“Don’t mind me,” he said, stumping past them. “I’ll be just fine.”
But when she was back in Roy’s bed, breathing in the whisper of his scent, she began to worry again. Was he all right?
Then there was the problem of the blanket sitting in the cedar chest in the parlor…. Why had Roy really come in here in the first place—to check on her?
More troublesome still, when would he begin to wonder why a fine New York lady had called him sir precisely as a servant would?
Chapter Four
“B roken.”
Dr. Webster’s declaration was met by a moan from Roy—not just because the broken toe in question throbbed like the devil, but because he could just guess what the old sawbones was going to say next.
“What you need is bed rest,” the doctor advised. “Plenty of it. Stay off that foot for a month.”
“A month!” Roy bellowed. Even by Webster’s dire standards, that was outrageous. There was work to be done. And though he didn’t want to admit it to himself, he didn’t want to spend the next two months hobbling around like a fool in front of Ellie.
He glanced up at her hovering in the doorway, looking as guilty as if she’d purposely caused the trunk to land on his foot, and felt his face redden. He should never have come into her bedroom last night, and not just because he regretted being in the accident. On the contrary, what he most regretted was the memory of Ellie that floated in his memory—her in her soft nightgown, unbuttoned enough that he could see the pale skin of her full breasts. Of her long red hair, loose and flowing, its curly tendrils all but inviting the touch of a man’s hand. Most of all, hecouldn’t forget the way her pink lips parted in surprise when he appeared suddenly in her doorway. His toe didn’t ache nearly so much as he ached to kiss those lips of hers.
Dr. Webster stood and patted Roy on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, Roy. You’ll be better by the time of the school dance.”
Parker smirked. “As if Roy cares about that!”
Roy bristled and took pains not to glance over at Ellie again for her reaction. What was Parker trying to do, make him out to be some kind of barbarian? “I’ll be back at work next week, Doc.” He glared at Parker. “I’ll be dancing next week, too, if I’ve a mind to.”
This time he couldn’t help tossing a look over at Ellie, just to make sure she realized that he wasn’t as uncivilized as his brother had intimated. She smiled her encouragement at him, which made her appear girlishly sweet, even if her clothes would be more appropriate for an old schoolmarm. Her bulky black dress had a high neck that seemed austere for such a young beautiful woman, to say the least, and to make her look just a little more uncomfortable, she wore a loose black pinafore over the outfit. Her hair was pulled back in a tidy chignon, denying him the vision of it in its full blazing glory. But her lips—she couldn’t tuck those away. They were pink and full, lips that seemed to beg a man’s attention.
Ellie had been apologizing nonstop since the accident, despite his assurances that he didn’t blame her one bit for the incident. And he didn’t. But he couldn’t say he minded all the attention that she’d lavished on him since then.
Today he’d been awakened by her bringing him hot coffee and a freshly warmed foot warmer. And all morning until the doctor arrived, she’d hoverednearby like a protective shadow, watching over him, but then skittering away before he could engage her in conversation. She was ever-present and yet maddeningly elusive.
Parker smiled at the doctor and took his arm. “Don’t worry, Doc, Ike and I will see to it that my brother doesn’t take up the ballet any time soon.”
Roy scowled as the doctor, chuckling, was escorted from the room.
When they were gone, Ellie came up to the side of the bed where he was sitting. “We forgot to ask the doctor if he had something to ease your pain.”
Roy barked out a laugh.
But when she was back in Roy’s bed, breathing in the whisper of his scent, she began to worry again. Was he all right?
Then there was the problem of the blanket sitting in the cedar chest in the parlor…. Why had Roy really come in here in the first place—to check on her?
More troublesome still, when would he begin to wonder why a fine New York lady had called him sir precisely as a servant would?
Chapter Four
“B roken.”
Dr. Webster’s declaration was met by a moan from Roy—not just because the broken toe in question throbbed like the devil, but because he could just guess what the old sawbones was going to say next.
“What you need is bed rest,” the doctor advised. “Plenty of it. Stay off that foot for a month.”
“A month!” Roy bellowed. Even by Webster’s dire standards, that was outrageous. There was work to be done. And though he didn’t want to admit it to himself, he didn’t want to spend the next two months hobbling around like a fool in front of Ellie.
He glanced up at her hovering in the doorway, looking as guilty as if she’d purposely caused the trunk to land on his foot, and felt his face redden. He should never have come into her bedroom last night, and not just because he regretted being in the accident. On the contrary, what he most regretted was the memory of Ellie that floated in his memory—her in her soft nightgown, unbuttoned enough that he could see the pale skin of her full breasts. Of her long red hair, loose and flowing, its curly tendrils all but inviting the touch of a man’s hand. Most of all, hecouldn’t forget the way her pink lips parted in surprise when he appeared suddenly in her doorway. His toe didn’t ache nearly so much as he ached to kiss those lips of hers.
Dr. Webster stood and patted Roy on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, Roy. You’ll be better by the time of the school dance.”
Parker smirked. “As if Roy cares about that!”
Roy bristled and took pains not to glance over at Ellie again for her reaction. What was Parker trying to do, make him out to be some kind of barbarian? “I’ll be back at work next week, Doc.” He glared at Parker. “I’ll be dancing next week, too, if I’ve a mind to.”
This time he couldn’t help tossing a look over at Ellie, just to make sure she realized that he wasn’t as uncivilized as his brother had intimated. She smiled her encouragement at him, which made her appear girlishly sweet, even if her clothes would be more appropriate for an old schoolmarm. Her bulky black dress had a high neck that seemed austere for such a young beautiful woman, to say the least, and to make her look just a little more uncomfortable, she wore a loose black pinafore over the outfit. Her hair was pulled back in a tidy chignon, denying him the vision of it in its full blazing glory. But her lips—she couldn’t tuck those away. They were pink and full, lips that seemed to beg a man’s attention.
Ellie had been apologizing nonstop since the accident, despite his assurances that he didn’t blame her one bit for the incident. And he didn’t. But he couldn’t say he minded all the attention that she’d lavished on him since then.
Today he’d been awakened by her bringing him hot coffee and a freshly warmed foot warmer. And all morning until the doctor arrived, she’d hoverednearby like a protective shadow, watching over him, but then skittering away before he could engage her in conversation. She was ever-present and yet maddeningly elusive.
Parker smiled at the doctor and took his arm. “Don’t worry, Doc, Ike and I will see to it that my brother doesn’t take up the ballet any time soon.”
Roy scowled as the doctor, chuckling, was escorted from the room.
When they were gone, Ellie came up to the side of the bed where he was sitting. “We forgot to ask the doctor if he had something to ease your pain.”
Roy barked out a laugh.
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