return he found Isabelle sound asleep. Doug quietly put the drink on the side table and given the opportunity he studied her for several long seconds. She had lost a lot of weight. Her cheek bones were more prominent. She also currently looked pale. No colour to her at all. There was no way he was leaving her alone like this.

While she slept Doug made a few more calls. He cleared his appointments, rescheduled meetings, told Ryan where he was and asked him to drop round some paperwork, and then he made himself comfortable in her home! He wondered how she'd react to that. His lips twitched, she wasn't really in any position to object given she could barely stand. That thought worried him. Should she be that exhausted, with just a cold? He headed back to the bedroom to check on her. She was sound asleep.

He stayed with her that night. Initially sleeping in the chair beside her bed, but when that became too uncomfortable, he opted for a more daring sleeping option. He had no intention of leaving her bedside. But he did need some quality sleep. So without over-thinking it, he shucked off his shoes and got into bed! She did not stir. He slept on top of the duvet on her bed. Hopefully that way she wouldn't object if she woke up to find him in her bed!

Isabelle awoke during the night to find they were sleeping spoon fashion, with him on the duvet and she beneath it, but curved into the lines of his body. Her initial confusion gave way to relief. Having a man she barely knew asleep in her bed should feel threatening. But it did not. It felt comfortable. More than that. She wasn't in any position to object, given in reality she couldn't do much about shifting him. But, in any case, she did not want to. This felt good. Secure. Loved. Which was oddly disconcerting. Sighing she snuggled beneath the duvet and decided that worrying about her current sleeping arrangement was the least of her worries. What was she going to do about that ridiculous announcement? What was he going to do about it? She really could do without any more hassle in her life. Right now things were pretty busy as she and Rina were trying to ensure the centre continued to operate, while around her, Isabelle's world was taking knock after knock after knock.

She felt as if she was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. Which probably accounted for why she had been susceptible to this bout of the flu. She'd felt it coming on for days, mainly because she felt exhausted from burning the candle at both ends. And just when she thought they had some good luck, as their Centre landlord had informed them that the building had been sold and the new owner was happy for the tenants to continue, that stupid announcement appeared in the newspaper. Why would someone put in an announcement like that?

Isabelle wriggled her toes and sighed quietly. She felt better. Maybe it was the fact he was close beside her that made her feel just that little bit better. More than a little bit, she smiled. It was nice to have someone who wasn't family care enough to stick around and look after her.

She felt better, tired but not feverish. She knew he'd been feeding her liquids all night, every time she awoke, he gave her something hot to drink. Feeling pleasantly content and unexpectedly relaxed Isabelle burrowed beneath the duvet, her eyes drifting shut once again. She was sound asleep within seconds.

When Isabelle next awoke she was in bed alone. Which was oddly disappointing. But at the same time she figured it was to be expected. After all, the man could hardly stay in her bed forever. It had been nice while it had lasted, even if she had been sound asleep for the duration! In her head and her heart she knew she had made more of his sleeping over then the situation warranted. Clearly he had stayed to make sure she was ok, and now, seeing, as he probably did, that she was fine, he had left. Isabelle sighed quietly and then smiled ruefully. Maybe it was for the best. This way she would not have to deal with an inquisition about that sudden and rather surprising announcement.

She would have to do something about that. That also made her smile, for that thought signaled she was on the mend. If she was thinking straight enough to consider investigating that announcement, she must be feeling better. Whether that had anything to do with him staying over last night, or not, she did not really know. All she knew was she felt much, much better.
For a second she contemplated staying in bed, and just enjoying the prospect of a lazy day. When had she last had a lazy day? The last few days before she went down with the flu had been manic. There had been so much going on, and so much to see to. There still was. But suddenly he seemed a touch more manageable. She must be feeling better, she thought as she pushed the duvet off and prepared to get out of bed.