Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 146666 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 733(@200wpm)___ 587(@250wpm)___ 489(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 146666 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 733(@200wpm)___ 587(@250wpm)___ 489(@300wpm)
In her ear! Not anywhere else.
Jesus.
He was having issues.
“Are you all right, sweetness?” He kneeled next to her.
“Fine.”
“Will you look at me? Please?” While it was worded as a request, it was actually a command. He waited for her to look at him.
Her cheeks were flushed red, and her eyes could only meet his for a moment.
“You look flushed. And you sound a bit off.” Without thinking he placed his hand on her forehead. “Yeah, you feel a bit hot to me. I’m going to take your temperature.”
“I’m fine. Really. Just . . . I’m sorry I knocked on your door like that. I got a fright when you yelled out.”
It was his turn to clear his throat, unable to meet her gaze. “Yeah. Sorry. Thought I saw a . . . spider.”
“Really?” she asked.
“Yep. Didn’t mean to yell so loudly that you heard me from in here.” Although he still didn’t see how that was possible. “And I shouldn’t have snapped at you like I did. I apologize.”
“You’re scared of spiders?” she asked.
“Yep.” Oh, you liar. This one is coming back to bite you in the ass.
Hopefully not literally.
A spider bite on the butt was no joke.
“I would have caught it for you. I don’t mind spiders.” She sat up with the blanket wrapped around her.
“Good to know. I still want to check your temperature. Is your throat sore?”
“No. I’m fine. Really. Believe me, I know what it feels like when I’m coming down with something. I’m always getting sick.”
“You are?”
“Yeah, I have a terrible immune system. I catch everything. Once, I caught two colds at once. That was nasty.”
Hmm.
“I’m going to take it anyway. All right?”
“Okie-dokie.” Her gaze moved back to the cartoon playing on the television.
Scooby-Doo. He liked that one too.
He moved into his room, then decided to experiment. “Hey, Greer?”
Nothing. Maybe she was too engrossed in her TV show.
“Sweet Potato?” he called out louder.
Still nothing.
He walked back into her room with his doctor’s bag.
“Can you give me your finger?”
“Uh-huh.”
He had to grin. She was totally engrossed in the show. It was cute.
“Who is your favorite?” he asked as he slipped the pulse and oxygen reader onto her finger.
“Um. What?” She glanced up at him briefly.
“Who is your favorite character on Scooby-Doo?” he asked.
“Oh, Velma.”
“Good choice. Mine is Fred.” He looked at the pulse reader. All good. Then he took her temperature. Slightly raised, but nothing too bad.
Relief filled him.
He didn’t want anything to happen to her. Not that he could really stop her from getting hurt or sick.
But if she was his, then he’d damn well try his hardest to protect her.
“Did you really hear me yell from all the way in here?” he asked.
When she didn’t answer, he grabbed the remote and paused the show.
“Hey!” She glared up at him. Damn, if looks could kill . . .
“I asked you a question, sweetness. You really get caught up in that show, don’t you?”
“Oh. Sorry.”
“Did you really hear me yell from in here?” he asked.
“Um. Shoot. No.” She held her stuffed worm tight.
That toy . . . was the weirdest, ugliest thing he had ever seen. It honestly looked like something out of a nightmare.
But there was no way he was telling her that.
He wasn’t an idiot.
“I, uh . . . shoot. I’m so sorry. I got anxious and I went and sat outside your bathroom door.”
Worry and warmth filled him. “Oh, baby, I’m sorry. Are you okay now?”
“Yes, thank you,” she whispered, feeling like an idiot. She still couldn’t believe that she’d snuck into his room to sit by the bathroom door and listen to him shower.
When she’d heard him shout out, she really had been worried that he’d hurt himself. That he’d slipped in the shower. Of course, she would have volunteered to nurse him back to health.
“Will you be all right while I go get us some dinner?”
Her eyes widened. “We still have snacks.”
“We ate snacks for lunch. We can’t have them for dinner too. And we might need some food for tomorrow.”
“You don’t think anyone will deliver?” she asked.
“No. I don’t,” he said gently. “But I can try.”
“No, wait. That’s all right. I’ll be fine. Is it still snowing out there?”
She shivered with worry as he moved to the window and drew back the curtain.
“Yep. Still snowing. Are you sure you’ll be all right while I’m gone?”
She nodded. What other choice did she have? She had to be okay. Or they would starve to death.
“You know what . . . you’re right. We still have some snacks. We’ll be okay until morning—”
She took hold of his hand. Damn, he was so warm. She wanted those arms wrapped around her again. She’d felt so safe.
Greer couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt that safe. But it wasn’t fair to ask him to keep hugging her.