In the East Wing and Ian’s room, Shelby hung up the phone and looked at the empty space beside the bed and then the man who was now on the bed.
"How did he get back on the bed?" She walked slowly towards him. It did not seem possible that he had gotten himself there with the level of fever he seemed to be having. Besides, the bed covers were arranged neatly around him until his neck. If he had gotten up by himself, he would not have been able to do that, given that the time she had spent in the bathroom was minimal. Besides, his shorts and t-shirt were neatly folded and were at the foot of the bed.
"Does that mean that he is nak-"
As she stepped forward, her thoughts lingered, her eyes darting around the room with a hint of unease. Every step was hesitant as if she was stepping towards the unknown.
"Shelby, let’s just reduce his fever and think of these strange happenings later!" She was still a bit cautious as she sat by him on the large bed and placed the wet towel on his forehead.
Then came the next dilemma, "How can I get him to take these tablets?" She stood up and looked around frantically, but then her attention got drawn again.
He was restless on the bed and had started to toss and turn, mumbling something.
Shelby would have ignored it because she knew that certain people would be delirious in fever. It was a somewhat normal reaction. However, that ’annoying’ name came up once more. Forgetting her task at hand, she sat back on the bed and leaned towards him. It took her a while to make out the words he kept mumbling.
"I c-ouldn’t s-ave her! Al-iya is gone forever! I pr-omised to pro-tect her and I cou-ldn’t! I couldn’t!"
She saw a tear stream down one closed eyelid and looked away.
Shelby placed one hand on his chest and lightly tapped it monotonously like you would try to comfort a sick child.
"It’s okay! I am sure she knows it wherever she is," she whispered. As if he could hear her, she felt him calm down slowly.
She stood up, "Let’s crush these tablets and mix them with water for him." Shelby looked around and picked up a glass from the nightstand.
"I don’t know if that will still work, but I have to find a way for him to take it!" She returned to the bathroom with the glass and filled it halfway with water. Shelby added the then crushed medicine and came back to the room.
Slipping her arms around his neck, she gritted her teeth and used most of her strength to try to lift him just enough for him to take the liquid. In doing so, the blanket fell off halfway when she had managed to lift his head. She stopped short! Marvelled at his bare chest!
She reprimanded herself and brought the glass to his lips. Thankfully, he was able to take sips from it. She continued until the glass was empty. Then Shelby filled it halfway with water and repeated the same.
"... he should eat though...."
She couldn’t help but stare at the stubborn door that refused to open. Frustrated, she took a deep breath and focused on the room around her.
"Come to think of it, how has he been surviving? I don’t know why such a strong-looking man would reduce himself to this because of a woman!"
She stood up and opened the drapes further. As the room brightened, it allowed her a more thorough look around it. She suddenly noticed two additional doors that she hadn’t seen before. However, she didn’t linger much on these, especially when a small table-top fridge came into her line of sight, and she hurried towards it.
She picked out a canned juice and went back to him. She force-fed Ian until he had taken about half of it and placed the rest on the nightstand, satisfied with her efforts.
Shelby did not have much time to explore the gigantic room, though. She took off the towel on his forehead, which was now very warm.
Walking back to the bathroom, she brought back a small basin filled with water and then removed his blanket. The idea was to wipe him down totally, but she got sidetracked.
"Wow!" She exclaimed as she took in his full muscular body, but she had a task to do.
She closed her eyes halfway and started to wipe him diligently, trying not to think of his chiselled chest and firm muscles. But Shelby could not help it.
"I am human after all... and h-e, he is my husband, so I am allowed to watch!"
Her eyes traced the firm outline of his muscles, and she couldn’t help but wonder,
"Isn’t this the person who has locked himself up for two years? Does he gym in his grief, too?"
Her gaze fixated on his face, captivated by the intricate details of his features. She placed the cool towel back on his forehead. Shelby noted that Ian was still as handsome as the picture they had inserted in her wedding pictures, but he just looked more mature.
"He doesn’t look a day over thirty, even with this thick beard." She took in his features rather hungrily. Long black hair, sprawled over the pillow, bushy beard that had not been trimmed in who knows how long, long lashes, tall and thickly muscular frames.
"Will these count as six or eight packs?" She asked herself as she lightly traced her fingers on the firm muscles, marvelling at the small tremors caused by her finger trails.
"Goosebumps! Ah! Silly me, he should be cold now," As she leaned down the bed to retrieve the covering, her eyes widened at what she saw between his legs. Shelby turned her head abruptly towards him, only to find his eyes still closed. She looked back at the covering sprawled at his feet again. Her eyes automatically went to what had caught her attention.
Her cheeks turned a shade of pink as she nervously gulped, trying to suppress the thrilling sensations in her stomach. "Is that an-"
She reached out her hand and then dropped it. ’My virgin eyes! How could he think of this in his sick state? Who even removed his clothes?! She looked at the stiff piece of flesh straining against his boxers.’
"Shelby! Concentrate!" She closed her eyes tightly and tried to reach out for the blanket, but her hand grabbed what she had not intended to. That warm flesh!
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