Sugar Baby Beautiful

Not like the movies

Felicity

10:19 a.m.

“Don’t say it,” he said, looking me dead in the eye.

“Sorry,” I replied as I took my hand off his head. “You have a cold, Mr. Darcy.”

He muttered as he grabbed a few tissues for his nose. “I can’t believe this. You were in the rain too. How the hell are you fine?”

“I don’t get sick. Fatigued but never sick. Now lean back.” I wrapped an ice pack in a towel and put it on his head.

This morning I’d woken up to what sounded like him trying to cough up a lung. His whole body was on fire, and on top of that he could barely get out of bed.

“I can’t rest. I have so much—”

“No.” I pushed him back on the bed when he tried to sit up. “The last two times you tried, you got dizzy. I’m sorry. Had I known—”

“We would have still done it.” He smiled, holding the ice pack against his forehead. “Next time I’ll have to remind myself that life isn’t a movie, and kissing in the rain can come with a few setbacks.”

This was my fault. “What were you going to do today? I can do it instead.”

“Don’t worry about it… Urgh.” He paused, regretting his head shaking. His eyes watered as a result of it.

“I am worried. Besides, I have nothing to do. If you explain, I’ll do my best.”

“I planned on going to the set again today to speak with the actors and warn them to get their act together. After that we were supposed to go on a hot-air balloon ride—Ah-choo!” He sneezed away from my face into his tissues. “I’ll feel better in a few hours. You can just go out and explore the town.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to leave you like this.”

He nodded and reached for his wallet. “I’m going to be asleep for the most part. Nolan, the driver, is already here. Go. I’m fine.”

“I don’t need your card. Everything is cheaper here than back home.”

“Felicity, just take it. It will make me feel better.”

It was hard to say no when he when he was so obviously feeling miserable.

“Fine.” I took the card. “Just rest.”

He was so tired he didn’t fight me, shifting farther down in the bed and resting his head on the pillow.

“So much for my sex appeal,” he muttered.

“Don’t worry, it’s not totally gone. I’m sure you will bounce back in no time.”

He didn’t reply, because he was already asleep. For a split second, I thought about putting his card back on the table, but instead I placed it in my pocket and cleaned up around his bedside before I got ready. I knew he wanted me to go out and explore on my own, but for the most part I felt bad for being the reason he couldn’t do his work.

Changing into a simple pink dress I had been saving for later, I reached for a pair of flats and left the room as quietly as possible, making sure to close door behind me with nothing more than a small click. The rented house was small and cozy, surrounded by trees, and overlooked the town of Ambler.

I could see from the window there was a car already waiting. Nolan, the driver who had picked us up at the airport and brought us food last night, leaned against the black Range Rover, reading a newspaper.

“Nolan?”

“Yes, ma’am.” He straightened.

“No need to be so formal. I’m Felicity.”