Rick

by Peggy Jaeger

  “I think I can figure out how to boil water.” He rose, shaking his head.

  “That didn’t come out right. I’m sorry.”

  He turned back to her, as surprised as she was she’d apologized.

  “I meant to say, do you know how I like it?”

  “Splash of milk, three teaspoons of sugar. Stir everything together four times around the rim with a spoon. When you’re back on your feet, we really need to have a conversation about your OCD, Abigail. And your shoe fetish.”

  Stunned, she gaped at his retreating back.

  Okay, so think rationally. He’s a trained observer. He’d have noticed how you took your tea since he’s been living with you and you have made tea in front of him several times in the past few days.

  Abby took a deep breath.

  But what about that OCD remark? How had he guessed? She’d tried to keep her problem a secret from everyone. Even Ellie had never suspected, and she was a doctor. How had Rick?

  She rolled to her back and slammed her eyes shut at the wave of vertigo crashing through her.

  Breathe. In. Out. In…

  “I brought your laptop in case you want to do some work, but I’d advise against—what’s the matter?”

  Rick placed the laptop and mug on the bedside table. In the next second, he was on the bed, practically straddling her. His hands, his wonderfully cool and comforting hands, scraped across her forehead, down her cheeks to cup her neck. “You’re not any hotter. Sweetheart, what’s wrong?”

  “Dizzy. I-I rolled over and got…dizzy. No.” She reached out and grabbed his hands. “Please leave them on my neck. They feel so good. So cool.”

  “I can do better,” he said, moving off the bed. She heard him go into the bathroom and run the tap. A few seconds later a swatch of cold cotton settled against her forehead. “Here. This should help.”

  It did, but she secretly liked his hands on her more. Better to keep that fact to herself.

  “Still dizzy?” He asked. “Think you can sit up to drink your tea?”

  “Give me a sec.”

  Rick slid his arm behind her shoulders to help her. She scooted her butt and sat back on the pillows he’d fluffed for her.

  “Okay?”

  “Yeah. Thanks. I don’t know why I got so woozy there. How can you get dizzy lying down?” She fiddled with the compress so it wouldn’t fall.

  Rick chuckled as he handed her the mug. “I think you can get dizzy in any position. Hold this with two hands.”

  Abby lifted the mug to her lips and sighed. The first taste proved he’d made it correctly. “Why does drinking something hot when you have a fever feel wrong but tastes so good?” she asked, then took another sip.

  “I don’t think any temperature liquid is wrong when you’re sick,” he told her, as she drank. “As long as you take in fluids, you’re good.”

  She closed her eyes again and drank.

  “Like I was saying, I brought in your laptop. I know you’ve probably got work to do, but I think you should let it go until tomorrow and just veg for now. Watch a movie or something.”

  “As much as it pains me to admit this, you’re right. I don’t think I could concentrate on a brief or do any research right now.”

  Rick took his phone out of his back pocket.

  “Who are you calling?”

  “No one. I’m recording this day, like I did yesterday, for posterity. Two days in a row you’ve told me I’m right about something. It needs to be documented.”

  She wanted to shake her head but thought better of it after the last bout with dizziness. “You’re such a pain. Don’t ruin how nice you’re being. I like this Rick Bannerman.”

  He grinned and shot his phone back into his pocket.

  “Where’s my phone? I need to check and see if I’ve gotten any calls.”

  “I already did.”

  “How?” She squinted at him. “You don’t know my access code.”

  “That’s another conversation we need to have, Abigail. I was able to open your phone in two tries. I hope the rest of your security codes are a little harder to breach.”

  “Wait a minute. You broke into my phone? My personal property? That’s despicable. Not to mention illegal.”

  “Don’t get your cute little panties in a twist. I did it because I needed to find your mother’s number.”

  “You could have called Josh for it. You didn’t have to violate my privacy.”

  “Hindsight.” He nodded. “My only defense, counselor, is at the time I wanted the quickest way to find your mother’s number. You asked for her. Specifically. Delusional or not, you were sick and wanted your mother, so I brought her to you. And”—he put up a hand when she opened her mouth—“let me finish.”

  She closed it again.

  “You can relax. Your privacy wasn’t invaded because I didn’t scroll through your personal messages, listen to your voice mails, or see if you’ve been sexting anyone. I had one specific person in mind, found who I needed, then exited.” He handed her the phone.

  “I don’t sext,” she said, swiping the phone to her access screen.

  Rick grinned again, and she could only imagine what was running through his brain. The email, voicemail, and text icons were all flashing with waiting messages. Abby let out a sigh. She’d only been out of touch for a day. How was it possible she’d missed so many communications?

  “I even left it on silent so it wouldn’t be pinging every few seconds and disturbing the peace.”

  She slanted him a look from under her lashes, then glanced back down at her phone. The emails could wait until she was mentally more awake and alert, so she checked the texts, saw they were all part of a thread from her sisters about an upcoming family event, and therefore could wait for a response, and then tapped her voice mail access code onto the keypad.

  “Why do you have the same message code as you do for your phone lock code?” Rick asked.

  “It’s easier to remember.”

  “It’s also dumb. Anyone can access your messages—”

  “Present company included.”

  “—and steal your personal information.”

  She held up a finger to halt him when the phone beeped, signaling the first message.

  Two calls from Verna informing her of court appointment changes for the following week and one from Tony.

  “I’ve already gotten an update from the detective,” Rick told her when she disconnected. “I gave him my cell number at the memorial and asked him to call me when he had anything.”

  “Then you know Genocardi is still on the run.” She tossed the phone onto the bedside table and grabbed the mug again. As she sipped it, a wave of exhaustion washed over her.

  “You should lie back down when you’re done with that,” Rick said, lifting his chin to her cup. He reached out and felt her neck, and it took every ounce of her fading strength not to lean and cuddle into his hand.

  “I think you’re warming up again.”

  “Probably from the tea. But it tastes so good, I want to finish it. I promise to drink some cold water when I’m done to offset the warmth.”

  “You’re not sweating or chilled yet, so the fever hasn’t broken.”

  “Believe me, you’ll know when it does. I go into full sweat mode. The sheets usually have to be changed because I drench them.”

  “Good to know.”

  She sipped while he stared at her. The only sound in the room was Moonlight’s staccato and throaty snore.

  Abby ran a hand down the cat’s back. “Has she eaten?”

  “Numerous times. I fed her the gross stuff you have in the cabinet plus she’s a moocher.” He reached out a finger and stroked it down the cat’s back, following Abby’s touch. “Every time I so much as go near the kitchen she’s right there, staring at me through that clump of fur hanging in her eyes, her power motor spinning.”

  “Please tell me you haven’t given her any table food. She’s not supposed to have anything but the food
from the vet’s. Her stomach gets upset if she has anything else.”

  “No worries. She can stare at me all she wants. She won’t be getting anything from my plate.”

  Abby sighed. “Good. Thanks.” Rick took the empty cup from her as she shifted down in the bed.

  “Want your laptop?”

  She shook her head. “I can barely keep my eyes open. I want to sleep again.”

  “ ’K. I’m gonna be right outside, so call out if you need to get up. I’ll come in and help you.”

  When she didn’t answer him, he leaned down and stared her straight in the eyes. “Promise me, Abigail. Do not get up on your own.”

  “Bossy, much?” Her eyes drifted shut. Even though they were closed, she felt his penetrating stare. “Fine. I’ll call you. Now go away. I need to sleep.”

  When she opened her eyes a moment later she was alone with the cat, the bedroom door halfway closed.

  Chapter Nine

  “Abby, wake up. You’re shaking, sweetheart.”

  She was encased in a block of ice…couldn’t feel her toes. Clutching the covers, she moved as close to his warmth as she could.

  “I’m fr-fr-freezing.”

  “I’m gonna get you another blanket. Hang tight.”

  “No. Don’t leave me. You’re so w-warm.”

  “Babe, your teeth are clacking like maracas. I’ll be right back, promise.”

  Abby was so cold, the bed moved as she trembled. As if sensing she could help, Moonlight came to stand on the pillow and batted her head against Abby’s face. At the same time, something solid and heavy covered her from head to toes.

  “I’m gonna tuck this around your body to cocoon you, okay?”

  “Y-Yes.”

  When the blankets were gathered along the length of her, Abby opened her eyes. Rick was sitting on the bed next to her. “I’m still freezing.”

  “Do you have a hot water bottle?”

  “N-No.”

  “Okay. I’ve got an idea. I’ll be right back.”

  Abby had no idea how long he was gone, but the tremors increased to the point she felt nauseous. When Rick returned, he was carrying two filled water bottles.

  “I filled these with hot water. I’m gonna stick them at your feet.”

  He pulled the blankets up from the bottom and slid the bottles against the soles of her feet. She flexed her toes around them.

  “Better?”

  “S-some.”

  A heartbeat passed.

  “Don’t get mad at me, okay?” he asked.

  “Wh-what?”

  “This is the best way I know how to warm you up.” He slid under the covers behind her back and gathered her into his arms, spooning her with his body. His hot breath blew against her ear. “I swear I’m not trying to cop a feel or anything, but body heat always works when everything else fails.”

  “It’s okay.”

  Okay? Sweet baby Jesus, it was heaven.

  He was clad in boxers and nothing else. She arched back into him, wiggling her butt into a comfy angle, pressing as flat against him as she could. Nothing separated their bodies but her T-shirt and bottoms, but she could feel every single muscle on his body as he molded himself against her back.

  The man was a furnace from head to toe and everywhere in between.

  “Your shaking is calming down,” he said.

  For the first time in minutes, she could take a deep breath.

  Rick slipped one of her hands into his. “Your fingers are still little ice cubes, though.”

  “Yours are so warm.” She twined her own within his. “So warm. You feel so…good.”

  With the next breath, her body tremors stopped. Rick continued to hold her.

  Abby wasn’t one given to fanciful notions or ideas, but she had to admit, having Rick Bannerman’s body pressed so intimately against her own—for whatever reason—was something she could get used to.

  “Better?” he whispered.

  “Getting there.”

  The cat jumped back up on the bed and walked around their feet in circles before she settled down.

  “How you get any sleep with all that racket is a wonder, Abigail.”

  “You get used to it.”

  “Do you want anything to drink?”

  “Not now. I just want to lie here and fall back to sleep.”

  His hand, holding hers over her belly, tightened.

  “You make a good nurse, Bannerman,” she told him, her words beginning to slur into sleep. “Who knew under all that hard, sexy body, beat the heart of a caregiver.”

  When his raspy chuckle blew across her neck, she mumbled, “What’s so funny?”

  “I’d rather play doctor with you than nurse any day of the week,” he whispered. “More perks.”

  She smiled, then yawned. “You’re such a pain.”

  She wasn’t sure, but she thought she heard him say, “And still…” right before she slipped away.

  ****

  Voices woke her. Rick’s deep rumbling chuckle was followed by a lighter, lyrical giggle.

  Ellie.

  Abby hadn’t realized she’d said the name out loud until her youngest sister popped her head into the bedroom, a wide smile on her beautiful face.

  “So. Reports of your imminent demise were presumptuous, I see.” Dressed in pale blue scrubs, long black hair, a twin to her sister’s for length and style, pulled high on her head in a ponytail, she bussed Abby’s cheek and peered down at her.

  “Did you come from work?”

  “Yup. Twelve-hour night shift. It was brutal, but I survived.”

  “You look tired.” Abby sat up and swiped at her upper lip. She stared down at her wet finger and then her T-shirt. It was plastered to her frame, her nipples pebbled and standing at attention against the thin material. She ran a hand across the sheet, found it damp and sticky.

  “Fever broke,” Ellie said.

  “About time.” Rick’s voice came from the doorway. His eyes flicked across her top, then swiftly flew back to her face. When the tips of his ears pinked and his eyes went a little wide, a battalion of butterflies scattered along her insides.

  “How do you feel?” he asked while he handed her a bottle of water. It didn’t escape her notice his hand shook a bit.

  “Better.” She chugged half the bottle down in one long gulp. Recapping it she added, “Much better. But gross.”

  “Since Ellie’s here, want to take a shower? She can spot you, so I won’t have to worry you’re gonna fall flat in a post-feverish faint.”

  “Your utter concern for my welfare warms my heart,” Abby said. She kicked the covers off and the two water bottles lodged at the bed’s foot thumped to the floor.

  Ellie looked at them, then Rick, and lastly to Abby. “Do I want to know?”

  “Your sister doesn’t own a real hot water bottle,” he said. “I had to improvise in the middle of the night when she was freezing.”

  “Pretty resourceful guy,” Ellie said. “You’d make a good nurse.”

  “He’d rather play doctor.” Abby stood and tested her balance. “More perks.” Satisfied she wouldn’t fall, she looked up to find them both gaping at her. “What?”

  It was Ellie who replied, a mile-wide grin gracing her face. “We’re gonna have a long, long talk about that statement, sister dear. But not now. You need to get cleaned up, and I need some sleep. I’m on again tonight at midnight, so let’s get you in the shower.”

  Fifteen minutes later, Abby felt almost human again as she slid on new underwear—complete with a bra—and stepped into a fresh T-shirt and pajama pants.

  Ellie helped her blow out her hair until it was dry, then twined it into a bun on top of her head.

  “Better?” Rick asked when they came out of the bathroom.

  “You changed my sheets.”

  “I remembered what you’d said. You were right, too. They were drenched. I figured you’d want clean ones.” He picked the discarded ones up off the floor.

 
“Just toss them in the washing machine with the rest of my laundry. I need to do it all today for the week.”

  “I did your laundry yesterday.”

  “Excuse me, what? You did my laundry?”

  “Yeah, well, I needed mine done, so I did yours, too. Don’t worry. I read all the care labels on stuff I wasn’t sure of. Nothing shrank and anything that said dry clean I left alone.”

  “You did my…laundry?”

  Rick squinted at her. To Ellie he said, “Check her temp. I think her fever’s coming back, ’cuz she can’t focus.”

  “I’m focusing fine, Bannerman. I’m just surprised. I never pictured you doing something like laundry.”

  He fisted his hands on his hips and nailed her with an annoyed glare. “What do you think I do when I need clean clothes? Go out and buy them?”

  Ellie’s laugh bounced between them. Both shot her a glance.

  “On that thought-provoking question, I need to get going.” She hugged her sister. “Text me when you’re back to normal. We can figure out our schedules and do lunch.”

  “Thanks for checking on me.”

  “No worries.” She stretched up and hugged Rick. “Thanks for taking such good care of her, Nurse Nancy.”

  “That’s Doctor Nancy, to you.” He hugged her back.

  When they were alone again, Rick slung his hands into his pants pockets. “You hungry at all?”

  “Still more thirsty than anything.”

  “You crawling back in or staying upright for a while?”

  The idea to fall back to sleep was enticing, especially since she was still tired. But she’d had enough lying about.

  “Upright. But on the couch. I’ve got some prep work to do for court this week, and I need to answer all my emails.”

  “Okay. I’ve got some work to do as well.”

  When she was settled on the couch with a blanket, her laptop, a fresh bottle of water, and Moonlight snuggled next to her, Rick asked, “You good?”

  “Yeah, thanks.” She put on her glasses and opened her email.

  For the next two hours, they each sat silently and separately, working on their computers.

  But Abby never forgot he was in the room. Whatever he was working on had his full attention as his fingers sped across the keyboard. He’d type, glance up and read, then type some more. He was a fast reader, proved by the speed his eyes crossed from line to line on the screen, the tiny movement of his head right and left as if he were watching a tennis match.