A Chef's Kiss

17

Jade walked into Carters house finally fully back from the press tour she had been on. She walked through the house looking for him. She knew he had taken the day off but she didn't expect to find him face down on the couch shivering as he clutched the pillow she normally used. When she tried to curl into him she could feel him try and move away from her.

"I don't...." He sucked in a ragged breath before he started coughing. "Want to...." When he started to cough again she gently ran her hand along his back.

"I'm not going anywhere." She stated as her lips gently pressed to his shoulder. "Have you been to a doctor?" He nodded. "And..."

"They sent me home...." A few coughs escaped his lips. "Said it was a normal cold." He took in a few ragged breaths trying not to cough.

"Buttercup this isn't normal." She could hear a sigh leave his lips as he buried more into the pillow. "Want me to call Leigh?" He shook his head.

"I've got to get Elsie soon." It was her turn to shake her head even though he couldn't see it.

"I'll go get her Buttercup. Then we're getting you to the hospital." He shook his head. She knew he had a phobia of hospitals. She could hear him struggling to get a full breath. "Carter please...." Her words were pleading with him as her hand ran along his back. He sighed before hesitantly nodding. "I'll message Leigh. She should be able to come. Then I'll go get Elsie."

"Thank you...." His words were strained. She curled into him before she pulled out her phone and texted Leigh-Anne who said she would be over shortly. Though he didn't want to Carter couldn't help but relax into Jade. The warmth she was giving off was exactly what he needed. "I missed you Beautiful." Her arms gently wrapped around him as she knew she had a bit longer before she had to leave.

"I missed you too Buttercup." His desire for warmth took over. His body turned before his face buried into Jades neck his arms wrapping around her torso. Even through her shirt she could feel the heat coming off of his hands. He was running a fever and a bad one at that. "Why didn't you tell me you were sick?" He sighed.

"I didn't want to worry you." Her arms wrapped around his neck gently.

"Carter...." His nose buried into her neck his beard tickling her skin. "I'm always worried about you. I worry about the both of yous. You don't need to hide that you're sick from me."

"I didn't want you to come home early because of me." Her lips pressed to his temple. She couldn't fight him. She more than likely would've rescheduled the interviews she had done the past few days so she could've been home to take care of him. "I just...." She could hear him choke back a cough. "You don't need to worry about me."

"But I do...." She began as she gently played with his hair. "You're my world Buttercup. I'm supposed to worry about you." She could feel his lips cautiously press to her neck.

"I don't know what I would do without you Beautiful." He said quietly. It was a few moments later that they were broken apart by a knock at the door.

"I'm going to go let Leigh in Buttercup." His arms released her as he nodded. She slipped from the couch before answering the door a grateful smile on her lips as her eyes met Leigh-Anne's. "Thank you Leigh."

"Of course Jadey. Now go get the little one. I'll keep an eye on him." Jade pulled her in for a hug before nodding.

"I'll be like twenty minutes Leigh. Thank you again." She was hushed before she was gently pushed out the door.

"I've got him Jadey." The smaller woman nodded before she began her walk to Elsie's school. The young blonde smashed into her the second she caught sight of Jade.

"Where's Daddy?" Elsie asked as they began to walk back to the house.

"He's sleeping Lovely. He hasn't been feeling good." The young girl nodded.

"He didn't look right this morning." Jade couldn't help but chuckle at the young girls comment. "Does Daddy have to go to the hospital?" When the brunette nodded the blonde looked up at her eyes wide. "Daddy doesn't like the hospital."

"I know Lovely but he's got to get better." Elsie nodded at her words before they continued their walk back to the house. By the time they walked through the front door Jade could hear Carter straining trying to stop coughing. When her eyes met Leigh-Anne's they both knew that they needed to get him to the hospital.

"I called Perrie she should be by soon to watch the little one." Jade nodded knowing that was for the best.

"Who's Perrie?" Elsie asked as she looked up at the brunette. Brown eyes found the blondes before a small smile appeared on the older woman's face.

"She's one of my best friends Lovely. She's just going to make sure you're okay while we make sure Daddy's okay." Elsie simply nodded before she excused herself to her room. Jade moved towards Carter her hand moving to run along his back. Though his coughing had stopped his breathing was ragged and she could tell he was fighting to get a breath let alone a lung full of air.

When Jades eyes met Leigh-Anne's, she got a knowing looking from the other woman. A smile appeared on the older woman's face as she saw Carter turn and bury as much of himself as he could into the small form in front of him. Leigh-Anne jokingly did the Beyoncé, put a ring on it dance earning an eye roll from the younger woman.

Jades attention moved back to Carter as her fingers gently began to move through his hair. When a sigh left his lips another coughing fit hit. His face buried into the pillow muffling the sound. The three didn't even hear Perrie open the door, they finally realized she was there as she walked into the room and spoke.

"Pez is here.... Now where's the little nugget?"