Chapter Nine

My stomach had been a rumbling, gurgling mess since the instant I woke up and sat on the edge of my bed wondering what in the hell was happening to me. I only made it an hour before sprinting to the bathroom and throwing up. Actually, it was only heaving since I had nothing that morning, not even coffee. Nothing since the tacos the night before, but since I'd felt fine during the night, and they'd been incredible, no way did they cause it.

I rejected the thought of a virus or other stomach bug with the admission this had been coming for some time. A few weeks of queasiness along with a lack of energy and achiness had been a lead-in. Therefore, I couldn't blame it on the restless sleep.

I always went in an hour or so before opening to arrange things and tidy up a bit but, today, there was nothing I could do but tumble into bed, fully clothed, pull the covers up, and close my eyes.

My phone rang sometime later, pulling me from a deathlike sleep. "Hello?" I grunted. My body seemed to be glued to the bed by sweat.

"Cicek, are you okay?" Zion's voice smoothed over my rough edges. I curled into the fetal position, giving myself some comfort by dreaming he was next to me, holding me.

"My stomach is a mess, and I think I have a fever. I'm so tired. I had to give up and come back to bed."

A rumble came from him. "There's no one to run the shop for you?"

"No. Plus, if this is contagious, I don't want to get anyone sick."

"I'll be there soon," he said with finality.

I shouldn't. I promised myself I would take no more gifts or good will from him. Still, I muttered, "Okay."

It wasn't until I pushed the red button on the phone, ending the call, that I realized what I'd agreed to. My eyes were already closing while my stomach reminded me of its power over my whole day. Even my skin ached. He was going to be here soon? What for? So he could successfully contract the plague? No reason for two people to be down.

I put the phone under the pillow and shut my eyes, but rest didn't come.

Less than thirty minutes later, there was a knock at the door. "Cicek, it's me. Open up."

"I'm sick. Don't come in," I yelled and then groaned. Even that made me feel awful.

"Bears don't get sick. I'm here to help. Cicek, please. I'm so concerned." He was a worrier bear. Part of his charm. He cared so damned much.

I knew he wouldn't go away until I let him in, so I crawled out of bed and opened the door. "Bears do get sick," I answered. Zion had a bag hung on his arm, and he was holding a pot with some potholders. The smell of chicken and vegetables hit my nose, and I expected a revolt from my stomach but instead, I groaned with delight. "That smells amazing."

He chuckled. "It's a cheater soup since I used a rotisserie chicken, but it will do the job."

I opened the door wider. Once he put everything down, he reached for my keys. "My brother offered to run the shop for you today. You have a lot of inventory, and there was already someone waiting outside. I'm going to run these keys down to him."

"He doesn't…" I began to protest.

Zion took my hand in his, and the skin-to-skin contact shut me up instantly. "I won't take no for an answer. He will sell everything and keep the shop open. He has your number in case he has questions, and that way you won't lose money or business. Be right back."

When he came back, I still stood in place, shocked. Not in all the years I was with Derek had I been taken care of like Zion had in only a few minutes.

"Shop is open. I think a shower will make you feel better, don't you?"

I looked down at my clothes sticking to my body and my skin covered with the sheen of sweat.

"I stink, right?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "I don't think you could ever stink, but some fresh clothes would help you."

Caring and serving others was in this alpha's blood. He just knew how.

I hesitated and he said, "I'll fix you a bowl of soup while you get cleaned up."

"Okay." Halfway through the shower, I realized I hadn't brought in anything to change into, but when I stepped out, a pair of boxers and a T-shirt lay on the counter next to the sink.

The man thought of everything. I hadn't even heard the door open. And I would bet that despite my glass shower door, he hadn't peeked at my naked body. Zion was honorable in ways I'd never experienced. He was one of a kind.

When I came out of the bathroom, I found that my windows were open, flooding the place with fresh air. The sheets had been replaced with clean ones, and even my pillows were fluffed.

"Feel better?"

I nodded. "Yes. Thank you. The soup smells amazing."

He walked over, and my tummy fluttered. He made my entire body come to life. Putting a hand on my forehead, he mumbled about me not having a fever and asked me to sit down. He served me soup and plain crackers along with water with a hydration mix in it. Despite my previous nausea, I ate it all up and asked if there was more.

That's when I realized I had only been sick in the mornings, really.

Morning.

Sickness.

No way.

"I think I need to rest again," I said. The weight of my thoughts had suddenly made me feel like lead.

Zion helped me to bed and tucked me in.

"I'll be back and bring you some dinner after I close my shop for the day. Call me if you need anything and I mean anything. Promise?" His sweet breath washed over me while I stared into those beckoning eyes.

"I promise."