Till Dark

The door opened and Andy called out to her. "Coming." She called back. Taking a deep breath she opened the door and stepped out to the smell of bacon, eggs and an English muffins. Andy stood next to the table of food smiling at her. Jordan looked from her breakfast to Andy; her eyes shining with gratitude. "Thank you." She managed to choke out. He simply smiled back at her. "Shall we?" He asked as he patted the bed for her to sit. Grabbing the IV unit he pulled it over and helped her get situated and then he sat down across from her. "This looks wonderful! Oh! You even got me a cup of coffee. Fabulous! I was just wishing I had some. Thank-you Andy this was very nice of you." He smiled at her. "Well we both could have used some coffee and since I am starving too I thought I might as well get us both something to eat. I'm going to need my strength after all." Jordan looked up from the bite of egg she was about to take. "For what?" She asked completely puzzled. "For you of course, I can't let you try to take care of yourself and there is only so much Mrs. Sparks can do with those stairs. I don't think you'll need a full time nurse this time I'll simply help you myself."

Anger grew inside Jordan like a volcano. "Now wait just a minute here. I can take care of myself I don't need you hovering over me all day and night. Furthermore I don't appreciate you deciding what I'm going to do. I am a grown woman and I don't need your help nor am I going to stay in your house and let you treat me like I'm a helpless child. You have no right to decide such a thing." She spat the words out as if they were going to make her sick and she glared at him across the table. "How many stitches do you have Jordan?" "What?" She stopped and stared t him. "I have no clue. What the heck does that have to do with me staying at your house?" He set his fork down gently and stared back at her. "That is exactly the reason you have to stay with me. I can't let you go back to that hotel when you already have a body full of stitches, cuts and bruises. I already feel like a fool for your injuries in the first place. I should have insisted that you stay at the house with me after that last bump on the head. I feel like your abduction yesterday could have been avoided had I been there to help you." Jordan softened a little at his bravado. "My abduction would have happened regardless I think. Whoever is after me knows my every move. They haven't let me rest for even a second. I'm just glad that this happened here instead of back home. The hotel is safe so don't worry I'll be fine at the hotel I can take care of myself." He crossed his arms over his chest resolutely. "Fine you can stay in the hotel but I'm staying with you." "No you're not!" She cried appalled at the very idea of him spending the night in her hotel with her. "Either I stay in the hotel with you or I will get a chair and sit outside the door to your room." His eyes blazed the first kind of temper that she had seen him display. "Why do you insist on doing this to me?" She asked angrily."Because, you have a head full of stitches that should not be there and I could not live with myself if anything else happened to you because I was not there to protect you." Jordan grew silent for a moment then with a grumble finally agreed. "Fine you can stay at the hotel but you sleep on the couch and if anything funny happens I will call security and throw you out you got me?" She said with a stern voice. Andy grinned at this mouse of a woman who held a finger pointed in his direction with a threat on the end of it." "Whatever you say my lady." He said mocking her. "I don't suppose you're wearing a chastity belt to bed as well." He joked. Jordan tossed a waded up napkin in his general direction. "Very cute. I think I would be much safer if I wore a suit of armor instead." Andy's face grew serious again. "Are you really afraid of me Jordan?" she studied him for a long moment. His eyes held hers what seemed like hours before she finally spoke. "No." She said softly. He relaxed immediately and expelled the breath he had not realized he was holding. "It isn't you that scares me Andy but, the attraction we obviously seem to have for one another does." He studied her quietly for a moment realizing how much it had cost her to admit that to him. God but she was beautiful. Her eyes were her most striking feature, so bold and expressive. There was something about her that drove Andy mad every time she looked in his general direction. She was watching him closely probably wondering what was going through his mind. Both had stopped eating and were simply considering each other. Andy decided the best way to win her over would be to warm her heart and show her a trust that could not be mistaken. That shouldn't be too hard since they had already decided that he was going to stay at her hotel this evening. Slowly Andy reached a hand up to pass over her bandaged forehead and slide over her bruised cheek. "Does it hurt much?" The concern showed clearly on his face. "Not much she replied." Returning her gaze to the plate of food before her. "These eggs are really good. Where did you get them?" "Mrs. Sparks." Jordan looked up at Andy with a mouthful of egg. "Mrs. Sparks?" She almost choked on her eggs her eyes smiling. Andy laughed at her chipmunk cheeks full of eggs and told her how he had called Mrs. Sparks last night and told her to bring down a plate of food for the two of them. "Oh I see so you planned to stay in my room regardless." "No." he said laughing. "I was trying to make sure that the rubber hospital food didn't have you escaping for a burger and fries in the middle of the night." Jordan laughed till it ached and she smiled at Andy. "Thank you. You're probably right I would have bailed if the food is as bad as you say it is. If there is one thing I like to do it's eat!" "Really? What is you favorite dish?"