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"I’m goingto take a long hot bath and go to bed. You may use the guest room ifyou like." Without waiting for his response, she swept past himand headed into her bedroom, slamming the door shut behind her.
Dion stood whereshe’d left him, a grim expression on his face. He had somehalf-formed plan on how to get through to her when he arrived, a planthat had taken a nosedive when he realized she wasn’t here.He’d sat waiting for her for half an hour before he noticed thesky had turned an ominous gray and she was still not home.
He walked toward thedoor she’d slammed and contemplated storming in and making herlisten to him. She’d been shivering for Christ's sake! What onearth had possessed her to go out in this weather?
Rocking back on hisheels, he stared at the door for a few more minutes before turningtoward the kitchen. He’d picked up food on his way here, but alook inside the kitchen told him that she’d prepared soup.Putting the kettle on, he got the cup and pouch out. No doubt she’dwelcome something warm.
Inside the bathroom,Odette fumed. How dare he come here! How did he know where she was?He’d probably gone to her place and discovered she wasn’tat home. She knew he’d been calling her and she’d chosento ignore the calls and the messages. She’d been in the warmwater for several minutes and was still chilled to the bone.
With a hiss of herteeth, she climbed out of the bath and reached for the fluffy towelon the hook. Wrapping it around her securely, she went into thebedroom, stopping when she saw him standing by the bed.
“I want to bealone.”
“I brought yousome tea.” His light green eyes raked over the damp flesh andthe still wet hair. “You’re going to catch your death."
"That's none ofyour concern. Just go." Turning her back on him, she went overto the dresser and yanked the drawer open, taking out a cottonnightgown. Not bothering with underwear, she pulled it over her headbefore dragging off the towel.
"We need totalk."
"We don't needto do anything. Look, I’m tired and cold and I just need tocrawl into bed and get some sleep." She moved past him andclimbed in, pulling the thick blanket over her. "Leave me alone,Dion."
"You should atleast dry your hair."
"I will if youleave." She said pointedly. For one heart stopping moment, itlooked as if he was going to ignore her, but after a measured look,he turned on his heels and walked out, slamming the door shut behindhim. Leaning back against the pillows heaped against the plainheadboard, she let out a sigh.
She didn’t wantto think about him. He’d hurt her badly, and she was pissed athim. There was nothing he could say that was going to make thingsright. Reaching for the cup of tea, she took a few sips and welcomedthe flood of warmth inside her.
*****
Dion had found abottle of scotch and was halfway through it already. Instead of goingto his bedroom, he was in the living room where the fire was blazinginside the hearth. Wandering from the fireplace to the window, hestared out as the rain lashing at the pane of glass.
It was really comingdown out there, he observed with a frown, his mind on the woman a fewfeet away. She refused to talk to him and that was something he’dexpected. She had a right to be pissed off at him. He’d hurther.
He regretted that,but he wanted to make it right and she wasn’t letting him. He’dgive her the night to cool off and then he was going to have aconversation, one way or another, even if he had to tie her down inorder to do so.
Taking a sip of thescotch, he frowned as he recalled she’d been shivering. Evenafter taking a bath, she was still cold enough to be trembling.
He hoped to God shewasn’t catching a cold. He knew the weather here could bepretty vicious, from one extreme to the next. It was the end ofSeptember and the temperature was already dropping. He’d checkon her during the night to make sure she was alright.
*****
Something woke himduring the course of the night and he had no idea what it was.Sitting up against the pillows, he listened for a minute to the windand rain lashing against the window before sliding out of bed.
A glance at the clockshowed it was past midnight. Odette! It must be something to do withher. Not bothering to put on a robe, even though he could feel thecold seeping through the walls, he strode from the room and pushedthe door of her bedroom open.
At first, he thoughthe was imagining she was moaning in her sleep. But as he steppedfurther into the room, he could clearly see she’d shoved offthe blanket and was thrashing around on the bed.
Running the restof the way, he sat on the side of the bed and felt her forehead.Shock and dismay vied for supremacy as he felt the heat of her skinagainst his hand.
"Oh Christ!"he whispered. "Odette, wake up, darling."
"What?" Hereyes drifted open and he could see they were feverishly bright."Dion? What are – I’m so hot and my throat is sodry." She whispered. "I’m sick."
"You have afever." He pried her fingers from his and rose. "I’mgoing to get some water to try and get the fever down."
Turning away, hehurried into the bathroom to fill a basin with cold water. He wasgoing through the medicine cabinet, when it occurred to him he had noidea what she could take. He grabbed a washcloth and went back intothe bedroom.
Sitting on the sideof the bed, he eased the nightgown up and out of the way to give himaccess to her skin. "Hush baby." He told her softly. "It'sgoing to be cold but I have to get the fever down."
