‘I’ve told her to give you a little time to get back on your feet. Also, it would be awful if she caught anything. It would ruin her time here and she’s so excited.’
‘You might be the one to catch whatever I have.’
‘I’m probably more robust than you.’ Georgie smirked. ‘That’s the joy of living an outdoor life. Take the tablets.’
‘I abhor taking tablets.’
‘I don’t care. Take them. You need to be up and running as fast as you can. Flora’s brimming over with excitement and it’ll be nice for you to spend the time with her.’
She remembered her thoughts about how he might spend his time with his daughter. Money might be able to buy a lot, but no amount of money could buy quality time and, for a workaholic, quality time could be in thin supply.
Or maybe, in the grip of never-ending ambition, he had forgotten how to take time out and do nothing, which was often what a kid needed from a parent.
But that was just speculation.
‘Perhaps you could run me a bath,’ he said, lying back on the pillows and closing his eyes.
Georgie sighed. He looked vulnerable, which she knew was dangerous because she could already feel herself softening when she was determined to remain detached.
With his eyes closed and without the guarded, cool self-assurance she had become accustomed to, he looked boyish and much younger.
‘I’ll… I’ll get Flora some breakfast and, okay, I’ll run you a bath.’
‘I’m glad you’re here,’ Alessandro mumbled in such a low voice that she had to lean towards him to hear him clearly.
‘I beg your pardon?’
His eyes flicked open, catching her unawares and holding her startled gaze for a few silent seconds.
‘Glad you’re here. I can’t remember a time… I don’t do this but…doesn’t feel awful…you being here…’
‘You’re not making any sense.’ She felt his forehead again with the back of her hand. ‘You’re clammy. Your fever’s doing the talking. You should try and get some sleep once you’ve had a bath.’
‘I’ve never been in this situation before.’ He clasped her hand with his and carried on looking at her. ‘Never been ill. Can’t even remember being ill when I was a kid. Never known what it’s felt like for someone to bring me tablets with water with no agenda. Feels okay.’
Georgie reddened. She felt heat course through her because there was a sudden searing intimacy between them that locked her in place.
Did he feel it as well?
Or was he babbling because he had a high fever and that was what you did when you had a high fever? You babbled without thinking.
Her eyes slipped down to the primly covered body and she had a vivid image of what that primly covered body might look like, naked and beautiful and tempting.
She felt faint.
‘I’d do this for anyone,’ she said roughly, pulling back and fiddling with the packet of tablets she had brought in with her. ‘I’ll be back in a minute to run the bath. Do you want anything to eat? I could order room service.’
‘Not that hungry.’
‘You should eat. Feed a cold, starve a fever and all that.’
‘You’re bossy. I like that.’
His voice was drowsy and she felt dangerously close to really liking all the stuff he was saying. She had to remind herself sternly that none of it counted because he wasn’t well.
In a fluster she gave Flora some biscuits to tide her over, told her she could have a chat with her dad but stay by the bedroom door.
‘Germs have a habit of leaping about,’ she cautioned, making leaping motions with her fingers and feeling gratified when Flora burst out laughing.
