Carryl's P.O.V
A drill being driven through my skull by a matching band woke me up. My head felt like a lead ball with at least a dozen pins stuck in it. Heavy and unnecessarily painful. I cracked an eyelid open and was rewarded with a piercing sting as light flooded my barely open retina. My body was stuck in between two unmoving boulders. If it were any other time, I would have shot out of bed to ascertain the identity of the intruders beside me because I was sure they weren't my partners. However, pain served as a punishing master, and mistakes such as lifting my head or even opening my eyes were unthinkable. My throat was like the scorching desert but my body was a seasonal river with sweat trickling all over my body. I wanted to crawl somewhere and die, but moving was not an option
One boulder moved away groaning, its absence bringing with it some relief as a breeze made its way to my now exposed arm. I felt a hand on my forehead and I was forced to brave the light and open my eyes. The stinging was less intense probably due to the shade caused by the body looming over me. I looked up and felt a little better as golden brown eyes looked down at me, pity written all over that stunning face.
"Morning? So medicine or breakfast?"
His voice was soft barely a whisper and yet it sounded loud and clang around in my head. I raised my finger and waved it in a circular motion, hoping he got the message that I wanted both. He smoothed back my hair against my sweaty skin and got off the bed. He disappeared out the door and was back in a minute with water in one hand and a bottle of aspirin in another.
He set them on the bedside table before motioning me to go to him. It was then I noticed how big the bed we were in, was. It would take me four to five shuffles to get to the edge of the bed and I was not ready to make that kind of movement even if relief lay at the end of it. Jackson noticed my dilemma and silently chuckled before climbing back to me. He handed me the bottle of aspirin and I took three tablets before accepting the class of water he held for me. The water was cool and felt amazing against my parched throat and I silently prayed the aspirin was a fast-acting one.
He placed the glass on the table and was back again beside me. He motioned to the bathroom and then me and then himself and back to the bathroom. If I could I would have shaken my head vigorously in denial of my intentions but alas I was still incapacitated by my tequila hangover. He easily lifted me from the bed his surprisingly firm muscles flexing with effort as he crawled on his knees off the bed while fully supporting my weight. He carried me to the bathroom and gently set me in an empty bathtub. A month ago I would have been in awe of his elegantly modern and pristine bathroom. The white marble wall and flooring. The sky blue roof from which hang a crystal chandelier and the door that doubled as a mirror. The best feature was the modern tub complete with a heating system that could as well have been a Jacuzzi given how big it was.
"It's cold!" was the only warning I got before I was drowned in freezing water. I sputtered gasping for breath as the freezing water numbed my body. He sprayed for another minute and by then my body had adjusted to the cold water. I glared at him hoping my eyes conveyed the murder in my mind. He shrugged before switching the setting to a much warmer temperature and setting it down so the water filled the tub.
"You might want to remove your clothes or shower in them. It's up to you."
"Was that necessary you K-pop star wanna be!" He raised a brow at me, mirth dancing in his eyes.
"First of all, those K-pop stars wish they looked like me or had half my personality and second, don't you feel better?"
Although it killed my pride a little I was feeling so much better than I did when I first woke up. I no longer felt or smelled like death. Instead of admitting his barbaric action had helped ease my pain I stood from the tub and began to undress. Jackson picked up a bubble bath bomb and dropped it in the tub alongside some type of body wash and oils. The resulting scent felt like therapy and I couldn't wait to get into the tub. I tested the water with my finger and welcomed the heat from the water.
"You can get in…now" Jackson stared at me his pale skin reddening by the second. He made a series of useless gestures as he all but turned around in circles like a fish out of water.
"What is it?"
"Nothing" he croaked out before tailing out of the bathroom. "I am going to make breakfast."
I couldn't help but laugh at his flustered face. He was somehow even more adorable when he was getting teased. I would endeavor to do more of that in the future. Although if I am being honest just looking at his face was a reward in itself. I sank into the tub letting the jets of water ease my tense muscles as the warm water soothed my soul. I drifted off to sleep getting too comfortable in the tub. I needed to finish my bath so I could call Eli and Park but my legs felt like jelly and my will was still drunk somewhere.
"….hey! Wake up man the rest of us need to shower too."
Sam was standing next to the tub in nothing but his boxer briefs glaring at me. It never ceased to amaze me just how toned his skinny body was, even more than mine. I knew for a fact he went to the gym three times a week, but still, the results had no business looking as good as they did on his body. He handed me a towel helping me stand up. I rinsed off my body before stepping out of the tub. He gave my completely naked body a one-over before nodding approvingly. He said nothing and instead stripped down as I drained the tub. I was never a particularly shy person and I quickly learned neither was Sam. I finished toweling myself before wrapping the towel around my waist.
I padded to the kitchen in search of Jackson and my clothes. An amazing aroma welcomed me into the warm kitchen and grateful could not begin to describe how i felt taking in the feast that had been spread on the kitchen island. I did not bother asking for clothes instead pulled out a chair for myself. Jackson was by my side in a second.