Chapter Ten
“Emily. Open the door,” Cole crooned, trying to keep his voice soft and low.
No sound came from inside. Worry skittered down his spine.
He looked around, making sure her car was in the same place it had been.
“Baby, open the door for me. I just want to make sure you’re okay.
” He waited a moment and turned, ready to go up to the house to get the extra cabin key when he heard a shuffling sound from inside.
“I’m not going away this time until I see you, Emily.
” He released the breath that was lodged in his chest. He spoke close to the door loud enough so she could hear, but softly, so he didn’t scare her.
“Honey. Open the door. I know you’re in there.
Come on, Emily. I’m worried, and I just want to make sure you’re oka—,” he stopped abruptly when he heard the lock disengage.
Emily opened the door just enough to peek out.
“I’m fi—,” she coughed. “I’m fine. Now go away before you get sick.” Her voice was hoarse.
Cole cringed at the sound of her voice and cough. The bloodshot eyes, her limp hair, and her pale face told him everything he needed to know. He put his hand on the door and pushed it open, ignoring her squeak of protest. He grabbed her arm when she swayed.
Cole closed the door and looked down, frowned, but kept a hand on her arm. She looked so fragile, so shaky, standing there with a blanket wrapped around her, holding it tightly with bloodless hands in front of her chest.
His concern turned to alarm when he noticed the heat coming through the blanket. “Why the hell didn’t you call me?”
She raised her eyes, stunned. “Why would I do that?” Her curiosity was apparent.
Still holding her arm, he turned her and wrapped his other arm around her back, moving her toward the bedroom. He picked her up halfway there when her steps wobbled.
She clutched at his shirt. “Oh, my God. Put me down. You’re going to hurt your back carrying me,” she stammered out hoarsely.
He stopped cold and looked down at her, still effortlessly holding her.
“Don’t ever say something like that again. Now is not the time to talk about your self-confidence, but when you’re better, we'll have a conversation. Now, no more shit about being too heavy or me getting sick. You weigh less than a bale of hay, and I never get sick.”
He laid her down on the rumpled sheets and pulled the blanket from around her, spreading it over her.
Cole frowned down at her when he caught her shiver and looked around the room for anything that might help.
He spotted a half-filled water bottle and a bottle of Tylenol.
His hand smoothed her hair from her face before landing on her forehead.
“When was the last time you took anything for your fever?”
Emily groaned when he placed his cold hand on her forehead. She looked like she was enjoying the feel of his hand on her hot forehead. “What time is it?”
Cole looked at his wrist. “3:15.”
She closed her eyes and settled lower into the mattress. She probably hurt too much and was too tired to move.
“I don’t know for sure, maybe one or two hours ago.” Her voice got weaker as she slid into sleep.
Cole sat down on the bed facing her, watching her sleep and pushing the hair off her face.
He was really uneasy, worried. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been around someone this sick.
Cain, his son, was like his dad and never got sick.
Oh, maybe a sniffle now and then but nothing this serious.
He couldn’t remember what he needed to do.
He grabbed his phone off his belt and called the main house.
Daisy had two kids, she had to have gone through this a time or two.
Keeping his voice low, he explained the situation to Daisy. Right away she took control and informed him she’d be right there. He would never tell her how relieved he was that she would be there.
As he waited, he wasn’t going to snoop, but he did take the time to look around the cabin, hoping to learn anything about her.
She was dressed right then in black, baggy, silk lounge pants and a short-sleeved t-shirt.
Both were large on her small frame, although he could tell she wasn’t wearing a bra from the way her breasts swayed when she moved.
The picture on the bedside table of the two pretty young girls on either side of Emily beaming at the camera told him she adored her kids, and they were very important to her.
She was neat. Nothing was out of place. Even sick, she tried to take care of others, worried about hurting his back or getting him sick.
She had charmed everybody she came in contact with on the ranch.
The fact that she’d charmed Maddie, Daisy’s daughter, spoke volumes.
He’d been trying for eighteen months to get the girl to like him, and in hours, maybe minutes, she loved Emily.
Everything he learned about her made his feelings grow stronger, deeper.
Cole wiped a shaky hand down his face before turning to stare down at her again.
He didn’t know what he would do if she didn’t give them a chance.
He’d never felt vulnerable before that he could remember, and he didn’t much like the feeling at all.
****
Daisy came to the bedroom door with a basket in her hands.
She must not have made a sound because she froze at the picture of her uncle sitting beside Emily, cupping her face with his hand and tension apparent in the stiff lines of his body.
Her heart jumped in her chest. Oh wow. He was already in love with her.
Part of her was elated. Daisy never thought he’d find anyone to love.
But the other part was scared that if he got hurt again, he might not ever try again and end up alone.
Worry skittered down her spine. What if Emily didn’t feel the same?
No. Daisy saw the way they looked at each other.
They both felt the strong pull. But what if Emily didn’t want or couldn’t take the chance at a relationship with Cole?
She didn’t want to see him broken-hearted.
After what his ex-wife, Lisa, had done to him, he hadn’t shown any interest in a relationship with a woman since.
Oh, she knew once a month he’d drive into Cheyenne to visit a woman he knew.
He had to have some way to relieve himself.
He was a healthy male. But otherwise, he’d stayed clear of the single women that came there for vacation.
His head jerked around when she cleared her throat.
She smiled reassuringly at the relief on his face. “I’ve got everything you’ll need here.” Daisy frowned when she saw Emily. She looked awful. Daisy just hoped it was the garden-variety flu and nothing more serious.
“First, we need to wake her up and get her temperature.”
Cole scowled. “Isn’t there another way we can get her temp? She needs her rest, Daisy.”
Daisy smiled. “Yes, but I don’t think she would appreciate it.” She laughed when a deep blush crossed his face as he understood what she meant.
“Don’t worry. We’ll take her temp, then get her to take a few ibuprofen and drink some water. Keeping her hydrated is very important. Do you know if she vomited?”
Cole shook his head as he walked to the other side of the bed and sat on the mattress, before he pulled off his boots. He sat with his back against the headboard.
“I’m not sure.”
He pulled Emily into his lap, her head against his chest, making sure she was covered by the blanket.
“Sweetheart, wake up, just for a little bit. Daisy’s here to take your temperature.” He rubbed the back of his fingers down her cheek. “That’s a good girl.” He crooned when her eyes fluttered open.
Emily looked up at Cole, dazed and confused. “What’s going on?”
He smiled at her.
“You’re in your cabin. You’re sick, honey, and Daisy’s here to help us make you feel better.”
She didn’t look away from him, a frown pinching the skin between her eyebrows. “Why are you here?”
He cupped his hand around her neck, supporting her head, letting his thumb rub back and forth on her cheek.
“I’m here because I was worried about you, and I want to take care of you.”
“Here, Emily. Put this in your mouth for a minute.”
Emily jerked her head away from Daisy. “I’m fine. I just have a little cold. You guys have so many other things to do than worry about me.”
Cole cupped her chin and brought it up, so she could see him. “I’m not going anywhere until you’re better, so if you want me gone, you need to listen to Daisy, so you can get better quicker.”
Emily frowned but after a minute turned toward Daisy and dutifully opened her mouth. Daisy pulled the thermometer from Emily’s mouth a minute later and frowned.
“You have one hundred and two-point-three temp. We need to get this down.”
A sudden chill overtook her, shaking her in Cole's lap. Emily gritted her teeth to keep them from chattering.
Cole wrapped the blanket tighter around her and pulled her closer to his chest.
“What do we do now?”
“You said she took a few Tylenol a few hours ago, so we're going to give her two ibuprofen and then another two Tylenol in a few hours. Don’t wrap her too tightly in the blanket. It will raise her temperature.”
Cole scowled but loosened the blanket. “But she’s shivering.”
Daisy smiled in understanding. “I know, but it will get better.”
“I’m right here,” Emily grunted, then coughed. “I know what to do. I’ve taken care of myself and my children when they were sick.”
“I’m sure you’re an expert, but are you able to get up and get something to drink when you need it? And what about the drugs? Are you able to keep track of when you take something?” Daisy asked.
Emily unknowingly pressed her head under Cole’s chin. “It might be difficult, but I have been taking care of myself my whole life.”
Cole’s lips pressed together. “Are you saying you didn’t have help when you were sick before?”
Emily tipped her head back. “Sometimes the girls would bring me water, but I usually had to keep the household going even when I was sick.”
Daisy scowled. How could anyone treat this woman badly? She was one of the sweetest people Daisy had ever met.