Ghosts (A Christian Yelich Story)

Chapter Thirty: Never Too Late

Author's note: I started another Yeli story titled It Had to Be You, so check that shit out. I had a request and thought it was a fun idea.

Anyway, enjoy Chapter Thirty. I like this one.

***

"Hey, sweetheart, you're supposed to be asleep," Christian said as soon as he entered the room and noticed that I was wide awake.

"I can't sleep. I feel like complete trash," I informed him, suppressing a cough.

"What can I do?" he asked as he threw his shirt off and crawled into bed. "I have a couple hours before the gym. Anything you need I can take care of." He kissed my forehead.

"You know you need sleep too, right? All humans need sleep. Not just sick ones."

He rolled his eyes. "I'm fine. Do you want me to draw you a bath?"

"Will you be joining me?"

"Only if you want me to," he responded. "I imagine you're not really in a good place for any of my lovin'." He smirked at me.

"I'd love to take a bath with you," I informed him.

My response must have taken him by surprise because his eyes got really wide. "Really!?" He immediately jumped to his feet. "Give me five minutes."

I smiled at his earnestness. "Sounds good."

"You ready, babe?" he shouted after spending a few minutes drawing a bath.

I slowly got to my feet — still feeling woozy from my fever that must have been pretty high. It had been a long time since I've been this sick.

"Ready," I said as I joined him in the bathroom.

He stepped up to me and helped me out of my clothes before pressing his lips against mine. "Do you really want me to join you, or were you joking?" he asked. His face still looked a bit surprised by the idea.

"Get in first."

He nodded and removed what was left of his clothes before settling into the hot water. He rested his back against the back of the tub before instructing me to join him. "Your turn," he said softly.

I bit my lip and stepped into the tub — my feet positioned between Christian's calves. I slowly sat down and settled between his legs.

"Hey," Christian said softly before placing a couple soft kisses on each side of my neck.

"Hi," I replied. "And thank you. This is perfect."

Christian fussed with my hair before wrapping his arms around me. "I've never done this before."

"What? Taken a bath?" I teased him.

"With someone else."

"Me either, actually. I'm sorry I'm sick, and that being sick made tonight less fun."

"I actually think this is pretty perfect," he whispered into my ear.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Minus the whole you being sick thing."

"Yeah, that part sucks."

Christian continued to kiss and rub my neck and shoulders. "I'm a lucky dude," he muttered against my shoulder.

"I'm pretty lucky too." I sighed before leaning back against him.

***

"Hey, sicko!" Lindsey shouted as she entered my room. "Your boy toy told me to check in on you while he's getting swole, so here's what I've got: cough drops, Delsym, three bottles of water, a banana, applesauce, and some toast with jam." She placed all the items on my nightstand before proclaiming, "Holy shit, you look awful. Maybe I should take you to a doctor?"

"I'm fine, Lindsey. Seriously. But I will take some of that Delsym."

Lindsey carefully poured a bit of the thick, orange liquid into a clear bottle cap before handing it to me. I downed it in hopes it would help me sound less like a middle-aged woman who smokes two packs per day.

"Good girl. Now drink all of this." She thrust a bottle of water into my hand.

"Thank you, Linds. You're the best."

"I do try. So . . . I thought we could talk a bit about Christian: girl to girl."

I bit my bottom lip, as always. "What about him?"

"He's fucking in love with you already, Annie. Seriously, after a week."

"You're being dramatic."

"No, Annie, I'm not. He has some deep feelings happening. And I don't just mean boners. What are your plans with him?"

"Plans?" I asked.

"Yeah, like what happens when you get back to Los Angeles?"

"I'm not there yet."

"Well, you need to make up your mind between crushing his soul or making him the happiest man alive. Which will it be?"

"Oh, come on."

"Annie, I'm serious. He wants to wife you."

"He just wants to fuck. Like all the other dudes. He'll be fine if this fizzles out."

"You are very, very mistaken. Let me just ask you this: when have I been wrong in the context of your dating life?"

"Ugh. Never . . . I guess."

"So what choice are you going to make?"

I sighed deeply. "I honestly don't have an answer. I know you're dying to give me some advice, so what do you have for me?"

Lindsey giggled softly. "Keep him. He's sexy as hell and in love with you. That's what life is all about."

"Oh, to have your world view. Life would be so much better."

"It's never too late to adopt it, Anniecakes. Never too late!"