Chapter 18

What happened with Dez was so unlike her and the fact that she didn't use a condom told Spring that
she hadn't been thinking straight throughout the entire night. "I wasn't safe," she whispered.

"What the hell?" Summer was on her feet, pulling Spring to hers. "You fucked him raw?" She released
the firm hold on Spring's upper arm and went to her purse that hung from the coat hooks on the wall.
Her movements were frantic as she searched through it. Random items spilled to the floor. "You need
to get some blood work done ASAP." Summer raised the business card in her hand as if she'd
discovered gold. "Dr. Lee will fit you in today. I just have to..." She spun around.

Spring watched as her sister did a scan of the room.

"Where's my damn cell phone?"

"I've already been to the doctor's," Spring said, sounding bored.

"And, what did they say? Are you good? What the hell, Two?"

Spring unfolded her feet from under her and stood. "The initial workups were fine. I need to wait for a
few more results but so far so good. What I don't need is for you to overreact." She walked down the
hallway toward her room.

"I don't overreact," Summer yelled. She coughed then moaned, "Idiot."

Spring closed her bedroom door then dropped down on her bed and buried her face in her blanket. She
was an idiot. Who meets, sleeps with, and constantly thinks about a man they've only spent one night
with?

As she contemplated the latest unplanned turn her life had taken, Spring glanced over at her piled-up
luggage near the closet door. It had only been a month since Summer moved them to a bigger
apartment in the building complex. Her sister's reasoning was that they needed their own rooms. That



one-bedroom wasn't going to cut it. Spring was fine with sleeping on the sofa at the other apartment
but Summer wouldn't hear of it.

Spring could still smell the fresh paint on the walls each time she entered the small two-bedroom
apartment but somehow when she thought of Dez his masculine scent seemed to overpower it.

Spring sighed as she tried to think of anything other than him.

(Why does everything always go back to him?)

And now Summer was disappointed in her, probably regretting ever allowing her to move from their
quiet, boring hometown to the big city where she did stupid stuff like...

Spring sighed as she heard Summer's coughing grow louder as her sister came closer to her room.
Apparently, her sister wasn't done with their conversation.

Summer was always her protector for as long as Spring could remember. A sweet, loving big sister,
Summer would do anything for her. Only she often took big sister duties and rights to new heights.

The bedroom door shook with the impact of Summer's banging fist on the other side. "Why can't I find
the original email for this Dezmond...whatever his name is? I need to call him and ask for his medical
records. You don't-" Her rant was cut off by a series of dry coughs.

Spring got out of bed and opened the door to find her sister bracing herself on the door frame. "Come
on," Spring said, as she wrapped her arm around Summer's waist and took most of her weight. "You
need to rest. I don't think I can handle doing your job much longer." Spring tried her best to avoid being
breathed on as she helped Summer to her bedroom. "You look like crap, amazing crap, but still crap."

"Where's the email, Two?" Summer asked as she pushed Spring away. "I need to talk to this careless
asshole."



Spring sighed but grabbed Summer around the waist again. She helped Summer to her room and into
bed. "Get some rest," Spring said, but whispered, "while I disinfect the apartment again."

"Stop sulking around the house. You're probably too good for him anyway." Summer coughed then
burrowed herself under her blanket.

"I'm not sulking." Spring rolled her eyes. "Just nervous about the photo shoot today, that's all." Spring
made sure the remote to her sister's wall mounted television and her cell phone were both in reach
then turned to leave. She approached the door but looked back, "I'll bring home dinner."

After a dismissive wave from Summer, Spring left the room, closing the door behind her. She had a few
hours before she had to leave for the job she landed by the skin of her teeth. If it hadn't been for the
photographer's assistant needing to use the bathroom and seeing her sitting beside another model,
she wouldn't have gotten the job.

Apparently, the assistant thought that she and the other model, the one she sat beside, looked great
together. Spring collected some cleaning products from under the bathroom sink as she thought of how
excited she and Brandi were when they were offered the job. Knowing she was going to have someone
with her during the shoot gave her a bit more confidence.

Frowning, she looked out over the germ-infested kitchen and living room. Maybe cleaning would calm
her nerves and keep her mind off Dez.

Spring sighed but grabbed Summer around the waist again. She helped Summer to her room and into
bed. "Get some rest," Spring said, but whispered, "while | disinfect the apartment again."

"Stop sulking around the house. You're probably too good for him anyway." Summer coughed then
burrowed herself under her blanket.

"I'm not sulking." Spring rolled her eyes. "Just nervous about the photo shoot today, that's all." Spring
made sure the remote to her sister's wall mounted television and her cell phone were both in reach
then turned to leave. She approached the door but looked back, "I'll bring home dinner."

After a dismissive wave from Summer, Spring left the room, closing the door behind her. She had a few
hours before she had to leave for the job she landed by the skin of her teeth. If it hadn't been for the
photographer's assistant needing to use the bathroom and seeing her sitting beside another model,
she wouldn't have gotten the job.

Apparently, the assistant thought that she and the other model, the one she sat beside, looked great
together. Spring collected some cleaning products from under the bathroom sink as she thought of how
excited she and Brandi were when they were offered the job. Knowing she was going to have someone
with her during the shoot gave her a bit more confidence.

Frowning, she looked out over the germ-infested kitchen and living room. Maybe cleaning would calm
her nerves and keep her mind off Dez.



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