pressing a cold cloth to her forehead.
“Ugh…!” she gagged, swatting ineffectually at him. “Leave me…alone…!”
He stroked her back as another spasm took hold. “Not a chance,” he said. “You ought to know by now that I can’t ignore a lady in distress.”
“I will not have you see me like this!”
“From where I stand, sweet pea, you’re in no position to be issuing orders. You’ve got your work cut out tossing your cookies.”
The man was about as sensitive as a water buffalo. “Show a little tact, for pity’s sake! I don’t need an…audience.”
“Instead of fighting me every step of the way,” he said virtuously, “you might try thanking me for showing up when I did, since it’s obvious to anyone with two neurons to rub together that you could use a little help.”
She crawled to a sitting position on the lip of the bathtub as the bout of sickness abated. “Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m fresh out of gratitude where you’re concerned.”
He rinsed the cloth in more cold water and attempted to wipe her flushed face. “No call to get testy, Jenna. You aren’t the first woman I’ve seen throw up and I suspect you won’t be the last.”
She slapped his hand away. “Stop fussing over me! I’m feeling better.”
He inspected her minutely, starting with her bare feet sticking out at the bottom of her ratty old pink bathrobe, and ending with her hair which hadn’t seen the working end of a brush in hours. “You look like the wrath of God!”
“So you keep telling me.”
“Worse even than you did the night we met.”
“Thank you,” she said peevishly.
“Is it something you ate that’s making you ill?”
“Yes,” she lied, because to admit the truth to him, of all people, was out of the question.
“You want me to put you to bed?”
“God, no!” She sprang up from the edge of the tub and tried to push past him. “You’ve already done enough damage!”
She didn’t need his raised eyebrows and quizzical expression to know she’d almost blown her cover.
“How so, Jenna?” he asked carefully, manacling her wrist in an iron grip. “What heinous crime have I committed, beyond making a habit of being there to pick up the pieces when things go wrong in your life?”
She attempted to stare him down, which was a mistake. For a start, he didn’t stare down easily. And second, he was too disturbingly good-looking. Admiring his face, with its strong, clean lines, led to her remembering other, equally chiseled parts of him, and that provoked exactly the kind of turbulence her stomach was in no shape to tolerate. “I’m surprised you have the nerve to ask me that!”
“If you’re referring to the night we spent together, let me remind you that I made a superhuman effort to decline the invitation you so charmingly extended.”
“Oh!” she gasped, a furious blush riding up her neck at the unquestionable truth of his allegation. “Only an utter boor would throw that back in my face!”
His hold on her wrist lessened, became a lazy, evocative caress. “Before you fly into orbit, let me also say that I found it a memorably magnificent experience which I have never for a moment regretted.”
“Did you really?” she snapped, refusing to be blindsided by his belated attempt at flattery. “Is that why you left so early the next morning without so much as a note telling me why?”
“Funny you should mention that since it’s one of the reasons I felt obliged to track you down now. Believe me, Jenna, I’m well aware I have some explaining to do.” He trailed his fingers over her palm, folded her hand around his, and propelled her toward the door. “But if it’s all the same to you, I’d as soon find some place more conducive to conversation before I unburden myself. Unless, of course, you think you might be sick again any time soon?”
Annoyed to find herself warming to his touch, she wrenched her hand away. “I already told you, I’m feeling much
“Ugh…!” she gagged, swatting ineffectually at him. “Leave me…alone…!”
He stroked her back as another spasm took hold. “Not a chance,” he said. “You ought to know by now that I can’t ignore a lady in distress.”
“I will not have you see me like this!”
“From where I stand, sweet pea, you’re in no position to be issuing orders. You’ve got your work cut out tossing your cookies.”
The man was about as sensitive as a water buffalo. “Show a little tact, for pity’s sake! I don’t need an…audience.”
“Instead of fighting me every step of the way,” he said virtuously, “you might try thanking me for showing up when I did, since it’s obvious to anyone with two neurons to rub together that you could use a little help.”
She crawled to a sitting position on the lip of the bathtub as the bout of sickness abated. “Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m fresh out of gratitude where you’re concerned.”
He rinsed the cloth in more cold water and attempted to wipe her flushed face. “No call to get testy, Jenna. You aren’t the first woman I’ve seen throw up and I suspect you won’t be the last.”
She slapped his hand away. “Stop fussing over me! I’m feeling better.”
He inspected her minutely, starting with her bare feet sticking out at the bottom of her ratty old pink bathrobe, and ending with her hair which hadn’t seen the working end of a brush in hours. “You look like the wrath of God!”
“So you keep telling me.”
“Worse even than you did the night we met.”
“Thank you,” she said peevishly.
“Is it something you ate that’s making you ill?”
“Yes,” she lied, because to admit the truth to him, of all people, was out of the question.
“You want me to put you to bed?”
“God, no!” She sprang up from the edge of the tub and tried to push past him. “You’ve already done enough damage!”
She didn’t need his raised eyebrows and quizzical expression to know she’d almost blown her cover.
“How so, Jenna?” he asked carefully, manacling her wrist in an iron grip. “What heinous crime have I committed, beyond making a habit of being there to pick up the pieces when things go wrong in your life?”
She attempted to stare him down, which was a mistake. For a start, he didn’t stare down easily. And second, he was too disturbingly good-looking. Admiring his face, with its strong, clean lines, led to her remembering other, equally chiseled parts of him, and that provoked exactly the kind of turbulence her stomach was in no shape to tolerate. “I’m surprised you have the nerve to ask me that!”
“If you’re referring to the night we spent together, let me remind you that I made a superhuman effort to decline the invitation you so charmingly extended.”
“Oh!” she gasped, a furious blush riding up her neck at the unquestionable truth of his allegation. “Only an utter boor would throw that back in my face!”
His hold on her wrist lessened, became a lazy, evocative caress. “Before you fly into orbit, let me also say that I found it a memorably magnificent experience which I have never for a moment regretted.”
“Did you really?” she snapped, refusing to be blindsided by his belated attempt at flattery. “Is that why you left so early the next morning without so much as a note telling me why?”
“Funny you should mention that since it’s one of the reasons I felt obliged to track you down now. Believe me, Jenna, I’m well aware I have some explaining to do.” He trailed his fingers over her palm, folded her hand around his, and propelled her toward the door. “But if it’s all the same to you, I’d as soon find some place more conducive to conversation before I unburden myself. Unless, of course, you think you might be sick again any time soon?”
Annoyed to find herself warming to his touch, she wrenched her hand away. “I already told you, I’m feeling much
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