Found by Meredith Webber

Author:Meredith Webber
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2013-05-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVEN

SEAN was waiting on the front verandah as Sam pulled into the drive.

‘Your visitor’s sick as a dog.’ Her brother came galloping down the stairs to give her the bad news. ‘We’ve been up all night with him. Finally called an after-hours medical service and got a chap who looked younger than Pete and I. He said Jack had a fever.’

Sean shook his head in disgust as he relayed this information.

‘As if we hadn’t already figured that out.’

‘A fever and what else?’ Sam asked, anxiety knotting inside her chest.

‘Bad headache. Pains in his joints. Says his eyes hurt but that could be the headache.’

Sam closed her eyes. Not only had she brought a stranger into their home, but now it seemed possible she’d exposed the twins to unknown health risks. Unless the fever was caused by a cerebral haemorrhage of some kind.

‘Pete thought the cut on his chin might have become infected, but we shaved around it and there’s no sign of redness or pus.’

‘What do you mean, you shaved around it? Just the cut, or did you take off all his beard?’

‘Just around the cut,’ Sean explained, following her as she took the stairs two at a time. ‘Guy’s too sick to be wanting someone shaving him.’

She should have been prepared, but when she saw her ‘stray’ immobile on the bed, his face flushed, the tattered remnants of his once luxurious beard clinging like seaweed to his chin, her heart ached for him, and she had to blink back tears.

She walked quietly into the room and knelt by the bed, her hand reaching out automatically to feel his forehead.

Jack’s eyes opened and she saw confusion change to relief. Then he clasped her hand and held it tightly, and he muttered the words she’d once imagined him saying. ‘Sweet, sweet Sam.’

He’s delirious, she reminded herself. And rather than going into raptures, think practical. If he’s even partially awake, you should be getting some fluids into him.

She slid one arm behind his back and eased his shoulders off the pillow. She saw his eyes open again, and what seemed like an echo of the words appear in them.

‘Can’t have you love a stranger. Stupid. Dangerous.’ His voice was raspy but the meaning came through loud and clear, then he sipped at the water she offered until his body became heavier and she knew he’d drifted back to sleep.

And he’s right, Sam told herself. Especially a married stranger.

But could you turn off love? She realised she had no experience of the type of emotion she was feeling for Jack—so she didn’t know the answer.

Although she suspected it was impossible.

Like turning off the tides.

She stayed for a while, smoothing damp tendrils of hair back from his face, thinking of what might have been.

And of Henry who had never generated anything beyond a mild curiosity with his kisses.

Could she marry Henry, knowing she had the ability to feel so much more for someone?

Even if the someone wasn’t available?

Wouldn’t marrying Henry under such circumstances

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