The Naughty List (The Naughty List #1)(14)

I lowered my glance and felt a strong arm wrap around me as I hugged him. He moved his cold palm to feel my forehead, then widened his eyes.

“God, Tess. You’re burning up.”

I stared at him, feeling faint. Something was wrong around here. My Kitten senses were meowing. And I needed to figure out why.

I had a hundred-and-two-degree fever. Really? I hadn’t had a fever in years. This would be silly if it weren’t so uncomfortable. I shifted on my living room couch, digging my toes into the chenille cushions.

“Are you going to throw up again?” Aiden asked, moving over. His upper lip was curled in disgust, although I knew he was trying to look supportive.

“No. I think I’m done.”

“Thank God,” he said under his breath.

“Don’t tease me. I’m sick.”

“I’m sorry. You want me to rub your feet?” There was a devilish gleam in his eye as he looked over my body.

“Stop!” But I laughed. Luckily, the wood-beamed ceiling had stopped spinning after I’d thrown up. Small favors.

“What?” He leaned over and picked up my feet, setting them in his lap.

“Aiden,” I whined, leaning my head back into the couch arm. “I can’t fool around. I’m sick.”

He rubbed at my heel, pressing firmly in just the right places. “It’s just that your skin is burning hot. It’s kind of turning me on.”

I giggled but then winced. My head was effing killing me.

“I’m sorry,” he said, leaning over to give my toes a quick kiss before moving them off of him. He stood up and stretched his arms above his head, giving me a peek at his stomach. I sighed.

Aiden smiled and then came over to feel my head. “My poor baby,” he murmured, bending down to kiss it tenderly. “Do you want anything before I go to practice?”

I wanted a healthy body, but I was pretty sure Aiden would only offer his own. “No, thanks,” I answered with my eyes closed.

He ran his finger gently over my cheek before grabbing his car keys off the coffee table. I listened as he walked through the kitchen to the front door.

After the screen door slammed closed, I lay there with only the hum of the refrigerator to keep me company. Regretting not asking for an aspirin, I let my headache pulsate until I drifted off.

“Tess?”

My eyes fluttered. My mother was standing above me, her graying brown hair frizzy around her face. Her lips were pursed as she pressed her cool hand to my forehead.

“Honey, you have a fever.” The wrinkles around her brown eyes deepened as she furrowed her brow.

“I’m sick. Where were you?”

“I just got back from setting up at the club for tonight. Daddy dropped me off, so he still has the car, but I can drive yours if you want to go to urgent care.”

“No, Mom. I think I just want to go to bed.”

Her face was filled with concern. It was rare that I was this dull. She pulled me up and held my arm as she led me through the house to my bedroom. I lay down on my bed, uniform and all, and snuggled into my white comforter. Once I was comfortable, my mother came back with a glass of water and some Tylenol. Soon, I drifted off again.

Several times my cell phone rang, but I never moved. My mother checked in one last time before she left for the show, but my fever hadn’t broken. After I gave her a halfhearted wave, she finally left me alone to suffer in peace.

I tossed and turned all night, dreaming of Aiden and then dreaming of Chloe and her short skirts. I even had an uncomfortably intimate nightmare about being locked in the computer lab with Christian. My forehead was covered in sweat when I woke up.

My body tingled. I looked around my darkened room, trying to get my bearings. It took me a minute to recognize my rosewood dresser, the half open closet door, and my hanging pom-pom collection. The clock on my nightstand read that it was nearly midnight. Too late to call Aiden.

Even though I tried to relax, I couldn’t help but wonder what it was about Christian’s sister that made me so uneasy. She certainly wasn’t the first girl to eye Aiden. I mean, the boy attracted attention everywhere we went. No. What was bugging me was the way she’d dismissed me. Like I didn’t matter. Like I didn’t matter to Aiden.

Dang it. I looked back at my phone. I picked it up and scrolled through the missed calls. Kira, Leona, Izzie, my mom—nothing from Aiden. I twitched my nose.

I dialed his number, and as Aiden’s house line rang, I chewed on my lip. Please don’t let his mother answer. She wouldn’t—

“Hello?”

Jiminy Crickets! His mother. “Um, hi. Is Aiden there?”

“Tessa?” She sounded irritated.

“How are you?” I tried to be as sweet as possible, but I knew it didn’t matter. She hadn’t liked me since that first day Aiden brought me home in uniform.

She tsked. “It’s late. He’s sleeping.”

“I’m sorry. I was sick and I missed his call….” I stopped. She didn’t care. “Never mind. I’m sorry I called so late.”

“Good night, Tessa,” she said abruptly and hung up.

My chest ached as I set the phone back on my table. I didn’t like not being liked. Especially when I knew it was so undeserved. I loved her son. I loved Aiden more than anything—