CHAPTER 26

 

Chapter 26

 

The room was warm and dimly lit, the city stretching out beyond the windows like a glittering sea of lights while Michael leaned back into the couch, eyeing the plate in front of him like it was his sworn enemy.

“Seriously, Lisa? This is what you call dinner?” He asked and frowned, his brow quirking while he looked up at her.

Lisa, perched on the edge of the couch beside him, grinned and nudged the plate closer.

“It’s not just dinner, it’s a masterpiece, my dear.” She teased, gesturing grandly at the towering bacon cheeseburger, flanked by a mountain of golden fries, a plastic cup of Coke with beads of condensation trickling down its sides, and a small tub of creamy coleslaw. “High-calorie perfection. Exactly what you need.”

“What I need is a proper meal. You know, something that doesn’t scream ‘cardiac arrest’ from miles away.” Michael sighed, trying to hide the smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “This thing looks like it comes with its own insurance plan.”

He saw Lisa rolling her eyes at him before she grabbed a fry, popping it into her mouth with an exaggerated “mmm”…

“Oh, come on. You’ve lost too much weight and if you keep this up, you’re gonna blow away the next time someone turns on a ceiling fan.” She joked and winked at him, and Michael let out a soft laugh despite himself, but still shook his head.

“That was mean… and I’ll put on weight. Just not like this. A salad would do the trick, too.”

“Yeah, if you wanted to gain weight by the next Ice Age it would.” Lisa’s tone was playful, but there was an edge of determination beneath it, too, and she shifted closer, pulling her legs up under her before leaning in with a soft smile. “Let’s be real, Michael. You don’t have the luxury of taking your time.... You need strength, like, right now.”

“And eating this is going to magically make me healthy?” He gestured at the burger, which was practically gleaming with grease under the soft light…

She couldn’t be serious. The thing looked like it might give him a stroke just sitting in front of him, let alone if he actually ate it and Lisa knew full well he didn’t eat stuff like that.

“No…” Lisa admitted, giving a small shrug. “But it’ll help you get there. Baby steps. You can start eating quinoa and tofu again when you can stand for more than ten minutes without looking like you’re about to keel over.”

Michael let out a dramatic groan, dragging a hand down his face before giving the greasy monstrosity side eye again.

“You’re relentless.”

“And you’re stubborn…” She shot back, smiling sweetly at him and they locked eyes for a moment, the air between them light and playful. Then Michael sighed again, but this time he did reach for the burger, picking it up with a kind of resigned defeat.

“Fine. But you’re eating some too. No way I’m going down alone.”

Lisa’s laugh was bright and unexpected.

“Oh, no way. I’m not the one who needs to bulk up at all…” She said, patting her stomach with mock seriousness… “Quite the contrary.”

Michael paused mid-bite, his eyes narrowing as he looked at her.

“That’s ridiculous. You look amazing…”

He noticed Lisa’s cheeks flushing a little, but then she quickly waved him off, before snatching another fry from his plate with a smirk.

“Flattery will get you nowhere, Mr. Jackson.”

“It’s not flattery if it’s true…” He smiled, before finally taking a large bite of the burger. The grease slicked his fingers almost immediately, and he grimaced, reaching for a napkin while Lisa leaned back, watching him with a mixture of satisfaction and amusement.

“You’re doing great, champ…” She teased. “I’m so proud of you.”

“I can feel my arteries clogging in real-time.” He shook his head, swallowing the bite while she let out a laugh.

“Don’t be so dramatic…” She said, her eyes still dancing with laughter. “You’re acting like I’m feeding you poison.”

“Close enough…” Michael mumbled, but he felt a hint of a smile tugging at his lips, too. He eyed the burger again and then sighed before taking another bite.

The gooey cheese clung stubbornly to his teeth, stretching like sticky yellow taffy when he moved the burger away while his tongue immediately recoiled at the assault of saltiness, an almost comical overload, like someone had just tipped the entire shaker into the mix.

And the grease, oh god, the grease coated his mouth in what felt like a slick film, making each chew feel like a workout for his jaw.

He paused after every few bites, setting the burger down like it might fight him back, glancing at Lisa with a butthurt look but still, he ate on, a mix of determination and resignation fueling his progress. But not before insisting she take a few bites, too.

Holding the burger out to her with a playful grin, he watched as Lisa leaned in, taking a bite while sauce and grease immediately dripped down her chin, and she burst into another fit of laughter, wiping at it with the back of her hand.

Michael couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight, shaking his head before returning to his mission and bite by grudging bite, he made his way through the caloric monstrosity until, at last, he leaned back against the couch with a groan, clutching his stomach like he had just won a pie-eating contest somewhere in Texas. “I’m dead…”

“Good job…” Lisa said, leaning forward to clear the tray. “Because dessert is up next.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me. There’s no way.” Michael said and groaned again, louder this time but Lisa just grinned, before she stood up and moved to the small kitchenette.

“Oh, you’ll make room. Trust me, it’s worth it.”

She returned moments later with a plate bearing something that looked like a chocolate lava cake topped with a scoop of glistening vanilla ice cream and a sprinkle of powdered sugar.

The aroma alone would be enough to make anyone’s mouth water, but not Michael’s.

“Nope. Can’t do it.” He shook his head resolutely. “You’re going to have to eat that yourself.”

Lisa’s expression turned almost serious as she sat back down beside him, holding the plate under his nose.

“Michael…” She said gravely. “For the good of mankind, you must try this.”

“Nice try but I’m out.” He said, his eyes narrowing at her and Lisa sighed, setting the plate aside.

“Drama much? Some people would think this is a five-star meal, and here you are acting like I’m asking you to eat nails.”

Michael smiled, leaned back and closed his eyes again while his thoughts slowly began to drift... He hadn’t felt this alive, this… awake, in weeks and it was all thanks to Lisa.

The past two days had been a blur of her presence, her care, her unyielding determination to get him back on his feet but also his fever, his nausea and his exhaustion. He was feeling better but not quite himself yet.

When Michael had nearly passed out after the concert, Lisa had been there, sweeping in like she always did and making everything seem just a little less unbearable…

She had taken him back to his hotel suite, and had been there every step of the way, coaxing him to eat, taking care of him and helping with his kids when he couldn’t…

His mind took him back two days ago, when he had woken up the morning after the concert, a brief flicker of panic gripping him as he wondered if it had all been some hazy dream and she wasn’t actually there at all.

For a moment, the room felt too quiet, too empty, and he blinked against the soft morning light, his heart sinking but then he saw Lisa, coming into the bedroom with a tray in her hands with fruit, some yogurt and a cup of tea that smelled like flowers or grass… he wasn’t really sure.

“Morning.” She chirped, setting the tray down on the bed and flashing him that grin, the one that dared him to argue with her. “Breakfast is served and you’re eating all of this, no excuses.”

Michael sat up slowly, feeling surprisingly a bit better and even a little hungry and she got on the bed next to him handing him a strawberry.

At first, she was just checking on him, making sure he ate but then, at some point, he offered her a piece of mango, and somehow they ended up sharing the whole thing…

A spoonful of yogurt here, a slice of pineapple there, their fingers brushing just enough to make him aware of it and every little touch came with a quiet smile or a small laugh.

At one point, he switched on the TV, and they started watching an old SpongeBob episode while they ate the fruit, passing pieces back and forth like kids sharing snacks at a picnic.

When SpongeBob got stuck in the clam’s mouth and started panicking, shouting, "I’m not ready for this level of commitment!" Lisa cracked up so hard she almost snorted, slapping her hand over her mouth like it would help and Michael couldn’t stop staring at how ridiculously cute she looked wearing his T-shirt and his jeans, her cheeks flushed, her laugh spilling out in waves…

Then his mind took him to the afternoon of that same day and lingered on the sight of her sitting cross-legged on the floor with Prince and Paris, laughing as they argued over Scrabble tiles. Prince had insisted on being on Lisa’s team, and Paris had quickly followed suit, leaving Michael stuck with Blanket, which wasn’t really fair because he couldn’t read yet…

To make things even worse, Michael kept getting stuck with letters that could only form wildly inappropriate words like tits or ass, which, of course, he couldn’t actually play unless he wanted to scar the kids for life…

Meanwhile, Blanket was no help at all, relentlessly bugging Michael to spell out the names of his favorite superheroes, like Spider-Man or Iron Man, completely oblivious to the fact that Michael didn’t have the right letters. The kid seemed determined, pointing at the tiles over and over and Michael ended up losing soon, complaining about how the whole game had obviously been rigged…

And then there were the nights... He wasn’t sure how he had managed to convince her to stay, but she had, curling up beside him on the wide bed without a word of protest.

Nothing had happened between them, nothing more than the simple comfort of her warmth pressed against him, her steady breathing lulling him into the kind of sleep he had forgotten was possible.

He would still wake in the middle of the night, his arms wrapped around her, but he didn’t really care that he couldn’t fall back asleep and he would just lie there, holding her, watching the way her chest rose and fell and loving those quiet moments …

 

 

He heard her voice and Michael’s eyes opened, his gaze snapping back to Lisa when he realized she was talking to him, her hands perched on her hips.

The burger had almost finished him off and he must have dozed off for a second. Now, once awake, he had no idea what she had just asked him but instead of scrambling to figure it out, he found himself zeroing in on how cute she looked standing there…

She was pouting slightly, clearly waiting for an answer, her glossy pink lips pulling into a half-smile that made his heart stutter. Her eyes were hooded and impossibly beautiful, her hair cascading smoothly over her shoulders like she had just stepped out of a dream. Which she actually did, in a way…

And then there was his hoodie on her. The sleeves hung past her hands, too long for her frame, and it had him smiling like a fool because, honestly, she always looked better in his clothes than he ever could.

And those skinny jeans she sported? Well, they hugged her just right, stirring up a silent debate in his head between keeping his cool and grinning like a total idiot.

Somehow, this moment made him feel like she was his again … in the best, most ridiculously perfect way possible.

“Yes?” He managed to let out and smiled like a dumbass, his tone a little apologetic.

“I said…” She repeated, with deliberate clarity. “You need some fresh air.”

Michael blinked at her, cautious, his instincts bristling at the idea of leaving the relative safety of the hotel.

“And how exactly do you plan to pull that off?” He asked her, narrowing his eyes but Lisa didn’t miss a beat. She never did…

“First step? You change out of those ridiculous pajama pants.” She gestured toward him, smirking and he glanced down at his plaid pants and sighed.

There was absolutely nothing wrong with them…

“Fine…” He mumbled, before standing up and dragging himself toward the bedroom.

There, inside the closet, he rummaged through his options, pulling out a pair of black jeans and a clean gray T-shirt. On impulse, he grabbed a red button-up shirt to throw on top too, before he glanced in the mirror briefly and shrugged. Good enough.

When he stepped back into the main room, Lisa was already waiting, bouncing on her toes like a kid about to open a present.

“Okay, let’s go!” She urged, practically dragging him toward the door and Michael frowned, his caution flaring again.

“Where are we going, Lisa?” He asked as she already led him down the hallway and she tossed him a bright smile over her shoulder.

“You’ll see.”

“I don’t really feel like going out…” He grumbled but her grip on his arm tightened, and she turned to him again briefly, her expression softening.

“Can you trust me this once?” She said. “You’ll like it.”

Michael sighed, letting her pull him into the elevator and as the doors slid shut, she hit the button for the roof, making his eyebrows shoot up involuntarily.

“Where are you taking me?”

“Heaven…” She teased, a wide grin spreading across her face and her smile was so bright it almost made his chest ache.

Fuck, if she wasn’t the cutest thing ever…

For a moment, all he could think about was grabbing her, pulling her into his arms, and kissing her until neither of them could think straight and the thought made his pulse quicken and his jeans feel a bit tight, but he stayed rooted to his spot instead, hands stuffed into his pockets.

The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open, revealing the rooftop of the hotel, and Michael stepped out, taking in the scene, his eyes sweeping over the space…

Strands of delicate fairy lights crisscrossed above them while at the center of the rooftop restaurant, an oval-shaped bar was illuminated from below with a soft white light that gave it a cool and somehow even futuristic vibe.

The rest of the rooftop was filled with rounded chairs and small, candlelit tables scattered around, and beyond the glass barriers, the city sprawled out below, a sea of glittering lights stretching all the way to the horizon, and in the distance, the coastline shimmered softly under the glow of the stars and the moon.

Michael noticed a bartender standing behind the bar, poised and professional, nodding politely as they approached.

“Good evening, what can I get you?” He asked as they reached the bar, but before Michael could even open his mouth, Lisa cut him off, casting him a quick glance.

“Nothing too strong. Something virgin, maybe?” She added with a sly smile. “You really shouldn’t be drinking…”

“One glass isn’t going to kill me…” Michael rolled his eyes and scowled before turning back to the bartender. “A bottle of your best champagne, please.”

The young man nodded and, without missing a beat, retrieved a bottle from a nearby fridge. Then he popped the cork with a practiced hand before handing them two glasses, and placing the bottle into a fresh bucket of ice.

“Will you be needing anything else?” He asked and Lisa shook her head.

“No, thanks. We’re good.”

The bartender gave them a polite smile and a nod before he disappeared through a side door, leaving them all alone on the rooftop and Michael grabbed the ice bucket and followed Lisa to one of the tables near the edge of the roof. They sat down, and Lisa started pouring the champagne.

“Okay… Since you ate most of the burger, I guess you’ve earned one drink.” She said, handing him a glass with a mischievous smile on her face and Michael chuckled softly, taking the glass from her, watching the bubbles rise. Then he glanced up at her again.

“You’re too nice…” He joked. “Cheers.”

“Cheers.” Lisa echoed, tapping her glass against his and he watched her as she took a small sip, before he followed suit, savoring the crisp taste. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the city lights and the faint noise of traffic filling the silence but then Michael cleared his throat, his heart pounding a tad bit faster as he set his glass down and he looked at her, the words catching in his throat before he forced them out.

“Lisa…” He began, his voice low… “I just… I just wanted to thank you…. For coming back. For everything you’ve done.” He paused, his gaze dropping to the table. “I’m so sorry for how I treated you before. For that night at your hotel room. I… I hate myself for how I handled things, really…”

Lisa didn’t interrupt, her expression unreadable as she watched him and he pressed on, the words tumbling out in a rush.

“I was such an idiot. I… I pushed you away when you were the only person who gave a damn about me, and I… I don’t even know why. I was angry, sure, but I was also scared, I guess. And… and I hurt you. I know I did. But I…” He looked up, meeting her eyes. “I’m sorry. For all of it. You think you can you forgive me?”

Lisa was silent for a long moment, her gaze shifting to the skyline and Michael watched her nervously, his stomach doing small, unpleasant flips as the seconds dragged on. Finally, she turned back to him, her eyes soft.

“We both messed up…” She said quietly and he nodded, relief washing over him like a wave.

“Yeah. We did.”

Michael couldn’t tear his eyes away from her, the way the city lights reflected in her eyes, the way her hair caught the soft breeze and for a moment, he forgot about the circus that surrounded him, forgot about the weight of his own mistakes and all he could think about was her, this beautiful woman sitting across from him, who had somehow managed to break through his walls, even when he had done everything he could to keep her out.

Then, at one point the ocean breeze started rolling in heavier, carrying the tang of salt and the distant hush of waves and Michael felt himself shiver involuntarily, the cold sneaking past the warmth of the moment.

And Lisa noticed… she always did… and without a word, she rose from her seat and he watched her silhouette as she moved to a small table nearby, grabbing two thick, light blue blankets that had been neatly folded there.

When she returned, she handed him one.

“Here…” She said softly, shaking hers out and wrapping it snugly around her shoulders before sitting back down while Michael hesitated for a moment but then followed her lead, draping the blanket around himself. They sat quietly for a beat or two, the silence not awkward but still a bit heavy with unspoken thoughts.

Lisa broke it first.

“Have you been feeling better, Mike?” She asked, her voice gentle and he nodded and smiled, glancing her way.

“Yeah… I have. Much better. Thanks for… you know, being here for me. Again.”

“Of course…” She said, brushing off his gratitude like it was unnecessary but he could see the way her lips tugged into a soft smile, just for a moment. “Have you been feeling dizzy?”

“Not really. It’s less frequent. Usually only if I stand up too fast.”

“Good.”

Quiet again.

Michael shifted slightly and snuggled deep into the folds of the blanket as he glanced at her from the corner of his eye... Something was on her mind. He knew that look… her lips pressed together, her fingers fidgeting slightly on her lap while staring off into the distance. She wanted to say something. Ask something. But she hesitated, and he could almost feel her wrestling with it…

“You okay?” He asked.

She looked at him quickly, startled out of her thoughts.

“Yeah…” She said, but her voice cracked slightly while she pulled her knees up, her feet resting against the chair’s edge. “I just… um, I was thinking about… you know…” She trailed off, fumbling for words, her cheeks faintly pink in the moonlight and Michael raised an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair.

“Thinking about what?”

Lisa took a deep breath, then exhaled hard, as if bracing herself and she glanced at the skyline for a moment before looking back at him.

“What’s the plan for you now?”

“Plan?”

“I mean, I have to go back home soon, Michael. I haven’t seen my kids in weeks, and…”

“Oh, right…”

He should have known, really. Of course, she would have to go back. Her life was back in the States and it was foolish to think she could stay with him, though for a second, he had convinced himself they had more time...

He sighed, trying to push away the feeling of disappointment that had settled in his chest.

“Are you going back to the States, too?” She asked and the question, though, predictable, hit him harder than he expected. Michael sat back, letting out a long, slow sigh before he glanced at her, and the way she was looking at him made his stomach knot up.

He couldn’t lie to her. Not anymore. Not if he wanted… whatever this thing between them was… to work.

“I… I don’t know, Lise.”

He watched her as her brow furrowed and she bit her lip, her eyes glued to his.

“What do you mean? You’ve been here two months. That was the plan, right?”

“Yeah, that was the plan…” He said, dragging a hand down his face. “But… but unfortunately plans change.”

Lisa watched him closely now, her eyes narrowing slightly.

“Michael… what’s going on?”

He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he distracted himself, fiddling with the corner of the blanket but Lisa clearly wasn’t having it and she reached out, her hand warm and firm as it closed over his.

“Tell me what’s going on…” She said, her voice soft but insistent but Michael just felt himself shaking his head.

“I don’t want to drag you into this. I really don’t.”

“Michael, you’re not dragging me into anything. Besides…” She paused, her grip on his hand tightening slightly. “I think I already know.”

He looked at her sharply.

“What do you mean, you already know?”

“They’re exploiting you, aren’t they?”

“Huh?” He managed to let out, buying time but his stomach dropped.

“They’re squeezing every last piece of energy out of you. For their gain…” She asked, her tone firm now. “Aren’t they?”

“Well… yes and no.”

“No?”

“Lisa, I… I need to exploit myself… that’s what’s going on.”

“What are you talking about?” She frowned, clearly confused and he closed his eyes for a moment, trying to steel himself before he looked at her again.

“I’ve got debts. A lot of them. Stupid amounts. And… it’s all my fault. I wasn’t careful… I trusted people I shouldn’t have and… well, here I am now.”

Her expression softened, but he couldn’t shake the feeling he would soon see pity reflected in her eyes. He looked away, feeling the heat of shame creeping up his neck but then, to his surprise, Lisa stood.

For a moment, he thought she might leave, but instead, she took two steps closer, crouching down beside his chair. She rested a hand lightly on his knee, her gaze lifting to meet his.

“Michael…” She said softly. “Talk to me.”

His pride flared, his jaw tightening as he fought the urge to pull away. He hated feeling like this… vulnerable, exposed and weak, like a sore loser.

“I am talking…” He muttered, avoiding her eyes.

“No, you’re deflecting.” Her voice was gentle but firm. “There’s more, isn’t there?”

He didn’t answer, and she reached up, her fingers brushing against his jawline. The touch was so gentle, it caught him off guard and she softly tilted his face toward her, forcing him to look at her while her fingers lingered, soft against his skin.

“Michael... You can tell me.”

He hesitated, then sighed heavily as his hand came up, grabbing hers from his face and for a moment, she looked unsure, as if worried he might push her away but instead he actually tugged her closer, guiding her onto his lap.

“Michael…” She yelped. “I’m heavy…”

“Shhh. Stop…” He said, cutting her off, before he shifted the blanket from around his own shoulders and pulled it tighter wrapping it around both of them.

He felt her stiffen at first, but then she slowly started relaxing against him, and her head came to rest on his shoulder, her face nuzzling into the crook of his neck. The weight of her body against his felt amazing and Michael took a deep breath, her warmth and her scent calming him more than he wanted to admit.

“You sure you want me to tell you everything, Lise?” He asked quietly, unsure of the whole situation before he felt her nodding against his neck.

“Yes.”

He hesitated, staring blankly at the skyline of the city, its lights twinkling like stars against the dark night sky, while his hand traced gentle circles on her back.

“Years ago, some people working for me started stealing … signing my name, moving money around... Yeah, my bad. I wasn’t paying attention. Then the lawsuits hit, and they wiped me out, especially the last one. On top of that, I made a couple of stupid investment moves, too. For most of my life, I thought I was golden, you know? Never figured I’d be worrying about cash but about a year ago, I realized how wrong I was.” Michael paused, swallowing hard. “The Bahrain project was supposed to fix all that. And it helped… a bit. But not enough. There’s this clause in the contract, if I don’t pull in enough in the two months, they’re going to pile on more stuff. More concerts, more obligations. And they’re saying I need at least twenty more shows just to make a dent.”

He felt her stiffen slightly in his arms, and panicked that she wanted to pull away and so he instinctively moved his left hand to her head, his fingers gently massaging her scalp, keeping her there.

“Don’t…” He murmured. “Don’t say anything. Just… stay like this. Please.”

And Lisa didn’t protest. She stayed, her head resting against him, her hand curling lightly against his chest while Michael tightened his arms around her, pulling her even closer under the soft blanket they had wrapped around themselves.

Her warmth against him felt like a balm and he wasn’t sure what felt better… her body leaning into his, or the simple fact that she was there, by his side, when he needed her most.

She shifted slightly on his lap, her head tucked under his chin, and then, softly, her voice broke the silence.

“So how much money are we talking about?”

“A lot…” He admitted, his voice low and rough. He had been avoiding the specifics, even with himself, as if keeping it vague would make the problem smaller, though it never did…

Michael felt as Lisa’s hand moved under the blanket, her fingers grazing his ribcage, light as a whisper and he tensed instinctively at the unexpected touch, before melting into it all the way. A rush of heat traveled through him, and before he could stop himself, he leaned and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

“I can help…” She said, her voice barely above a whisper, while he felt her fingertips draw soft patterns against his ribs, his chest, and his stomach. “I have some money, you know.”

“No way. Lisa, this is my mess. I’ll fix it.”

“You almost died fixing it…” She said, tilting her face up to look at him, her eyes filled with a stubborn determination he knew all too well… a spark that both irritated and intrigued him, because it meant she wouldn’t back down and Michael let out a slow breath. He didn’t want to argue, not with Lisa, not now, and certainly not like this.

Instead, he ran soothing circles on her back, trying to steer the conversation to somewhat calmer waters.

“I’ll be fine, I promise…” He said softly. “Don’t worry about me.”

“Well, that’s like asking fire not to burn… I already worry. So… so you signed a contract for another twenty shows?”

“Um, no… Not exactly.”

Damn. He hadn’t wanted to get into this with her, not tonight. He loved being there on the rooftop with her, looking at stars, sipping good champagne, and feeling like for once, everything was just... right.

The last thing he wanted was to ruin it, to drag her into the mess of his life and have her worrying.

“What do you mean, ‘not exactly’?”

“They… I don't know. I think they kinda tricked me into signing it… I… I should’ve had a lawyer look at it first, but it seemed harmless. I messed up, okay? But it’s not such a big deal. I need the money anyway.”

“Not a big deal?” She pulled back, lifting her head from his shoulder to look at him and he saw her fierce gaze, her brows furrowed in frustration. “Michael, you can sue them!”

“I signed it, Lisa…”

“But you didn’t know…”

“Leave it…” He said, cutting her off. “I mean it… this is on me.”

She exhaled sharply, shaking her head. “At least let me have my lawyer take a look at it. Do you have the contract here?”

Michael hesitated, his jaw tightening. “I… uh…” His eyes flickered away. “No.”

“Where is it?”

“I... I never got a copy.” He admitted. “When I signed it months ago, they said they’d send one, but… they never did.”

“Michael, that’s...!”

He reached up, gently pressing a finger to her lips, making sure his touch was light. “Shhh... I know what you’re going to say.”

“Yeah, but…”

“No… no buts…”

Michael felt his patience fray, but he bit back the frustration rising in his chest. Lisa was only trying to help, and he knew how quickly the two of them could get into a completely useless argument and so he forced himself to relax and to smooth the rough edges from his tone.

A smile tugged at his lips as he cupped her cheek, her skin warm against his palm before he leaned in and kissed her forehead again, softer this time, lingering for a moment.

“I know you’re trying to help…” He mumbled against her forehead before gently leaning his forehead against hers, his eyes meeting hers, every little shift of her on his lap sending a thrill through him. “And I appreciate it. I really do. But they’ve got way better lawyers than I do, and there’s no point. I’ll be fine. I’ll take this time to rest, and since the show’s already rehearsed, it’ll be easier on my body, trust me.”

Her expression told him she didn’t believe a word of it, her eyes clouding with doubt, but she seemed to let it go for now and Michael gently pulled her closer, his hands on her back and around her waist. Lisa didn’t resist as he guided her head to rest on his shoulder again, a quiet insistence in the movement and with her now curled in his lap, her weight pressed against him in the most grounding way, he couldn’t help but sigh happily at how perfectly she fit there.

She was soft and warm, her body settling into his like she was meant to be there and nowhere else.

His fingertips moved on their own, sliding beneath the hoodie to trace slow, lazy circles along the bare skin of Lisa’s back and he could feel the soft curve of her spine beneath his touch. When she shivered, a small smile tugged at his lips. It wasn’t much, but he loved knowing he still had that effect on her.

“Thank you for being here for me, though…” He said quietly. “It means everything, Lise.”

 

The elevator dinged, announcing their floor and he felt Lisa tighten her arm around his waist as they stepped into the hallway.

“I’m okay…” He huffed, trying to reassure her. “I mean it.”

“You’re running a fever again, Michael…” She said, exasperated. “Dammit, I shouldn’t have taken you up to the roof. And the champagne…ugh, I’m such an idiot. What was I thinking?!”

“Stop…” He said and shivered wildly, a cold chill running through his whole body... Damn. “Those moments up there were the highlight of my two-month stay in this stupid city. Trust me.”

But Lisa huffed, muttering something under her breath, though she didn’t argue further and by the time they reached his suite, he realized he was leaning heavily on her, his exhaustion catching up with him.

Dammit!!

Once inside, Lisa helped him to the bedroom and let go of his waist as he trudged toward the bed.

“Okay, pants down and to bed…” She said, tossing the covers back and fluffing the pillows like she meant business and Michael snorted, letting out a low chuckle.

“At least buy me dinner first…” He teased, trying to sound like he had some fight in him, but even he could hear how half-hearted it was. He stood and slid his pants off, tossing them in a lazy heap before dropping onto the edge of the bed.

“I already did… you didn’t like it!” She said, rolling her eyes as she turned to leave but less than a minute later, Lisa stepped into the room again, this time holding a bottle of water and without a word, she twisted the cap off and handed it to him, her expression soft but stubborn in that way only she could manage.

“Here…” She said, her voice firm. “Drink.”

He took a few sips, the cool water hitting his throat like a damn lifesaver. Michael hadn’t realized just how parched he was until now, the salt from that burger and fries earlier still clinging to his mouth like glue. He tipped the bottle back for another gulp, but when he lowered it, he caught sight of her inching toward the door. His stomach twisted, panic flaring up out of nowhere.

“No, no. Wait! You’re staying here with me, right?”

“I should sleep on the couch…” She said. “Or get myself a room, really.”

“Lisa, please… I need you.” The words came out before he could think better of them and he saw her shoulders stiffen, then relax as she turned to face him.

“Michael…”

“Please…I sleep better when you’re here.”

She sighed, a small, tired sound, and then nodded.

“Okay…” She said and yawned as she kicked off her shoes, her exhaustion catching up with her obviously too....

Michael watched her, his heart swelling as she unbuttoned her jeans and slipped out of them, folding them neatly on a chair. She tugged off his hoodie next, leaving her in just her bra and her panties for a brief moment before grabbing one of his oversized t-shirts, the one she always slept in and pulling it over her head.

With a casual motion that felt like magic to him every time, she reached underneath the t-shirt and unclasped her bra, slipping it off effortlessly before tossing it onto the chair. Then, without a second thought, she crawled into bed beside him and he immediately reached for her, pulling her into his arms like she belonged there, and as she nestled close, he couldn’t imagine ever wanting her anywhere else.

He heard her let out a soft sigh as she rested her head on his shoulder, her small body fitting perfectly against his and Michael ran his fingers through her hair, the strands slipping like silk between them.

“Thank you, baby…” He murmured, the words tumbling out without thought... He had wanted to call her that all night. “Tonight was amazing. You… you’re amazing.”

She didn’t respond, but the way she relaxed against him said enough. Within minutes, her breathing evened out, and Michael knew she had fallen asleep. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and closed his eyes too, letting the sound of her steady breaths lull him into soft sleep as well.