Matched

"Okay," I say and I'm honestly glad to get home so I can crash on my own bed. I need a shower badly and am sick of the cafeteria food. "When she wakes up, tell her I love her and I'll be up to see her later. Call me if anything changes."

"I will."

Then I go to my apartment and sleep for eight hours straight.

Jon shows up at my door early in the morning, his SUV pulling into my driveway while I'm standing at the kitchen sink, washing a few dishes.

Damn. I just woke up and haven't had a shower. I'm still wearing a little silky nightgown and have no underwear on.

I rub my eyes and stand at the door, not letting him in because I don’t want to get into anything. He's wearing his shorts and a t-shirt and has been out for a run.

He holds up two cups of coffee.

"I come bearing gifts."

"I'm not presentable right now." I hold the door almost closed.

He peers at me, his eyebrows raising.

"You look very presentable to me." He hands me a cup of coffee. "You're not going to invite me in? I drove all the way out here just to bring you this."

"I'll come in to work later this afternoon, after I've visited my mom. I'll see you then."

I try to close the door but he puts his foot in between the door and the jamb.

"You're really not going to invite me in? Do you think I'm going to ravish you or something?"

I smile at his cheeky grin, unable to resist. "Yes."

"Damn," he says, smiling more widely now. "Busted."

He laughs and then nods at me. "Okay. I'll see you this afternoon. This is me getting the big hint."

"See you later," I say and then stick my head out of the door when he turns to leave. "And thanks for understanding."

"Oh, I don't understand," he says, walking backwards. "But I'm willing to cooperate anyway."

Then he turns back and hops in his vehicle. He drives off, giving me one last smile before he disappears onto the street.

I feel like a real bitch, and I really do appreciate his thoughtfulness in bringing me my favorite coffee, which I have every morning before work, but I need my distance now.

When my mom is fine and I can stop worrying about her, I'll let myself fall.

Not until then.

In the meantime, I'll have to work on Marina, convince her that becoming involved with Jon is not a terrible idea.

That's going to be a real challenge.

I visit my mom at the hospital and spell my dad for a couple of hours while he goes home and showers. Then I head back to work for the first time since I left with Jon for our meeting at the Pentagon.

My staff welcome me back and offer their words of comfort for my mother's health and recovery, and I finally make it back into my office after about fifteen minutes of it. I’m just getting settled back behind my desk and opening my laptop when Jon comes in.

He plops down on the chair across from me, a thermos of coffee in his hand.

"How's your mom?"

"Better," I say and describe how she's improving and will be moved to the neurology ward later in the day. "I'll probably go up after six and spend a few hours up there, so no working late for me tonight, I'm afraid."