“Shit.”

“What?” Ava sounded mildly panicked, having taken the phone from Eric.

“Nothing. She’s fine. I’m coming back to the party in a bit,” he choked out as he followed the motion of Cherisse’s finger. Up and down, then, oh God, in and out. “Okay, bye. I’ll see you in a little.”

He ended the call, tossing the phone back onto his discarded clothes. Before he could move back onto the bed, Cherisse crawled over to him, reaching up to trace his lips with the same damn fingers. “Remember how I said to shut up?”

He nodded as she put his mouth to better use.

Chapter 26

Cherisse

SHE SHOULD’VE KNOWN the fatigue from the wedding shower was the first sign, but she’d ignored it, worked up a different, more delicious kind of tired with Keiran back at her apartment. He’d left her sated, her entire body languid.

Now, two days later, after somehow bullshitting her way through a client meeting without collapsing, Cherisse felt like shit, probably looked it too. Keiran’s lie to Eric and Ava had become a reality. She was sick. Achy and tired, she had to actively work to concentrate on where the taxi was going so she wouldn’t fall asleep and miss her stop.

She staggered into the apartment, and Remi looked up from her laptop, caught sight of her, and jumped to her feet.

“Jesus, you look horrible!”

Cherisse tossed her handbag on the couch, body thumping down next to it. “I might be coming down with something. I don’t have time to be sick,” she wailed, arm covering her eyes as she thumped her head back on the couch. Her throat felt like she’d swallowed glass.

“Did Keiran infect you or something?” Remi’s voice came from above.

“Shit, I probably spread my germs to him. I should text him.”

“Symptoms check,” Remi demanded, her pseudo-mom voice switched on.

“Achy, sore throat, head’s pounding. Just...tired.” Her bed and meds were much needed. “Ugh, our birthday’s soon. I can’t be sick.”

“Don’t worry about that. I’m making you tea. Then you can have some of the fun drowsy stuff, and bed.”

She peered up at Remi. “Okay.”

Remi’s eyebrow winged up. “Oh lord, you’re sicker than I thought. You’re actually going to drink tea without kicking up a fuss?”

“Your honey-lime concoction thing worked last time when you forced me to take it, so let’s not get carried away. No other tea-like beverage shall touch these lips unless they’re in dessert form and made by someone that I trust cuz you know I don’t willingly put tea in anything I make.”

Remi patted her head. “Alright, Miss Tea Basher, I’ll take care of you.”

Remi did just that—made her the tea to soothe her fiery throat, got her some drowsy meds, and helped her up to bed. Cherisse waved Remi off when she offered to bring her work up. Remi was busy sorting photos to upload to the Island Bites site, as well as some test shots for her first gallery showing that she had coming up in the next few months.