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A smile quirked on his lips when he spotted an arrangement of knickknacks on a set of three white shelves. A few photo frames mingled with some seaside type decor—miniature lighthouses and boats and stuff—but it was the driftwood, shells and pebbles that drew his attention.
He remembered her obsession with collecting things from the beach and how he’d found the biggest shell on that shelf. It had been caught amongst the large rocks they used to jump off and he’d risked slicing himself to ribbons to collect it on a particularly windy day. The waves had nearly dragged him out to sea and he still recalled her screaming his name in terror before he emerged with a huge grin and the big shell. He would have done anything for her.
Still would, he supposed.
The kettle clicked and he finished making a cup for them both. When he returned to the bedroom, she was still awake, staring at him with wide eyes.
He set down the cup on her bedside table and perched on the end of the mattress. “You don’t have much food in. When did you last eat?”
She lifted her gaze to the ceiling and dragged her lower lip between her teeth. “I can’t remember.”
“How long have you been sick?”
“Since Wednesday.” She grimaced and sneezed several times in a row. He handed her a tissue from the box next to the bed. “I think. Nikki—my part-time assistant—has been running the shop for me.”
“Have you even eaten today?” Her silence told him she hadn’t. “Why didn’t you ask Nikki to get you something? Or your mum?”
“Mum and Dad are away for a month and Nikki’s been working hard enough. I told her I’d pop out today to get food. It’s only a cold.”
“Sounds more like flu to me.”
“Just a cold,” she protested.
A shiver wracked her, increasing his concerns for her health. Daft woman didn’t want to ask for help. He guessed he understood that but still, it wasn’t like she didn’t have a support network. He doubted her friend would have minded helping her. And why didn’t she think to ask him for help? Probably didn’t think he’d be able to look after her.
What if she’d asked someone else? It hadn’t even occurred to him there might be other men waiting in the wings. How stupid was he if he believed Maddie had been patiently sitting around, waiting for his return for twelve years?
Jealousy curled his gut tight. It made his voice harsh. “You’re not expecting anyone tonight, are you?”
She laughed and it turned into a cough. “In this state. I don’t think so.” She rested her head back against the dark headboard. “I appreciate the drink, Sawyer, but you don’t need to stay. I can look after myself and you don’t want to get sick.”
“I never get sick and I’m not leaving you like this.” He drew his phone out of his pocket. “What do you want to eat? Chinese? Indian? Spices would be good for you.”
Her nose wrinkled. “I only like korma.”
“Okay, not exactly spicy, but better than nothing.” He found the number in his phone and dialled in an order. As much as he liked cooking, cooking for one was a bore so he had all the local take-out restaurants in his phone.
Acutely aware of her watching him, it was hard to forget the last time she’d been watching him like that. He stumbled over his own order and blew out a slow breath when he hung up. He didn’t need to be sitting on her bed and imagining when she’d looked at him like she wanted to jump him right then and there. Especially not when she was sick. That wouldn’t exactly do much to prove himself, would it?
Funny thing was, this wasn’t about proving anything. At least not at first. He simply wanted to look after her. He supposed he’d spent so long trying to protect her, it came instinctually.
“They’ll be here in forty-five minutes. I hope you can wait that long.”
She nodded and cradled her cup of tea between both hands. “Thanks, Sawyer.”
Her soft smile made his insides turn to mush. Did she really have to be so damn adorable? He cleared his throat. “Have you had any painkillers recently?”
She glanced at the clock on her bedside table and shook her head. “No, it’s been more than four hours I think. I slept through most of the afternoon.”
Glad to be able to do something useful, he went and got a packet of pills for the coffee table and popped two out for her. She took them with her tea and sighed. When she shifted to get comfortable and her dressing gown gaped, revealing the curve of her breasts in a low-cut strappy pyjama top, all thoughts ofadorableandcutevanished. Now words likesexy-as-helland various other inappropriate phrases whirled around his mind. The last thing Maddie needed was him to be perving on her.
“You can’t stay there all day. Come here.” She patted the bed beside her and plumped up a cushion.
Did she know what he was thinking? Was she trying to torture him? From her guileless expression, no.
She had no idea he was imagining pushing back that fuzzy thing and slipping off those shoulder straps. No clue that right now he was licking her nipples in his mind. He was swirling his tongue around them and drawing them between his teeth. No. Damn. Clue.
He almost felt sorry for her.
