He couldn’t do this much longer. He couldn’t take his eyes off her, from the way her breathing sped up as her gaze met his, her lip once again tucked behind white teeth. Damn, he wanted his teeth to be the one nipping at her mouth, his tongue following in the wake to soothe her skin. He craved it like he was an alcoholic and she was a bottle of fine whisky.

A slight wave of nausea passed over him, reminding him that had he been alone tonight, he would have skipped dinner altogether. But she’d been so excited about cooking for him, and she’d probably been starving. She hadn’t received chemo yesterday, after all. Though the queasy sensation was there and gone, he hesitated. “Should we start the movie?”

“Sure.”

Andrew picked up the remote. “Let the record state I didn’t pick this movie. It’s romantic, and I’m not sure you’ll be able to keep your hands to yourself. I promise I’ll be good, but if you suddenly feel the need to come on to me, I won’t say no.”

Lauren shot him a wry glance. “I’ll try to control myself.”

As the movie played, Andrew’s mouth felt dry, and his stomach churned. Please, not now. He tried desperately to focus on the movie, like he could use mind over matter to control his body’s response to the poison that had been shot into his veins yesterday. His favorite part of the movie was coming up, where Andrew Lincoln’s character comes to Kiera Knightley’s door and holds up signs to tell her that he’s always been in love with her.

He and Lauren had inched closer together throughout the movie, and he felt her hand cover his. His heart thumped in his chest, and he wasn’t sure if it was because of the nausea or her proximity. Probably both.

He slowly turned his head and found her eyes on him, her gaze focused and her chin tilted up. Her fingers trailed up his forearm, caressed his bicep, and curled around his neck, while she simultaneously shifted onto her knees to bring her face closer to his.

Holy shit, he wanted this so much. He wanted her so much. His body vibrated with it, ached with it. He gently cupped his hand around the back of her head and pressed his forehead to hers, and his stomach heaved.

NO. He leapt off the couch and lunged for the hallway, barely getting the bathroom door closed behind him before his knees hit the tile. The burning, cramping sensation in his abdomen intensified tenfold, and he felt light-headed as the bile rose in the back of his throat. As the first wave of his stomach’s contents were expelled, the door opened and Lauren was at his side, her hand on his back.