‘But you’re looking after him.’
‘That’s what partners do,’ Georgie said, thinking on the spot. ‘Lovingpartners and, besides, I have a separate bedroom so those leaping germs won’t get to me.’
Too much information? It was an impulse statement just in case reports filtered back to a prying ex.
She heard Flora chatting to her dad as she phoned through for room service, which was speedy thanks to the fact that they had their own personal concierge.
She and Flora would have breakfast downstairs in the restaurant.
‘Right, miss, I’m going to run a bath for your dad so why don’t you listen out for someone bringing up some food? You can let them in and supervise while they set the table in the kitchenette? Think you’re responsible enough for that super important job?’
And then it was rush, rush, rush as she headed straight to Alessandro’s en suite to run a bath.
Her nerves were all over the place when she returned, bath run, to find him still under the covers.
‘You’ll have to help me to the bath.’
‘No way.’
‘Okay.’ He began edging himself from under the covers and just when she thought her heart was going to slam out of her ribcage, she realised that he was wearing boxers.
She stared with bold fascination and he slowly levered himself into an upright position.
He was magnificent. She couldn’t breathe and only reached to half support him when she saw that he looked a little dizzy at the effort.
The heat from his body slammed into her and she felt the weight of his arm draped over her shoulders as hot and heavy as a branding iron.
‘I’ll bring your food in and leave it on a tray by the side of your bed…’ She began backing out of the bathroom. ‘Are you okay to…er…?’
‘I’m already feeling better.’
‘I’ll be back…’
‘This isn’t what I had planned.’
‘I get that.’
He hesitated and then flushed.
‘I’ll be back on my feet by this evening. I don’t do ill health.’
‘Ill health might disagree with you.’
He looked at her and smiled. His dark hair was tousled and he had a six o’clock shadow on his chin because he hadn’t shaved.
Arousal almost made her pass out.
‘I like your chirpy pep talk and your bossiness. I shouldn’t but I do.’
For a second, he looked as though he needed to sit down and take the weight off and she almost wanted to wait till he’d made his way into the bath but the very thought made her feel even more like passing out, so she smiled back at him.
‘Well… I’ll take care of Flora for the day. In fact, don’t worry about her. I’ll make sure she enjoys being here and when you’re better you can take over.’
She turned away but then he said, which made her pause with her hand on the doorknob, ‘Georgie? Thanks.’
The day had come and gone. Where? How? It had just disappeared by the time Alessandro heard Georgie opening the door outside. He was still too knocked out to do much but half sit up and listen to Flora’s excited chatter and then the lower, laughing voice as Georgie replied to whatever was being said.
For the first time in his adult life, he hadn’t worked. No emails, no conference calls, no reports read or data analysed or remote meetings held.
