45

"The more I think about it, I am not unhappy that you're here. I treasure the gift that you are. That space is gladly filled by someone. Being alone for so long, I am starting to realize, was probably bad for my mental health. I do need people around me who don't work for me." Henry felt the absence of Ellie's hand as she shifted it. He wanted the warmth back that her lithe fingers felt. Seeing her shift around, he wandered down another avenue, "Is the nurse we hired, to your standards? Do you find her to be about equal or better to the service you received before at the hospital?"

Ellie looked up at her I.V. bag swinging above her, "Hmmm. I didn't really notice that anything changed. I think that's a good thing. Forgive me, if I can't really rate her as I've never had a personal nurse before. I usually have to page the nurses a couple times before they give me everything. I don't blame them, because they're busy minding so many of us. But, having someone for me is quite a luxury."

Henry nodded slowly before getting up, "If you can think of anything else you need, you can tell Michael. I don't want you to worry about expenses, just about recovery. Does me being around bother you at all? I know you have a bit more privacy in the hospital as well as a say in visitors."

Ellie looked at him a bit confused, "You can visit me whenever. Why would I be offended?"

"You barely know me, dear girl." He thought of his words again before laughing bitterly. "A stranger you barely know who is your lawful guardian."

"I should be more concerned, but I know Nolan would murder you if you did anything I didn't want. It's not like it's a reality that I could even give you children in my numbed out lower half. I think with this much stress on this body, I haven't really been having normal cycles."

Henry was stern. "Don't think about that. I don't need any of that from you. Thankfully the will doesn't stipulate I have a child. There is a pregnancy clause, but Chou told me there was a workaround. I don't want you to worry about anything while you're here." He kissed her forehead softly before turning to leave the room.

Ellie straightened herself a little bit just so she could watch the ripple of the muscles in his shoulders and back as he walked. His hair was a burnished gold in the sunlight, reminding Ellie a bit of the eyes of a cat. It made her wonder if he was planning something nefarious, but she laughed to herself. A man like that probably did know how to have a good time somewhere downtown with a good bartender and nice music. She wondered what it would be like to sit wrapped in those thick arms.

It would have been nice.

Henry was the first grown man she had met in a long time.

It was so unfair that she would have to meet such a perfect man when she was staring into the eyes of death himself.

=//=

When the door closed behind him, Nolan leaned against the wall. He couldn't help feeling shocked that he had thoroughly enjoyed the whole interaction. He wasn't supposed to like the woman he was using. Every time he touched her, he wanted more. He wanted to see her eyes light up when she saw him. He craved her closeness with a voracity that scared him.

He didn't have time to have his heart broken . . . not again.