I'll Be There Part 12

"Maybe you should get back in bed."

"I was looking for my pants before I came in here to..."

"Get something to drink?" he supplied.

"Yes."

"Your pants are in the bathroom drying. Last night, I rinsed them out and hung them over the shower rod."

She nodded. "Oh. Thank you."

"I'll bring them to you when they're dry."

She nodded, then asked again, "Where are we?"

"Cole Craig's farm."

"Where is that? I've see Cole in town, but don't know where he lives."

"You really don't remember coming here yesterday?"

"No."

"He has a farm just outside Angel Ridge."

"Are we safe? No one followed us?"

"You're safe. There's no one out here but us and Cole."

She looked around. "He's here, too?"

He almost laughed. She was really disoriented. "Not here. This is a house on his property. He's up at his house."

"Oh."

This was better than earlier when she'd been talking out of her head... and coming on to him. Any improvement was good. He'd take it.

She sipped her soft drink in silence. "Can I get you some toast or juice?"

She thought about that for a moment. "Sure."

He got up and put bread in the toaster, then got a gla.s.s from the cabinet and poured orange juice in it. "Would you like anything on the toast?"

"A little honey?"

He went to the pantry to get the honey, and spooned it onto the bread when it was ready. He placed the plate and juice in front of her, then went into the living room, got an afghan, brought it back and tucked it around her stunning legs.

"Thanks."

She nibbled on the toast and drank most of the juice. When she'd gotten one triangle down, she pushed the plate aside. "I can't eat any more."

He nodded, trying not to watch as she licked the sticky honey off her fingers. "Would you like to go back to bed now? Or maybe you'd like to lie on the couch and look out at the meadow."

"That sounds nice."

He took her elbow and helped her stand. She deliberately stepped away from his touch and preceded him into the adjacent room with the blanket thrown over her arm and trailing behind her. He followed closely, looking for any signs of weakness. He didn't want her falling and injuring herself.

"Wow." She stopped moving when she got a look at the view from the windows. "I've never seen so much snow. It's really coming down."

"It started yesterday afternoon."

"How much is there?"

"At least a foot. Maybe more."

"Really?"

She walked over to the window, touched her fingertips to the gla.s.s. "Is it very cold?"

"About thirty degrees."

"Beautiful," she breathed.

"Come away from the window. You'll still be able to see from the couch."

"And no one will be able to see me from there?"

"Right.

She took a deep breath and exhaled. She looked over her shoulder at the couch as if it were too far away. Cord slipped an arm around her waist. She leaned heavily against him as they walked back across the room.

"Sorry. I'm just a little weak."

"You've been pretty sick." He piled up pillows at the end of the sofa. She lay back against them pulling the afghan up around her. "Can I get you another blanket?"

"No, thank you."

Cord went back to the kitchen and fixed her another drink. When he returned to the living room, she was sound asleep. He set the drink on a nearby table within easy reach, then went to the bedroom, and stripped the sheets from the bed. After he'd put on fresh ones, he took the others to kitchen and put them in a plastic bag.

Relief settled over him now that she seemed better. He just hoped her temperature would come down and that there wouldn't be any further complications. Then he could get her up to his cabin.

Chapter 10.

Jenny woke feeling much better. A heavenly smell coming from the kitchen made her stomach growl. Upon investigation, she found Cord at the stove stirring something in a large pot. Steam curled out of it carrying the savory aroma. Jenny's stomach growled again. Darkening shadows outside the window meant it must be late.

"That smells wonderful."

Cord turned. He seemed surprised to see her standing there. "I didn't hear you."

"It's hard to make noise when you're shuffling around in over-sized socks." She wiggled her toes, drawing his attention to her feet, but also unintentionally to her bare legs, which he clearly liked looking at.

His gaze returned slowly to hers. "How do you feel?"

She licked her dry lips. "Hungry."

"It should be ready soon. Have a seat and I'll give you some bread."

He bent to open the oven and remove a pan of cornbread, but she said, "I think I'll freshen up first."

"Sure." He closed the oven door and put the lid back on the pot. "Do you need help?"

Tempting. Very tempting. He was wearing dark jeans and a dark green flannel s.h.i.+rt, again with just the middle b.u.t.tons fastened. Jenny chewed on her lower lip. "I'm afraid I don't remember where the bathroom is." She wondered that she could remember her name while she was in the same room with this man. It wasn't just that he was handsome and sinfully s.e.xy. Something about him drew her to him. Compelling. Yes, that was it. He was compelling and mysterious, reminding Jenny that she'd just begun unraveling the mystery of him when she'd gotten ill.

He joined her at the doorway to the kitchen. She pressed her back to the doorframe when he came closer. An exotic scent clung to his skin, teasing her nose. He lifted a hand to her cheek. She s.h.i.+vered. His touch combined with his nearness did all manner of wild things to her weakened system.

"I think your fever is down."

Really? Heat, that had nothing to do with her fever, spread from the top of her head all the way to her toes. She made an effort to not let her disappointment show when he shoved his hands into the pockets of his snug-fitting jeans.

"The bathroom's just over there, by the bedroom. Your clothes are on the counter."

Not trusting herself to speak, she nodded.

"There are towels and washcloths on the shelf over the toilet. If you need anything or if you start to feel ill and need help, just call. I'll be nearby."

Jenny somehow got herself to the bathroom and closed the door, but his promise to be close by resulted in myriad images of her naked in the shower and him coming to join her. She put a hand to her head. She must still be delirious. A fuzzy memory intruded of gentle hands caring for her last night and this morning that left a tangle of warm feelings fluttering in her stomach. She'd never allowed anyone to take care of her, not even her mother. She'd preferred her sister when she was sick. And now-no, she wouldn't go there, not unless she wanted to burst into tears, and she refused to cry right now.

She used the bathroom, then stripped out of Cord's flannel s.h.i.+rt. She was naked beneath it save her panties, which meant he must have gotten her that way. "Holy..." She squeezed her eyes shut. This was doing nothing to get her wayward thoughts under control!

The shower would be quicker, but the tub looked so inviting. Her stomach rumbled its preference. She grabbed a towel, turned on the taps in the shower, adjusted the temperature and stepped inside. The spray of water felt like a warm, gentle rain trickling over her skin. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had the luxury of a leisurely shower.

"What are you doing?"

Jenny gasped and instinctively covered herself even though a shower curtain separated them. She wiped the water out of her eyes and stated the obvious. "I'm taking a shower."

"Not a good idea."

"Excuse me?"

She really should have checked the lock on the bathroom door.

"You're sick and weak. What if you fall?"

"I'll call for you."

"Not if you hit your head or pa.s.s out."

"I'm fine, really." She grabbed the soap and rubbed it between her palms. Cord hadn't budged. He was vigilant. A characteristic she'd become overly acquainted with since she'd been in protective custody.

"If I'm not out in ten minutes, you can come back and check on me."

Jenny started soaping her skin and singing a popular top forty tune. To his credit, Cord stayed put even though her singing was loud and painfully off-key. She sang louder, despite the fact that it was torture on her sore, dry throat.

After she finished lathering her body, she looked at her legs. She'd kill for a razor. If she asked for one, Cord would probably be afraid she'd require suturing afterward.

She stepped under the spray, then lathered her hair and rinsed the soap out. Short hair would be so much easier, but if she cut it, she'd need to color it. She sighed. A couple of hours at the salon, make that three to add a ma.s.sage, sounded like heaven right now.

If she went back to her natural color, she'd look more like Frannie. Despite the three-year difference in their age, everyone had always thought they were twins. Again, she wondered about her sister. Had she spent any time in Angel Ridge at Jenny's house?

Probably not. It might be too hard for Frannie to be around her things. Even though they'd been close, they were very different. Jenny had been the strong one and Frannie was the nurturer. She had such a soft heart. Jenny closed her eyes. She had to focus on living her life without Frannie, but her sister had been the only true, deep emotional connection she'd ever allowed herself. That loss was nearly more than she could bear.

Trying to force thoughts of her family away, she refocused on finis.h.i.+ng her shower. If she spent a moment too long in here, Cord, who still stood sentinel in the bathroom, would probably pull back the curtain and haul her out, naked and dripping onto the faded vinyl floor. Delicious as that fantasy might seem, it would not become a reality. She reluctantly turned off the taps.

She pulled the towel down from the shower rod and dried herself. Maybe he'd stepped into the bedroom to allow her some privacy, but just in case, she wrapped up in the oversized towel before she stepped out.

No such luck. Cord stood there, his arms crossed. His face must be thunder, because lightening flew from his eyes. She pulled the towel closer around her. "Did you need something?"

He stared at her for a moment, then took her arm and helped her out of the tub. As soon as she stood securely on the cold floor, he left the room, closing the door with a decisive click. The man definitely had control issues.

She put her bra on, trying not to imagine him taking it as well as her t-s.h.i.+rt and sweatpants off. She dressed in his s.h.i.+rt and her sweatpants, then picked up her panties and rinsed them in the sink. After she'd squeezed out the excess water, she hung them in the shower. Jenny wiped off a circle on the mirror and ran her fingers through her hair. Man, her mouth tasted like a garbage disposal.

"Cord?"

He was in the bathroom instantly. Jenny smiled. "Do you have an extra toothbrush and maybe some deodorant?"

"I put them there on the shelf."

"Oh. Sorry. Didn't see them."

"They were in the things Grady picked up yesterday."

She nodded and squeezed paste onto the toothbrush.

"Are you all right?"

"A little tired, but fine. I'll just brush my teeth, then join you in the kitchen."

Cord nodded and left the room. The man was not much of a conversationalist. She moistened the toothbrush and began brus.h.i.+ng.

What did she expect? He lived like a hermit in the middle of absolute nowhere. The only time he probably had to use his voice was when he went into town to shop. Heck, he'd probably found a way around talking even then. Again, she was struck by how much he reminded her of the marshals who'd been dragging her from one non-descript location to another these past months.