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I’d been hoping to have a nice dinner and some great conversation with Dakota. I didn’t get either of those things.
But that didn’t mean I didn’t enjoy what was happening right now.
Well, other than the fact that Dakota was actually sick. I didn’t like that she was feeling unwell, but I also had to appreciate it for the catalyst that it was.
We had spent more time together tonight than we’d ever spent together since she moved here. And considering how long she’d been here in Cottonwood, it was safe to say that this felt like a bit of a miracle, even if Dakota had spent a good chunk of it sleeping.
After I’d first arrived and did what I could to get her settled, she slept for a bit. It wasn’t that long ago when she woke up, feeling hot and having sweat through her clothes.
“I feel so gross,” she groaned as she kicked the blankets off of her.
I quickly got up and said, “If you’re going to be okay, I can step out, so you can change your clothes if you’d like.”
Nodding her head, Dakota returned, “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea.”
“Yell if you need anything,” I told her.
A moment later, I found myself busy in her kitchen. As far as I knew, Dakota hadn’t eaten anything. I was hoping now that she’d gotten some rest and wasn’t sporting a fever any longer that I might be able to get her to have something with a bit of substance.
So, while she took her time getting herself changed, I put on some soup that I’d brought over.
When she emerged, I had to force myself not to react to seeing her like I was. For the first time, I was finally getting a glimpse of Dakota’s body. Sure, I’d felt it pressed against mine earlier, but she’d been covered in layers. And every time I’d seen her before now, she’d been bundled up outside. During the instances that I’d seen her inside her cabin, she was still wearing clothes that didn’t reveal much.
So, seeing her in a pair of cotton shorts with her bare legs on display was doing a number on me.
It had been years since I’d looked at a woman’s legs the way I was looking at Dakota’s. As strange as that was, and as much as I wanted to continue staring at them, I needed to focus.
I needed to not be a creep.
And if I wanted the opportunity to touch those legs in the future, I needed to make sure I didn’t screw any of this up.
“Feeling okay?” I asked, returning my attention to her face.
“What are you doing?” she countered, ignoring my question.
My gaze shifted between her and the stove several times before I focused on her and answered, “I know you said you hadn’t had anything to eat, so I thought I’d heat up some chicken soup for you.”
“Really?”
Why that surprised her, I didn’t know. “Yeah. I hope that’s okay with you. Even if you don’t eat it all, I think it’ll be good to try to get something in you. Plus, you’ve got to keep drinking the fluids, so the broth will help with that.”
Dakota stood there in silence for a few moments, and I watched as she battled with something in her mind. Eventually, she asked, “Did you make some for yourself, too?”
I offered a smile and answered, “I did put some extra on, so we could both eat.”
She dipped her chin slightly as she wore a look of disbelief on her face. “Would you like to watch a movie while we eat?” she asked. “I’m not sure I’ve got the energy for much more than that.”
“Sounds great to me. Why don’t you go grab a seat and get comfortable while I take care of this? It’s almost ready,” I told her.
“Are you sure? I could help,” she offered.
Shaking my head, I insisted, “You go relax. I’ve got it.”
Dakota was hesitant at first, but she eventually made her way to the couch. I wasn’t ashamed to admit that my eyes dropped to her ass as she walked away.
While I gave the soup just a few more minutes, I replenished Dakota’s water, poured a glass for myself, and carried them over to where she was sitting. She took hers, thanked me, and I immediately went back to the kitchen, where I pulled out some bowls and spoons for us.
“Do you want crackers?” I called out from the kitchen.
