Page 30 of A Momentary Marriage

Laura wrung out the rag and bathed his face. He closed his eyes, his features relaxing under her hand. She rewet the rag to cool it and returned to his bedside.

He watched her warily. “Clearly you have some need to nurture someone, but I am not—”

“Oh, for—why do you make such an effort to be obnoxious when you are feeling so ill?” She began to wash his face again.

“I don’t like being fussed over.”

“It’s unfortunate you didn’t think of that before you married me,” Laura retorted. “I am a doctor’s daughter, and I have been in the habit of helping sick people all my life, even those who are annoying. You will simply have to get used to the fact that I’m not going to stand about watching you suffer and do nothing about it.”

“I should have known you’d turn out to be a despot,” he muttered, closing his eyes. “Graeme has a weakness for overbearing women.”

A chuckle escaped Laura. “Insulting to the end, I see.” She was pleased to see that his lips curved up in response.

“Will it bother you?” he asked softly. “Being so close to Graeme here? Seeing him frequently? He’s bound to come over when he gets back from London.”

Laura glanced at him, startled. “No, of course not. I told you—”

“But you must . . . when you see him . . . you surely feel . . .”

“Friendship,” Laura said firmly. “That’s all.” She poured the contents of a bottle into the water and dipped the rag into it. A pleasant scent stole through the air as she wrung out the cloth and laid it across his forehead.

He took a deep breath. “It smells like you.”

Laura glanced at him, surprised. “It’s lavender—soothing for a headache.” She thought he looked a little better. “Will you be able to sleep now?”

He snorted. “I never sleep.”

“I hear you walking about at night.”

“I get restless. It’s madness to be so tired and yet unable to sleep.”

She perched on the bed beside him. “I would have kept you company, but you didn’t seem to want it.”

He slanted a look over at her. “You mean I was rude as the devil.”

“Yes. But I expected that. I wasn’t sure, though, whether company would make you feel worse or you were just being unpleasant.”

He snorted. “I have yet to see you let either of those things slow you down.”

She shrugged. “I spent all my life managing a man who took no care of himself.”

James scowled. “You’re saying I remind you of your father?”

Laura laughed. “Goodness, no. My father was a kind man. A good man.”

“Very different then.” There was a hint of a smile on his lips. Laura was aware of a peculiar desire to trace her finger across them.

“He was too busy looking after others to take care of himself. I’m not sure why you neglect to do so.”

“I take care of myself. Most would say I am my greatest concern.”

“Perhaps. I don’t know you well enough to say. But you refuse to let anyone help you.”

He stirred, turning his head away. “It’s obvious you don’t know me well. I have a great many people who help me.”

“You pay them to work for you; that’s an entirely different thing. What you won’t do is allow someone to give it to you freely.”

“You’re daft.”