Falling for the Goddess

The Wound is... There

Adrian Blake returned to the living room and handed Sara Hart a glass of water. "Take your medicine first."

He placed the bag of prescribed medicine on the table, opening it to sort out the pills. Carefully, he pushed them out of their blister packs, lining them up neatly before passing them to her.

"Thank you," Sara whispered, taking the pills. She realized with a small pang that she had thanked Adrian countless times today.

Holding the pills in her palm, she hesitated. Ever since she was young, taking medicine had always been a struggle for her. She could only manage one pill at a time, often needing an entire glass of water to swallow just one. Occasionally, the pill would stick in her throat, the bitter taste breaking through its sugar coating and making her gag.

But with Adrian watching her, she felt she couldn't let herself appear too pathetic.

She eyed the pills. White, green—some were large and intimidating, particularly the oversized white tablet. That one looked almost impossible to swallow. And then there was the licorice pill, whose flavor often made her gag.

She decided to start with the smallest ones. Even so, she picked up only one pill at a time, washing each down with a large gulp of water.

Adrian had initially returned his attention elsewhere but glanced back at her to find her water glass empty while most of the pills remained untouched.

"Should I get you more water?"

Sara handed him her glass, nodding slightly. "Thank you."

Adrian fetched another glass of water for her. Sara stared at the remaining pills—mostly the larger ones. She placed one in her mouth, took a gulp of water, and held it there for a moment before forcing herself to swallow.

When she reached the large white tablet, she hesitated. Taking a deep breath, she popped it into her mouth, downed a large gulp of water, and tried to swallow—but the pill got stuck in her throat. She gagged violently, her body convulsing as tears filled her eyes.

Adrian immediately stepped forward, supporting her and gently patting her back. "Are you okay?"

Sara coughed, took another sip of water, and managed to get the pill down. Tears rolled down her cheeks, evidence of her struggle.

Adrian had never seen someone struggle so much to take medicine. His gaze shifted to the bag of pills, realizing she'd have to go through this every day for several more days.

After giving her a moment to recover, Adrian asked softly, "Shall we go to the bedroom?"

Sara nodded. "Okay."

Adrian picked up the ointment the doctor had prescribed and scooped her into his arms, walking toward the stairs.

Sara instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, her face flushed with embarrassment. "I can manage on my own."

"You're still hurting, and we haven't applied the ointment yet. After you've washed up, I'll help you put it on." Adrian's tone was matter-of-fact, but the tips of his ears were slightly red.

Sara's face burned hotter at his words. The wound... was in *that* place.

Once in the bedroom, Adrian set her down gently. She grabbed her pajamas and hurried into the bathroom.

Meanwhile, Adrian's gaze fell on the freshly made bed. The sheets and blankets had been replaced—likely Aunt Lin's work—but now there was only one set of bedding. His eyes lingered for a moment before he turned away, pulling out his phone.

"Hello, Adrian? What's up?" Lucas Graves's tone was casual, though curiosity laced his words. "Is Sara feeling worse?"

"No," Adrian replied after a pause. Then he hesitated, the question forming in his mind before finally asking, "Do you have any advice for making it easier to swallow pills?"

It took Lucas Graves a full thirty seconds to process the question. "You mean, Sara has trouble taking medicine?"

"Yes."

"Wow, things must be progressing between you two," Lucas Graves teased. "Anyway, there's no magical solution. You could crush the pills and mix them with water, but that usually tastes worse. She'll just have to tough it out—and maybe eat something sweet afterward to chase away the bitterness."

"Got it."

"By the way," Lucas Graves continued, his voice laced with humor, "did you check out the stuff I sent you earlier? You know, no matter how good-looking you are, poor skills won't cut it. You really should—"

Adrian hung up before he could finish.

"Touchy," Lucas Graves muttered, throwing down his phone. "Guess I hit a nerve."

---

When Adrian returned from his shower, Sara had already come out of the bathroom. She sat on the bed, wrapped tightly in a blanket, avoiding his gaze.

The atmosphere between them grew heavy, memories of the previous night hovering between them.

"I'm sorry about last night," Adrian said, his voice low. His eyes briefly landed on the lingering red marks on her wrists and collarbone before darting away.

Sara hesitated, clutching the blanket tighter. "It wasn't your fault. It was... the medicine."

She didn't want to dwell on the incident any longer.

"I can help you apply the ointment," Adrian offered.

Sara's fingers tightened around the fabric, her cheeks flushing. "No... I can do it myself."

Adrian studied her for a moment before nodding. "Alright. I'll be in the study if you need me."

"Okay."

Once he left, Sara let out a small sigh of relief. She glanced at the ointment on the nightstand, her blush deepening as she read the instructions.

Unable to apply it in the bedroom, she retreated to the bathroom.

---

Adrian returned half an hour later. Sara was sitting up in bed, her blanket wrapped snugly around her. She avoided meeting his eyes.

Respecting her space, he asked, "Ready to sleep?"

Sara nodded. "Yes."

"If you feel uncomfortable during the night, wake me."

"Okay."

He turned off the lights, and darkness enveloped the room. This time, they shared the same bed, lying under the same blanket. Though a small gap separated them, Adrian's presence felt close—his steady breathing, his quiet strength.

The air between them was charged, a tension that neither could define. Yet, for the first time, they lay side by side, a fragile but undeniable connection binding them together.