His palm stayed on her forehead, sending a shiver down her spine as his touch sent sparks through her.
His face was close... too close... his breath warm on her cheek. Beauty felt her knees buckle slightly, and she had to lock them in place to stop herself from completely losing it.
Her heart raced, and she felt a sudden heat around her.
However, this time the heat wasn't from her fever but from him.
"Y-you're still a bit warm," Bruno muttered, his brow furrowing in concern as he moved even closer, his chest brushing against her lightly.
"Are you okay? You're sweating a lot..."
Sweating?!
Beauty could feel the sweat beads summoning on her forehead and neck.
She started fanning herself with her fingers to cool down and hoping he wouldn't notice.
"I-I'm fine, really," she stammered, her voice shaky. "Just... um, hot. Really hot." She tried to step back, but Bruno followed, still worried, still completely unaware of the effect he was having on her.
"Personal space! Sir Bruno! Please!"
She yelled again in her head.
She could hardly think straight with Bruno all over her like this. She instinctively started fanning herself with her fingers again.
Her eyes darted around, desperately trying to avoid looking at him, but it was impossible to ignore how close he was, how his muscled chest and arms towered over her.
He tilted his head, his expression puzzled.
"Hot? It doesn't feel that warm in here..."
He leaned in even closer, looking concerned and, looking genuinely confused.
"Maybe I should check your temperature again..."
Beauty practically choked on her own breath as he leaned in, his face just inches from hers.
She could smell him... God, he smelled so good... and the way his muscles flexed with every slight movement was so distracting, it made her head spin.
"No, no, it's fine! Really! You don't need to... um... check again! I'm okay. Just... um... just needed some air."
She blurted out, stepping back quickly, her heart pounding in her chest.
Bruno blinked, still concerned, but he took a small step back.
"Okay, if you're sure..."
His voice was soft and polite.
Then, as if remembering something, his eyes lit up in an adorable way.
"I made you pancakes!"
As he turned to grab the plate from the counter, Beauty fanned herself harder.
Oh my God, why does he have to look like that? She thought.
His broad back and toned muscles flexed with every movement, and the way those gray sweat shorts hung on his hips was way too distracting. Those toned glutes muscles!
Her face burned leaving her throat dry.
How am I supposed to deal with this?
Bruno turned back to her with the plate, offering her a fork with that killer smile of his.
"Here, try this. I followed the recipe exactly."
He stood so close, towering over her, his chest right in front of her face because of his height, the scent of him wrapping around her senses, making her head feel fuzzy again.
With trembling hands, Beauty took the fork, their fingers brushed for a split second, sending electricity through her body.
She slowly took a bite of the pancake.
The pancake was good, surprisingly good, given the situation, but all Beauty could think about was the fact that her boss was standing half-naked in her kitchen, having taken care of her all night.
It was too much. She swallowed the bite, her voice almost a whisper.
"This... this is really good, Sir Bruno."
His smile brightened, clearly proud of himself.
"I'm glad you like it. My first time cooking... You should eat more to take your medications, you need your strength back."
"But w-what... are you doing here, sir?" Her voice came out in a squeak, her brain short-circuiting.
"Oh..."
Bruno realized that in fact they were not a couple. He was lost getting all in her face and feeding her also he wasn't wearing anything under the gray short.
She noticed his length.
No wonder she had to cover her face, how can he be so clueless!
His face flushed immediately.
He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, his muscles rippling with the motion
"I... uh... I came last night... you texted me, remember?"
He swallowed hard, his eyes darting around the room as if he wished he could disappear.
"You were really sick, and, uh... I just wanted to help."
Beauty blinked, trying to piece together the events from the previous night.
"I texted you? No, I texted Jessie."
She could barely focus on his words, her eyes betraying her as they kept flickering down to his bare chest and those dangerous shorts.
Bruno, still clearly embarrassed but trying to play it cool, scratched his jaw.
"Yeah, you... you meant to text Jessie, I think, but it came to me instead. I didn't want to just leave you, so... I stayed."
"Oh, God! I sent him a text instead of Jessie."
Beauty's heart pounded in her chest.
"I am so sorry, I didn't intend to do that... it must be disturbing and difficult to come all the way..."
Bruno cuts in.
"No... not at all. I am glad to help."
"No, really, it's...."
She paused suddenly as her eyes flickered back to his apron, and then lower to the sweat shorts clinging to him, and she quickly squeezed her eyes shut.
"Em... Sir Bruno... you're... you're not wearing much."
Bruno looked down at himself, and that was as good as naked.
"Oh, right. Uh... sorry. I didn't want to ruin my clothes, so... I thought this would be easier."
Easier? EASIER?
He almost killed her with his hotness.
RISKY!