I jumped out of the car as I thanked the driver and made my way to the gates of Ace Rhodes' mansion. I had been here before but I haven't had a chance to make it inside the place but I guess today I was doing the thing most girls would die for.

Yayy I was so excited.

Only not.

I knocked at the door and waited impatiently. Although Mr. Rhodes was sick but Alex did let me know that there was his childhood nanny with him who apparently worked as his cook.

The door clicked open and I brought my eyes back to see a woman who looked in his early fiftees standing there with a friendly smile on her face.

"You must be Isabelle. Come inside child," the elderly woman told me and I stepped inside the huge mansion which was way prettier from inside than from outside.

"Alexander told me you would be stopping by," the woman smiled and I returned the gesture as I tried not to jump on the classy Sethi sofa sitting right in front of me.

Gosh how extra was this man?

"Poor Ace had been miserable since last night, it's kind of you to stop by dear," nanny said and I smiled at her and thought how I did not have a choice in this.

I mean it wasn't like I wasn't worried about Mr. Rhodes health. I instantly got upset when Alex told me about him but the thought of being in his bedroom alone gave me goosebumps.

"Of course ma'am, it's my job," I smiled at her and she apparently led me to Mr. Rhodes room.

"Oh please, call me Elizabeth honey."

As we climbed up the stairs, my heartbeat picked an unusual pace and I bit my lip in nervousness.

Come on Isabelle, you can do this.

It's just a stupid oh-so-sexy man.

The woman stopped in front of a room which I assumed was of Mr. Rhodes and I held the files close to my chest, nervously biting the inside of my cheek.

Elizabeth opened the room door and walked in as I took a deep breath in and followed her inside.

Mr. Rhodes was lying on the bed, his hair was messy as ever and he was wearing a white tee shirt. His eyes were closed so I assumed that he was sleeping.

And boy was he a sight to see.

"Ace, I see you still haven't had the soup yet. I told you it's good for your health my child," Elizabeth spoke and Mr. Rhodes opened his eyes.....which were bloodshot by the way.

"I told you I can't drink it Elizabeth, I feel like I'm gonna throw up," Mr. Rhodes groaned and as he was about to close his eyes again, he saw me standing behind Elizabeth and I didn't know what it was, or if it was good or bad, but an emotion crossed his eyes that I couldn't decipher.

"Well, look who's here to meet you. I'll leave you two alone now-

Elizabeth said and turned around, before she walked out of the door, she whispered in my ear

- get him to drink it, honey."

She left us and closed the door behind and I just awkwardly stood there, not sure where was I supposed to start from.

"Um...hi," I said and made my way nearer to the bed. I sat on the chair beside his bed and he kept looking at me, saying nothing.

After what seemed like an hour of awkward silence, he spoke up,

"Did you bring the files?"

"Yes. Here," I lifted up the files from my lap and put them on his bed.

Without much of another word, he picked up those files and lifted himself up. Supporting himself against the headboard, he started flipping the pages of the file.

I just sat there, not sure how was I meant to complete the mission nanny gave me or to get him to leave the files and rest for God's sake.

He looked miserable and worn out.

"Uh Mr. Rhodes I think you should rest for today," I managed to choke out after yet another episode of deafening silence.

"No I'm good Miss Reinhart. I see you haven't brought the coffee," he lifted his eyes up from the papers to look at me and I almost swore out loud.

Obviously, me being me, forgot to bring a damn cup of coffee to the sick.

"I'll be right back," I said and stood up, before Mr. Rhodes had a chance to say anything besides my name, I was out on the stairs, looking for Elizabeth.

Luckily I found her, just as I stepped down my last stair and walked over to her.

"Hey Elizabeth, I need to use the kitchen if that's okay with you," I said.

"Of course mija, come on I'll show you," I followed her towards the kitchen.

She asked me what I needed and I told her before she left me in the kitchen and I tried to make a cup of coffee better than Star Bucks.

Tried.

I knocked at the door and waited till I heard his come in. As I stepped inside, I saw him lying down on the bed with the files on the bedside table and his hands covering his face.

It looked as if he was in pain.

I lightly sat down on the chair again, trying to figure out whether he was sleeping or not when he spoke up without looking at me,

"Where'd you go?"

"Mr. Rhodes, Elizabeth told me you haven't eaten anything since morning. I made this coffee for you. If you'd....." I trailed off, resisting the urge to yell at him to get up and eat for God's sake.

Mr. Rhodes removed his hands from his face and looked at me. He stared at me for a moment longer than necessary before nodding.

He groaned in pain as he struggled to sit himself up. I didn't know how, but before I knew, my hands were behind him, supporting him and I was helping him to lean against the headboard.

His cologne reached my nostrils and I closed my eyes, my senses losing themselves in the scent that surrounded me.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts as I picked the coffee from the bedside table and handed him, instead of sitting back on the chair, my dumb self sat on the corner of the Queen sized bed, close to the intoxicating scent. Mr. Rhodes didn't seem to mind though.

He took a sip of the coffee and an involuntary smile crept up on his lips.

"Did you make it?"

"Yes....."

"Well Miss Reinhart, you're bringing me this same coffee every morning then," he slightly smirked but instead of getting annoyed, a stupid smile made its way on my lips and I nodded.

What? Ace Rhodes just told me I made good coffee. I was supposed to feel smug.

***************

As I scrolled through the e-mails, my eyes went back to his door and I resisted the urge to check on him again.

I had him signed the papers and sent Smith, his driver back to the office to deliver the files to Sasha who already knew what to do with them.

I told him that I would leave in a few after I practically forced him to sleep but instead I decided to stay here for a while more and make sure he's eating and resting properly.

It had been two hours since he was asleep and I was just sitting right outside his room, doing some office work on my laptop and waiting for him to wake up so that I could check if his fever went down.

He told me not to call a doctor and I had to reluctantly agree with him because sick or not, he was still my boss.

I heard voices coming from his room and I frowned and realised that he had finally woken up. I made my way over to his room. I knocked and entered when I heard his 'come in'.

"Yes unfortunately- oh Miss Reinhart, you're still here?" his attention averted to me and I shrugged and gave him a small smile as I waited for him to end the call.

"No Alex, trust me you- urgh fine," Mr. Rhodes rolled his eyes and held the phone out for me to take.

I rose one eyebrow in question and took the phone from his hands,

"Hello?"

"Ah, what's up Belle?" Alex asked and I sat down on the chair and smiled.

"I'm good, you tell?"

"Thanks for checking up on this idiot, means a lot," Alex shouted over the music. It seemed like he was in a party or something.

"Anytime," I smiled and he said a quick 'goodbye, I gotta run' before cutting the call, leaving me shaking my head.

"You didn't go home?" Mr. Rhodes said as soon as I ended the call and put his phone on the bed.

"No, I thought maybe I'd stay for a little while," I nervously said, waiting for a reaction from him to let me know if he appreciated it or if it was a bad idea after all.

"I appreciate that," he genuinely smiled and that was when I noticed that he had a small dimple on his left cheek that made him look a hundred times more sexier when he smiled, not to mention his messy hair and casual attire.

"Here let me check your temperature," I stood up from the chair and sat down beside him on the bed, with a good two feet distance between us.

"God, you're burning up!" I exclaimed as soon as I touched his forehead and for some odd reason that made him smirk.

"Woah easy princess. I know I'm hot," he winked and I rolled my eyes but still a stupid faint smile crept up on my lips as I stood up.

"I'm calling the doctor," I stated and walked out the door to get my phone.

"Oh please, come on," he whined and I shook my head and called a who always came home to check papa.

After making the call I headed to the kitchen and made chicken soup for him before taking it to his room, only to find him typing something on his laptop.

"Don't tell me you're working," I said as I carefully put the tray on the nightstand.

"Um....sort of...? I just needed to make sure the files had been sent," he said and turned the laptop shut before putting it back on the bedside table.

"Here, have some soup until the doctor comes," I said and picked up the tray. Sitting beside him on the bed, I handed him the tray and he smiled and took it from me.

"You really didn't have to," he said and started eating as I noticed that the version of him at home was so much different than the one in office.

I wasn't saying that it was better than the office one, but somehow, both of them mesmerised me, made me want to know more, dig deeper and see what was hidden behind that facade.

I liked this version of him better. The one in which I didn't have to overthink everything I said, or in which I didn't have to fear that he would throw me out like trash for some stupid mistake I made.

"Hello? You're still with me?" Mr. Rhodes waved his hand in front of my face and I came out of my trance.

"Oh yeah, sorry I just....." I trailed off and he looked at me for a moment longer before a knowing smile made its way to his lips.

"Here, I'm done," he held out the bowl and I smiled and took it from his hands when my fingers brushed with his and I felt goosebumps all over my body.

I cleared my throat as once again I felt my senses filling up with his scent and every sane thought in my mind seemed to fade away.

Adding more to that, he took the bowl from my hands and placed it on the bedside table before taking my hand in his.

My heart started beating quickly and I bit my lip as I saw him interlocking my fingers with his.

I lifted my gaze up and saw him intently staring at me with hooded eyes and an unreadable expression on his face. His eyes went dark and he leaned forward, sitting our hands in his lap.

"Isabelle...." he whispered in a husky voice as his other hand find its way to my cheek and he rubbed his thumb in circles against my cheekbone, making my mind go haywire.

His eyes fell down to my lips and mine to his. His lips seemed so perfect, so full and I couldn't think of anything else other than how would they feel against mine.

*************

Yikessssss.....are they gonna kiss or not? *smirks* aha I'm loving this!!!!

Stay tuned to find out and don't forget to vote and share ❤

Until then,

-Your Karma

Peace