SHE couldn’t see because of the sweat in her eyes. It dribbled from her hairline, down her face, and streamed along her temples and neck. Her chest pearled with the damn stuff.
“Hate you!”
“I know, Tess, but it can’t be helped.” Fingers pressed on that sensitive spot, and then the needle angled and touched her skin. Tess strained away from it, but her body wouldn’t do what it was told. “Sharp scratch and then we’re nearly done.”
Tess hissed when the needle broke her skin, felt sick when dark red blood sucked into the vial. She wretched once, twice. A strong hand gripped her chin and tugged her head around so all she could see was Mac’s face and dark green eyes.
“Just look at me, baby. Nearly done now. Christ, you’re burning up. There’s a lovely cool bath waiting for you after this is finished. We’ll get you in there, it’ll feel so nice. I promise.” Mac’s lips caressed her forehead. He seemed to pause, and his attention was on the doctor. “What’s that you’re giving her?”
“Several different things to help the fever break as soon as we can. We need to get her in that bath before her temp starts breaching the forty-degree mark.”
Suddenly, she had an awful sensation of something not being right. Her eyes wanted to roll back in her head. Her body was a mass of quivering flesh. “Mac? Don’t…something…not right.”
The hand that pressed to her forehead was cool. “She’s getting steadily hotter. Get her up and get her into that bath. I’ll go make sure the water’s cool enough.” The doctor disappeared.
“Fuck, baby. What the hell am I going to do with you?” Mac gathered her up and cradled her so her face turned into his chest. She whimpered. Her flesh was so hot and uncomfortable the slightest pressure caused unbelievable discomfort.
They made it into the bathroom. Griffiths stirred the water in the bath with his hand while he added more hot water. “That should be all right. It was too cool. It would have shocked her system. Slide her in carefully, feet first, and support her head until she’s submerged to the chin.”
The first touch of water on her bare feet was like a refreshingly cold shower. Something garbled out of her throat. It grew deeper and more primal the lower she slipped into the blessed water. Tess had a brief and random thought as to whether or not the water would just evaporate from around her scalding hot body.
Everything in her sighed with blatant relief. Her heart slowed down just a fraction from its overworked pace, the throbbing in her head eased. She closed her eyes, and with Mac’s hands beneath her, drifted.
“Temperature’s down to thirty-nine degrees. That’s a good sign.”
“What do I have to do to keep it coming down?”
“Same as we’ve been doing. Get her in the bath for a good ten minutes every hour or so, or if her temperature starts to spike. When she’s in bed, let her sleep, if she can. Cool, light sheet over the top of her. Keep the cold cloths on her neck, forehead, and wrists. Get as much fluid into her as you can manage. She can take the recommended dosage of Tylenol. Temps this high will take her into dehydration territory very quickly.”
“What about an IV drip for fluids? Can you set one up here?”
“Possibly. Let me have a word with a colleague of mine from the hospital about getting the right equipment. For the moment, just get as much liquid as you can down her throat.”
“If she gets worse?”
“Any sign of decline, call me. I’m ten minutes down the road. I can be here in five in an emergency. If there’s any sign of hallucinating, vomiting, extreme spiking temperatures, convulsions…get in touch straight away.”
Mac sighed. It was a tired sound, almost a hopeless sound. “How long before she…makes an improvement, gets better completely?”
“She should make an improvement within the next couple days, depending on when the fever breaks. The bath, keeping her cool will help.” Griffiths cleared his throat. “Once she’s recovered, she’s going to be weak, Mac. I’ll get you up to date when she gets there. I’ll be back tomorrow morning if you don’t call me again today.”
“Thanks, Doc, I really appreciate it.”
“No problem. You have the oral and rectal thermometers. Check her temp regularly. Other than that, you have everything you need. Any questions, just call.”
The good doctor gathered his things and left after a murmured goodbye. Exhausted, Tess drifted through fevered dreams. She dreamed of Mac, would have sworn she felt him slip onto the bed beside her and let his fingers intertwine with hers. She sighed contentedly and let the pleasant dream keep her safe.
“God, I-I know I’m not a Christian. I don’t really believe in religion. I wouldn’t normally consider doing this, but Tess is in trouble, and she is the heart of my world. I was lucky enough to have her come into my life. I’ll do anything to keep her safe. So, I guess I’m begging you, please help her. Whatever you want me to do, I will. Just…please. Amen.” Mac cleared his throat. His hand clutched Tess’s tightly.
“Tess, baby, I’m just going downstairs for five minutes. I have to go get you something nice to drink, something cool. I don’t know if you can hear me,” he said miserably and brought her hand to his lips. “I’m hoping you’re down somewhere deep for a while until the fever breaks.”
When Tess squeezed his hand gently, just enough to let him know she was there, Mac heaved a huge sigh of relief. “Awake.”
“Hey, baby. How you feeling?” He shifted her hand to his cheek.
“Awful. Groggy.” Her eyes flickered open, squinted at the light.
“Too bright?” Immediately the bedside lamp flicked off so they were in the almost dark of twilight. “Doc gave you some pretty good stuff to help with the fever. We’re keeping you cool, so hopefully you’ll start to feel better soon.”
She reached her arms out to him, but could barely lift them six inches off the bed, not recognizing the fact they shook so badly with effort of holding them there. “Cuddles?”
Mac lowered both of them back to the bed. “When you’re feeling better, Tess. You’re supposed to just lie very still and get lots of rest. I get you to the bath and back every hour. You don’t have to do anything.”
“Cuddles,” she said more insistently. “Please.”
“All right, all right, stop giving me the puppy eyes.” He stuck a thermometer under her tongue before Tess could protest. “Leave it there or no cuddles for you.” He stood slowly, bent, and plucked her naked body from beneath the sheet. Half-turning, he arranged himself so he could sit down and lean back against the headboard.
When he settled, he drew his knees up so they supported Tess from beneath. She wriggled and wormed until she found a comfortable position. Breathless, she laid her head on his shoulder with her face at the base of his throat.
He retrieved the thermometer, switched the light on briefly so he could study it. She closed her eyes against the brightness and sighed quietly. God, she’d missed this so much. Even this simple contact was heaven compared to not being able to hold him, touch him, kiss him. The ache in her chest swelled with the depth of her love.
“Still hovering around the thirty-nine degree mark,” he murmured. He reached out and set the thermometer down. Then a cold cloth stroked over Tess’ neck, down her back, and along her arms and across her face.
“Missed you.” Tess relaxed into him, confident the strength in his arms would hold her safe. She felt herself start to drift. “So sorry for what I said.”
His big body dwarfed her; in his arms, Tess felt small and feminine. His hands rubbed over her gently as he rocked with her. His chin rested on the top of her head.
“You had good reason, Tess. You were right. Time was all you asked for. I couldn’t bear to lose you even for that short amount of time, so I didn’t give it to you.” His body shuddered around hers, and he held onto her. “If I had, perhaps this wouldn’t have happened. There wouldn’t have been so many variations on what could have happened to you out there in the cold and dark. I could have lost you in the worst way possible, and it would have killed me, Tess.”
“Doesn’t matter,” she mumbled. “Brought you back to me.”
“Damn right. You’re tired, baby.” Mac wrapped his arms around her tighter. If he held onto her forever, it wouldn’t be a day too soon.
“Hot. Too hot,” Tess said drowsily.
“All right, I’ll go get the bath ready. I’m going to lay you down while I do, so just close your eyes and rest.” With an ease that surprised her, he set her back onto the cool sheets and kissed her on her very dry lips. “I’ll go get you a drink while I’m up.”
Tess couldn’t argue. She already floated in the sleepy twilight where she’d spent so much time. The fire couldn’t reach her as well there, only the faintest flicker of heat disturbed her when she was suspended in that half-life.
How many days the fever lasted, she didn’t know, but Tess could barely remember any of that time. Any memories she could recall were of Mac—when he put her in the bath, carried her back to bed, wiped her down with a cool wet cloth, and held a glass to her lips when her mouth was like the Sahara.
The sun shone on the morning Tess woke properly for the first time in days. The banging headache was gone. Her body felt warm but not brain-cell-frying hot. She had an extremely urgent need to pee.
She sat up slowly. Her head felt a bit spaced out and light, but she managed to get her feet to the floor and stand up with a lot of care and adjustment of balance. In bare feet, she tottered across to the bathroom. She swayed violently with a wave of nausea and dizziness. Before her legs buckled and sent her to her knees, she reached out and grabbed the doorjamb with waning strength.
The bedroom door opened and Mac stepped into the room with a tray loaded with drinks and a plate of food. He looked at the bed and his face went white. His gaze shot around the room until they locked on her. “Jesus Christ, Tess, what the hell are you doing out of bed?”
The tray ended up shoved onto the chair, and then Mac was across the room by her side. He searched her face for signs of distress, Tess assumed, and his hand lay flat on her forehead. “The fever’s gone.”
“Mac.” Her throat and mouth were so dry her tongue stuck painfully to everything. “Need to pee. Now.”
She’d never been so desperate to go in all her life. Any pressure on her bladder and she’d have popped like an overinflated balloon. Mac slipped an arm around her waist, supported most of her weight because her stupid legs weren’t working right, and got her quickly to the toilet.
Tess didn’t care he was in the room. She didn’t give a monkey’s furry ass he watched her like a hawk as she swayed like a drunken sailor on the toilet. The flood that escaped from her was akin to the one Noah built his ark for. She moaned in relief, sagged back against the tank.
“Better?”
She nodded weakly and sorted herself out. Her limbs trembled like leaves in a strong wind, and her heart felt like it had competed in the hundred-meter dash. How could a few days illness make a person so bloody weak?
Carefully, she cleared her throat, tested her voice, and asked, “How long have I been out?”
“From Saturday night until now…four days.”
It struck her hard, now that her personal urges had been seen to. Mac looked awful. He’d dropped some weight, so his beautifully muscled body appeared gaunt, at least from the waist up. His trousers bagged on him. He was exhausted and haggard, lines of strain and stress etched around his eyes and mouth. There were shadows under his eyes the color of storm clouds.
At his insistence, she used him as a leaning post. He half-carried her to the sink so she could wash her hands and face. When she looked at the mirror, Tess wondered what the hell stared back at her with hooded eyes and a lean, pale face. She had similar shadows under her eyes, and her hair was a greasy cap on top of her head.
As she gripped the sink edge, her traitorous legs wobbled.
“Back to bed,” Mac ordered gruffly and didn’t give her a choice. Tess was up and in flight before she could voice protest. He didn’t say a word until he’d tucked her back into bed and propped her up with a mountain of pillows. “You’re not getting out of bed until you’re stronger, Tess. No arguments.”
“I feel better, Mac. Honestly. Just a little…off.”
“Doc will be back in a couple hours to check you over. You can argue with him when he gets here. Until then, you stay put or I tie you to the fucking bed.” He stomped over and retrieved his tray, brought it back, and set it on the bed between them.
Tess blinked, taken aback by his snarly attitude and the bite to his tone. “Why are you angry, Mac?”
“Too many reasons to count,” he shot back and picked up a glass of cold orange juice and held it to her lips. The first taste was so blessedly welcome on her tongue. It left a cool trail down her sore throat. “The main reason is I’m fucking tired, and that’s blowing every other reason out of proportion.”
“When was the last time you slept?” Tess reached up and stroked the stubble on his face. It was the same red as his hair and the length was enough it was soft like down.
He closed his eyes. “Thursday night. I spent all Friday night scouring the town for you, hoping you’d come to your senses.” Hurt crossed his face. “I was frantic, even though you were in contact saying you were fine. Then, Joyce picked up your mobile when I called you on Saturday night…my heart stopped, Tess. Dead in my chest.”
“I’m sorry.” Her hand slipped from his face and rested briefly on his heart. Skin to skin. “I never meant for any of this to turn out the way it has.”
Calmer, slightly, his hand covered hers, held it in place. “There’ll be time to talk it over later.” His hand pressed to her forehead again. “So much better, baby. Go to sleep for a while longer. Doc’s just going to tell you to rest anyway.”
Tess nearly spat the dummy out—she didn’t want any more sleep, she’d already lost several days doing nothing but sleeping. But when she studied his exhausted face, the slump of his shoulders that said end of the line, she decided to bargain with him.
“Tell you what, Mac. I’ll lie down without protest and sleep for a couple more hours, if you do the same.”
“You’re trying to strike a deal with me?”
“Yes. You’re on the verge of collapsing yourself, so we’re a right pretty pair, practically made for each other. I’ve missed being with you, Mac. I always sleep easier when I’m curled up with you.”
Mac frowned and Tess thought he might argue with her. His eyes flashed with annoyance. Without a word, he shifted the half-full tray out of the way, climbed in beside her, and fluffed a pillow beneath his head.
Tess arranged her own pillows into some sort of order and then shuffled around until most of her naked body draped and curved around most of Mac’s half-nakedness. “I know you’re mad, Mac, but I love you. Just wanted you to know that.”
As she began the nice, slow fall into sleep, Tess felt his arm come around her. She loved the way it anchored her to him. She’d missed the way he held her in her most vulnerable moments. His lips touched her mouth ever so gently, a butterfly kiss. She barely heard him whisper, “Love you, too, Tess. Always.”
When she woke again, disorientated and groggy, there was a man in the bed beside her and one stood over her. The second man held a finger to his lips in a gesture of silence and then gestured to Mac, who was dead to the world.
“How are you feeling, Tess?” Griffiths asked in a low voice.
“Crap.”
“Understandable.” He shoved a thermometer under her tongue and tested the pulse point in her wrist while he consulted his watch. “Heartbeat is still a little fast, but you’ve got some color in your face which is an improvement. You’re damn lucky I didn’t ship you off to hospital.”
Tess scowled at him.
He slipped the thermometer free, calculated. “Back to within normal temps. Thirty-six point seven. It would seem the fever’s broken, you should be free and clear now. You’re going to want nothing heavy in your stomach for a few days. Drink as much fluid as you want. You need to replenish what you’ve lost. In respect of food, stick to toast or crackers for a few days.”
“Not really that hungry,” she answered back.
“You will be. You’re not to get out of bed for anything else but the toilet and the bath until Saturday. You’re in a B&B. Give Mac a break and utilize the room service. Joyce loves to dote on people, especially sick ones. You’ll both be spoiled rotten for a week, which is what you both need now. Rest and relaxation.”
“But—”
“No buts. You were very seriously ill, Tess. Mac’s on the verge of having a physical breakdown from not sleeping, not eating. He’s been running himself into the ground for you. You both need to take this time.”
“Fine.” She lifted her hands in a gesture of surrender. “I won’t move until I’m close to peeing myself.”
“When you stand up, walk, take it very carefully. Your body will think it has forgotten how to do certain things. It hasn’t, but you’re bound to be very weak until you start eating proper food again and build your strength back up.”
“Yeah, yeah, I get the picture. Very weak equals falling over, damaging myself, etcetera. I won’t go anywhere, and I’ll talk to Joyce about room service.” Jesus, even when she lay flat on her back she felt like she’d run a marathon.
He patted her hand kindly. “If you need me, just call. I’ll ask Joyce to pop her head in and check on the both of you before she goes to bed, and get her to fetch breakfast up in the morning. She’s been very worried about you, you know.”
Tess yawned hugely. “She’s a lovely lady.”
“She is,” Griffiths agreed. “She’ll take good care of you.”
With a quick glance at Mac, Doctor Griffiths slipped out of the room and left her to snuggle up to Mac before she dropped back to sleep.
Tess’ body felt better again by the time she woke on Thursday morning. Another insistent need to pee, a slow dash to the toilet. Shakily she made her way back to bed, and slipped in next to Mac. He still looked pale, gaunt and, even in sleep, with his stubble, like a very sexy rogue.
She was too weak and knackered to even contemplate an attempt to wake Mac up with a bang, but just the idea gave her a little thrill. What would it be like to go on holiday, fit and healthy, and to crawl over Mac in a sexy wake-up booty call? Would they indulge in some slow, lazy morning sex, or would they be that starved for each other after sleep they’d go for the fierce, wild ride?
The fun part was the fantasy of both, especially if she threw in the odd variation here and there, and expanded the daydreams in whatever way Tess wanted. Her body, troublesome little minx it was, responded with an eagerness that belied her current physical condition.
“Stop thinking so loud,” Mac grumbled into his pillow.
“Only thinking about you,” Tess said with a sly grin.
One gorgeous green eye popped open and fixed on her. “You’re too sick for fun and games. God knows I’m too tired to even think about getting a hard-on and keeping it, even in your naked company.”
She sighed and pursed her lips. “Poor Mac, getting so frail in his old age. Maybe there’s something I could do to…get the balls rolling in your court again?” She turned onto her side so she could face him. Her hand slipped under the covers and slid up his inner thigh to grasp his cock through his trousers. It hardened satisfactorily. “See, miracles do happen…”
His hips jerked toward her and thrust his semi-erect penis through the loose grip of her hand. He groaned and turned his face fully into the pillow. “Tess, stop. Neither of us are fit to have sex right now. One or both of us will be asleep halfway through the festivities.”
“But it feels like forever,” she complained and tightened her grip.
Mac grunted, twisted suddenly so he was free of her and flat on his back. A much better position for a certain horny female to access all his yummy bits. “I’m not doing this, Tess. This is not rest and relaxation.”
Tess’ fingers shook as they attacked the button and zipper on his trousers. “Sure it is. We have orgasms, which are relaxing, and then we rest. It’s only as complicated as you make it, Mac.”
“Nymphomaniac,” he muttered, but didn’t stop her as she tugged his pants down just enough to free the beast. Even better, beneath his trousers, the man was commando.
She walked light fingers up his erection and grinned wildly when it flexed and jumped. Reaching the soft tip, she circled the plush head with only a fingertip and had to lick her lips when a drop of clear fluid wept from the eye. The man was rock hard and raging. She loved it.
“Who’s going to ride whom?” Tess queried and giggled.
“Neither.” Lithe as a panther, he sat up, spun her around, hauled her back against his chest, and kept her restrained. She wiggled and writhed, but he just kept hold of her. His knee parted her legs, then the tarts just spread themselves wide of their own volition.
Mac’s arm hitched her up and then slid her back down. His cock pierced slowly, deeply, and thoroughly into her tight sex. She leaned her head back against his shoulder and let loose with a long, throaty howl.
He maneuvered her carefully up and down until she was seated on him so fully every empty space inside her was filled. After days of hell, finally she’d fallen through the door into heaven. Her hips wanted to rock. Mac had her too well pinned.
They shifted together as one. Mac shoved pillows around to make one big support, and then they fell onto their sides, still joined. His hand lay on her belly as he drew circles around her belly button. His free arm slipped under the pillow beneath her head so she was lovely and comfortable.
“What happens now?” Tess murmured.
“I’m inside you. You’re surrounding me. Now you shut up and go back to sleep.” He sighed contentedly and nuzzled the back of her neck.
He wasn’t going to leave her like this, full and unsatisfied, the bastard. She did some more wriggling and tried to entice him with soft strokes. Nothing. All that happened was his lips curved against her nape.
So, Tess squeezed around him and then smiled when she felt him throb inside her. If he didn’t want to do any work toward the orgasm, then she’d just have to put double the effort into it. Squeeze and release, squeeze and release. The fourth time, his hand fisted on her stomach, the air huffed out of his lungs.
“Tess…baby, you don’t play fair.”
“Of course not. I learned from the best.” Another hard squeeze.
“Stop it,” he growled.
“You know you want to.” Her body slowly succumbed to tiredness, but she wasn’t ready to give in. Perhaps this was his dastardly plan. Keep her on tenterhooks until her lack of energy drove her under. “I can persuade you, if you like.”
“I don’t need any persuading, Tess. You just need to behave yourself.”
“Come on, Mac, it’s been nearly a week,” she whined at him.
“Would have been a lot less if some idiot hadn’t taken herself out and gotten lost in a thunderstorm. You scared the shit out of me, baby. Consider this your punishment until you’re strong enough.”
“But, Mac—”
“Shut up and go to sleep. I mean that in a nice way.”
Within minutes, his breathing regulated into strong, slow inhales and exhales. Damn the man. How could he just fall asleep when his cock twitched inside her?
Pissed off, she tried to make herself comfortable and ended up trapped against him, possessed by him, and was powerless to help herself out of the situation. Frustrated beyond belief, she sulked her little heart out.
They were still joined when she came to. His erection hadn’t subsided, but had maintained its erect status. Her muscles worked around him, must have been for some time when she considered how much they ached and how close to climax she’d become.
So close, Tess mused, all she would need was a teeny…tiny…push in the right direction. In fact, she could get herself off with only her hand. It would be easy when Mac provided internal physical stimulation and gave her something to bear down on and grip.
Her hand slipped between her legs. The inside of her thighs were slick with her own lubricant, a consequence of Mac inside her for such a long period of time. She traced the lips of her sex, spread wide and puffy and cleaved in two by Mac’s erection.
Finding the special nub, she caressed it, used that natural lubricant to arouse. The more she rubbed and teased, the more her body responded and tightened around Mac’s cock like a hanging rope on the downswing. Her hips rocked, slid along that erection, and eased back down. Perhaps only millimeters, but enough to start the orgasm on a roll.
Thank God.
She knew he’d woken up when his pelvis rubbed against hers, adding a little extra inward drive to every thrust. Tess shivered, loving the feel of his stubble as it scraped over the sensitive tissues on her nape, the wet kiss of his mouth when it roamed her neck and shoulders.
“Ready to come?”
She was, more than. But the edge refused to come nearer, and frustration thwarted any attempt to catch up with the climax. “Can’t do it. Can’t get myself there.”
“Here.” Mac’s breathing grew harsher, faster—an imminent sign things were about to get messy. His hand replaced hers on her tender flesh. They pinched and squeezed, rubbed and flicked. “You’ve got your head switched on too much. Turn it off and relax into the orgasm when it slides around you.”
It hit her like a train from behind, a building, fiery passion crashing through her nervous system. It set off geysers of pleasure everywhere it touched. She relaxed into Mac, let his hand guide her, and when the main inferno erupted with sound and color and sensation, she went with the fallout.
Mac’s brutal, primal groan of release signaled his own orgasm.
“Wasn’t that fun?” Tess murmured once heartbeats and breathing had returned to normal. “We have to do that again…”