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"Yeah" Sitting on the edge of the bed, I held the button down and glided the roller along his forehead Pulling my hand back, I read, "A hundred and two point four We should get some Tylenol in you"

Hedown yet"

I nodded "Okay" Rising, I fetched a washcloth from the bathroom and ran it under cold water It would do until the ice packs were chilled enough Sitting on the bed again, I positioned the cloth on his forehead Moving away, I gasped when he grabbed hold of

His blue eyes drilled into ed uncomfortably "I don’t know"

He shook his head once like that wasn’t good enough "Why are you here?"

His fingers shifted, the tips sending hot little sparks up my ar half his face, but he didn’t He looked huht then

"Because you need so between us, and I realized they sounded like so ers slid from my wrist, and he expelled a heavy breath--like he suddenly remembered that he was sick and couldn’t deal with this--with ain Alive such short notice, but I can’t leave her alone She’s too sick" I paused and listened as Beckie commiserated and assuredI’ll see you Saturday"

I hung up the phone onuntil the last minute to make the call, but it had taken me the better part of two hours to decide that I couldn’t leave Reece alone Or I wouldn’t Either way, I had resigned h he hadn’t asked it ofI’ around to aze head-on "You’re awake"

He pressed down on thehis back against the pillows bunched up at the headboard "How long was I asleep?"

"Alhed and scrubbed a hand over his face "And I didn’t get sick That’s good Maybe I can try that drink now" He glanced to his left and, seeing that the es over the side

"No Don’t get up" I hurried into the kitchen, poured hilass of Gatorade, and shook out two caplets of Tylenol

When I returned he took the pills fro thelass down on the nightstand "You really don’t have to miss work for me"

"Too late Besides"--I motioned to his kitchen table wheredone" I had retrieved , he eased up onto his feet, instantly towering over h all that bare inked skin ht Both nights Here and in my dorled up with his--all lean lines, hard angles, and curvingaze skie to hied in a prison yard lifting weights with other convicts Not with me

I lowered my hand from where it hovered over his bicep and ? You should stay in bed" On your back Weak and sick and far less inti to take a shower I’ll be okay, Moia always said so Ironic considering I never had that kind of rew up in a couardian, were often sick, it ith the territory

I watched as he ht play ofme His strides were much less swift and sure than normal At the bathroom door, he paused and looked back over his shoulder "You can stay If you want to" He glanced back at the table where all my books were spread out "Study here"

I nodded,a crazy little flip He turned back around and closed himself in the bathrooh the door

My heart still felt foolishly light as I found fresh sheets in a chest near the bed Stripping off his old sheets and replacing theed fro a towel over his head "You changed ht a sht you ht like fresh sheets"

He stared at ure me out My smile faded Because that would never happen I could never let it happen God, first I’d have to figure le

Just when I thought I knehat I wanted in life and who I was, I’d get a call fro went to hell when he married my h school sweetheart, as now married to a pharmacist and had four kids And if it wasn’t Graht in the shadows and praying for an invisibility cloak That had been irls dream of castles I drea then, and I was still trying to figure ed y Like becoht soh mine

There was only one irrefutable truth in ood Hunter was normal And I wanted that Correction: Him I wanted him That I knew That was the plan

"Thanks," he said "For doing this Being here"

"Want to try and eat soot chicken noodle soup Jell-O Crackers"

"I ht be ready for a little Jell-O"

I ree and handed it to hiainst the counter, he studied rabbed a late lunch and snacked on some crackers while you slept I’m fine"

He peeled the foil lid off the cup "They could ht"

"That’s okay"

He spooned a small bite of strawberry Jell-O into his mouth Theit slowly

"I didn’t think I’d see you again Why’d you co another bite

I couldn’t see his face to properly judge his thoughts, but I thought he sounded allad I was here?