She’d closed her eyes, and Noah wondered if she might be falling asleep.
“‘Twill pass,” he murmured, brushing back her short hair. “I’m promising you. You’ll be feeling better soon.”
Caitie didn’t speak, so he rested his head against the back of the sofa, crooning a lullaby his mother had sung to him as a young child when he’d been sick.
“That’s beautiful,” she mumbled. “Can you teach it to me?”
“Now?” He lifted his head.
“Yes. It’ll distract me from how bad I feel.”
“Sure.” Noah sang the cradle song again, stopping after the first line to repeat it. “Now you be trying it.”
Caitie’s voice, while a little rough, still carried a sweetness that made a lump form in his throat. She sounded like the angels in the lyrics and made him feel like he’d returned to Ireland.
“Ah, Caitie, you’re an Irish lass at heart. Now try the second line.”
Once again, as his mother would have done, Noah ran his fingers through Caitie’s hair as he taught her the song. Her words slurred as her body relaxed. Noah continued to singsoftly, letting his voice grow quieter as his eyes drooped, and his hand came to a stop, cupping the crown of her head.
A painful stabof light through Caitlyn’s eyelids made her squeeze them more tightly closed. It was morning already? She’d been having the mostwonderfuldream, and she wanted to get back to it. But it was already fading. It had something to do with...
Noah.
No. She couldn’t go there again. Her crushed expectations two years ago had been bad enough; she wouldn’t set herself up to be hurt again. Keven had taken so much from her. Was she never going to be free of him and his lies?
It’d been the right choice to press charges against him. That and refusing his advances which had triggered the beating. Even after he’d started his character-destroying vendetta after, she hadn’t been sorry. With a record for assault and battery, she’d hoped he might think twice before hitting another woman. It should have been ancient history. Old news.
Caitlyn’s stomach growled, and she realized she was ravenously hungry. And not queasy in the least. Her mouth tasted foul, so she reached in her pocket for a breath mint.
Then she remembered the allergic reaction. She pressed her lips together. They were still a little puffy, but her tongue didn’t tingle anymore. The antihistamine must have worked?—
Oh!Ithadn’tbeen a dream. Sudden warmth filled her cheeks at how kind Noah had been to her. He’d held her while she’d been ill. Maybe he had more doctorly instincts than he credited himself with. He’d even taught her that beautiful Irish lullaby.
Why couldn’t he always be like that to her? But no. Even though he had the power to curl her toes like before, he was still friends with Keven.
Caitlyn’s eyes filled with tears, and she started to roll over but paused. She wasn’t in her bed—and her head was resting on someone’s lap. Opening her eyes, she looked up.
Noah’s head leaned to the side at an awkward angle. She wanted to straighten it. That position couldn’t be comfortable. His morning scruff of a beard was prominent.
Caitlyn slowly raised her hand and, ever so softly, ran her fingers along Noah’s jaw. Once upon a time, when they’d gone almost everywhere together, she enjoyed watching him when he wasn’t looking. He’d hinted they should date exclusively. Then Keven must have said something.
“You’re awake—” Noah said, breaking off with a groan as he straightened his head.
Caitlyn’s heart leaped into her throat at being caught touching his chin. She dropped her hand.
“I wondered if you would wake with a crick in your neck. Thank you for playing nursemaid for me.” When she sat up, the effort making her feel lightheaded, she swayed. Her body must be depleted after the vomit-fest the night before. Remembering Eve’s suggestion, Caitlyn said, “My blood sugar’s too low. I need to get some juice.”
“Aye, last night ‘twould do it to you. I’ll fetch you some.” He shifted, moaning like an old man. “Well, I will once I’m getting this body moving.”
The image of the two of them, stumbling around like they’d just come in from a wild night, struck her as funny, and she giggled.
“Would you be laughing at me?” Noah scowled at her, but his eyes had a twinkle, and the corners of his mouth twitched.
Still giggling, she tried to explain, and he chuckled.
The effort was too much for her, though. Unable to hold her head upright, Caitlyn rested it against the sofa back for support.
“I’ll be hurrying back.” Noah bent over and ran the back of his fingers down her cheek. “Don’t you be worrying.”
