Chapter Twenty

 

 

 

Maia tried to press her hand against her throbbing head, but it was trapped between her and a solid pillow. She leaned into it, enjoying that it was warm and felt like Alex.

And smelled like Alex…

Forcing her eyes to open, she found herself in his protective embrace, face against his chest. She let her head fall back so she could look at him. He was actually there! There were dark circles under his eyes and several days’ worth of stubble roughened his jaw, but he had never looked better to her. What was he doing there?

He shifted making her aware that he was naked and very aroused. Maia tried to roll back but was trapped and she didn’t have the strength to try any harder. Even that slight movement made her head throb painfully. Her attempt to muffle the groan wasn’t successful.

Alex opened his eyes and loosened his grip a little, allowing her to move back but not letting go entirely. “Not feeling any better?”

“Not really.” She took a moment to search his eyes. “What are you doing here?”

His eyes turned glacial. “Not glad to see me?”

That was the problem. She was too happy to see him. “Just wondering why you would suddenly show up when you’ve been ignoring me for weeks.”

Alex sighed. “I’m sorry.” He turned to his side to face her but the rocking of the bed had her dashing to the bathroom, despite her previous lack of energy.

Retching and hugging the toilet wasn’t exactly how she expected to have that conversation. Maia collapsed against the tub when the heaving finally died down. With nothing to throw up, it had been a painfully fruitless exercise.

A hand swept her hair out of the way then caressed her back soothingly. “How long has this been going on?”

Maia’s gaze was drawn to Alex’s feet and traveled slowly upward. Thankfully, he’d put on his jeans but he hadn’t bothered to do them up in his haste to get to her. Her survey of his body stumbled on the way they hung tantalizingly low on his hips. She would have looked farther up his body if she could, but tip her head back any more and she would be flat on her back.

As if divining that she didn’t have the energy to lift her gaze any higher, he knelt down next to her and handed her a glass of water.

“It started when I got here.”

Scowling he asked, “When was the last time you ate anything?”

It was humiliating that he was even there to see her sick, but to have him analyzing what he’d seen? She cringed. “I haven’t been feeling too great the past few days. And I’ve been busy.”

“So busy that you’ve run yourself into the ground.”

“Back off, Alex.” She glared at him as hard as she could manage. “Leave me alone.”

“I won’t. You need help.”

“I’ll be fine.” To prove her point she pushed herself up and unsteadily made her way past him and back to the bed. “The hotel has a world-class medical team if I need it.”

Alex stomped over to her and, despite her attempts to shove him off several times, eased her into bed and tucked the sheets around her. “You really are the most frustrating woman I’ve ever known.”

He shucked the jeans and climbed in behind her.

Maia tried to shuffle away from contact with him but he hooked his arm around her, anchoring her to the spot. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“I intend to take care of you. If that means pinning you to the bed, so be it.”

Images of how he had pinned her to the bed in Belize made her breath catch a little. She tamped down the burgeoning desire. That wasn’t going to happen.

“And you call me frustrating?”

Despite her words, Maia couldn’t be bothered to struggle more. Not when it felt so good to be in his arms. She’d let him have his way for now. Just until she got better. Then she would send him packing.