“Sleep,” he encouraged.
“Thanks again.”
Her whisper-soft voice tugged on his heart. He would give anything to make her feel better. Maybe sleep coupled with the medication would be enough.
Hadley coughed before turning onto her side, but her eyes remained closed.
The woman lying in the bed was nothing like the strong, professional matchmaker he’d hired. This woman wasn’t ruled by plans and her process. She was soft and vulnerable and needed someone.
Tonight, that person was him.
An unfamiliar yearning welled inside Blaise. He longed to hold her while she slept. That way if Hadley woke in the middle of the night, she would know she wasn’t alone.
But he couldn’t.
Instead, he turned off the lamp on the nightstand. The room went dark, but the hallway light allowed him to see. “Sleep well.”
She didn’t respond, but he hadn’t expected her to.
Blaise brushed his lips over her forehead. Her skin wasn’t as hot as it had been, but checking her temperature wasn’t the reason for his kiss.
Now, she’d been tucked in completely.
He walked out of her room. At the doorway, he stopped and glanced over his shoulder.
Hadley intrigued him. She worked hard to give clients their happily ever after, but what about her?
Did she want one for herself?
Maybe she’d find one tonight while she slept. “Sweet dreams, princess.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
The next morning, Hadley didn’t feel any better. The only bright spot was remembering how sweet Blaise had been when he’d tucked her in last night. The man continually surprised her, but more than that, he intrigued her. If he wasn’t a client…
Except he was.
Which meant she couldn’t think of him as anything other than someone who’d hired her.
She called Fallon and then Ella, speaking to them in between coughs. That wore her out so Hadley slept more, but it wasn’t restful. She woke more tired than before.
A woman entered the bedroom, carrying a tray of food.
“Hi, I’m Robyn. Blaise’s housekeeper.”
She was in her fifties. A single braid of brown hair mixed with strands of gray fell to her mid-back. She wore black leggings, a coral tunic, and Birkenstocks. Mini dream catchers dangled from her earlobes. Crystals and charms hung from a thin leather cord around her neck.
Robyn placed the tray next to Hadley on the bed. “I have a bowl of chicken noodle soup.”
“You didn’t have to go to so much trouble for me.”
“It’s no trouble at all. The soup isn’t homemade, because I’m a horrible cook. The chef will be here tomorrow. If you have any requests, please let me know.”
Hadley found Robyn’s honesty refreshing. Though if Blaise had another person cooking for him, he wouldn’t need a housekeeper with those skills. “I appreciate you making me lunch, but I’m not that hungry.”
“Not surprising because you’re sick.” With her easy smile and warm eyes, Robyn exuded the kindness and compassion of a nurturer. “Eat a few bites. You need your strength.”
The woman’s hypnotic voice soothed Hadley in an unexpected way. “I’ll try.” She swallowed a spoonful. “This is good.”
