Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 122550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 613(@200wpm)___ 490(@250wpm)___ 409(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 613(@200wpm)___ 490(@250wpm)___ 409(@300wpm)
Because he wasn’t interested in her. At all.
Jilly would have to keep reminding herself of that.
“You seem to think I have to do as you say.” She folded her arms across her chest. “I don’t.”
“You’re on your own. There’s no one to take care of you except me.”
Ouch.
“I have friends.”
“Who you won’t call because you don’t want them to get infected.”
Wait . . . how did he know that?
“Maybe I don’t want you to get infected as well. Yeah, that’s it. You better leave. I’d feel terrible if you got ill because of me.”
“I rarely get ill,” he told her haughtily.
Huh. Yeah.
It figures that germs would be too scared to infiltrate his body.
“Still, you shouldn’t take the risk.” She coughed again. God, everything hurt. Her head was thumping.
The last thing she wanted was to sit here and argue with him.
Also, if she didn’t go to the toilet soon, then she’d likely wet the bed.
At least that would make him leave.
“I can make that decision for myself. And while your mother isn’t here, I am in charge of you.”
She didn’t know how he figured that one out. “Why? Because she asked you to check on me? I’m a grown woman.”
“Yes, because she asked me to check on you. But also because of our connection. You are practically family.”
Great. Just as she thought. He considered her a pesky younger sister. Not someone he wanted to bend over the nearest surface and rail.
Hmm . . . she could get behind some medical play, though. Imagine if he drew out an anal thermometer and ordered her to roll over onto her hands and knees and stick out her ass . . .
Stop it!
Lord, what was wrong with her?
A lot. The answer was a lot.
“Now, stop talking and open your mouth so I can put this stick in it.”
She wouldn’t mind if he was offering another stick . . . urgh! She had a sickness.
Jilly opened her mouth. It seemed that he wasn’t going to give up.
The guy was as stubborn as a goat.
Maybe she needed to go out and get laid. Perhaps that would stop all these thoughts rolling around in her head. It was foolish to keep lusting after a man who had no interest in her.
“101. Still high. But better than last night. Here, take this medicine.”
He gave her a couple of pills and a bottle of water. She swallowed them with a grimace, then handed the bottle back.
“You need to drink more.”
“Hurts,” she said with a pathetic-sounding whimper.
She felt awful. How was she going to go to work tonight? But she couldn’t afford not to go. She needed the money.
Fucking Lowell.
This was all his fault.
And yours for believing his lies. For falling for a snake.
Sadly, that was also true.
“Poor baby. The medicine will help you feel better. Gerald is making you some soup. He’ll deliver it soon. Is there anything else you want?”
“Ice cream.”
“I don’t think sugar is good for you when you’re ill.”
Who cared about what was good for her? She just wanted the feel of ice cream going down her throat, soothing the burn.
“Don’t make that face at me.”
“What face?”
“That face. The one that you think will get you whatever you want. It won’t.”
Hmm. She wasn’t so sure about that. She thought he was relenting.
He sighed. “Fine. I’ll get Gerald to pick up some ice cream.”
Jilly didn’t know who Gerald was, but to her, he was a god. She pushed at her covers. She had to pee.
“What are you doing?” he asked. “You need to stay in bed.”
“Need to get up,” she whispered.
“No. The doctor said you have to rest for at least forty-eight hours.”
“That doesn’t mean I can’t get out of bed.”
“Actually, I think it’s exactly what that means.”
“Right. So how do you expect me to pee, then?” she asked.
“Oh. You need the bathroom?” he said stiffly.
“Yes, I need the bathroom. So, will you please let me get up? It’s getting rather urgent.” She pressed her thighs together.
To her shock, rather than giving her an uncomfortable look and moving away immediately, he stood and picked her up in his arms.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Carrying you to the bathroom.”
“I have the flu. I’m not an invalid. There’s nothing wrong with my legs.”
“You just fell over!”
“You scared me,” she stated right before she started coughing. By the time she stopped, tears were drifting down her cheeks and she could barely breathe.
Regent placed her on the counter and rubbed her back. “Breathe. Nice and slow.”
She shook her head. Breathing wasn’t important. Not when she was so close to wetting her pants.
“Toilet. Quick. Toilet.”
He lifted her down and placed her on the toilet. She groaned when she realized she was wearing pajama bottoms and he was still in the room.
“Leave!” She pointed at the door.
For a moment, he didn’t look like he was going.