“I know you were. Just remember the old bathroom trick if Allison or future children ever get croup.” He glanced down at Allison and, deciding to give her some medication, administered it into her mouth with an eyedropper.
“That’s a mild decongestant, but even so, it should keep her under for the rest of the night.” While he filled out a prescription blank he said, “Have this filled tomorrow. You can give her liquid aspirin if she runs any fever and call me if she’s no better in a day or two. Do you have a vaporizer?”
“Yes,” Katherine answered, aware that Jace had joined them.
“I’d keep it going in her room for a couple of days. It’ll relieve her congestion.”
“Thank you, Doctor,” Jace said, extending his hand for the doctor to shake. He led the pediatrician to the front door.
Katherine was leaning over the crib, stroking Allison’s back when he returned.
“She gave you quite a scare, didn’t she?” Jace whispered.
“Oh, God, Jace. I was so frightened,” Katherine said tremulously.
“I know. I’m glad I called and was able to be here with you.” He placed both hands on her shaking shoulders and massaged them comfortingly.
“Thank you,” she said softly. Then remembering how expert he had been during the crisis, she asked, “How did you know what to do?”
He laughed softly then said, “When you’re on a drilling site out in the middle of nowhere, you learn to be a lot of things. Sometimes we have to act as nurse for one another. One night a man in my outfit got choked up like that and Billy instructed us on what to do.”
“Tell Billy I’m forever in his debt.”
“He’ll like that,” Jace said wryly. “Hey, are you hungry? We skipped supper, you know.”
“And lunch,” Katherine said. She patted Allison’s bottom one last time before turning around. “But I hadn’t even thought of it.”
“Why don’t you lie down for a while and let me run out for some hamburgers.”
“I hate for you—”
“No problem.” He interrupted her on his way out the front door.
Katherine sank down onto the sofa and rested her head on the back cushions, closing her eyes. What a day.…
That was her last conscious thought until she awoke to feather-light kisses on her cheek. She opened her eyes and saw Jace bending solicitously over her.
“Did I go to sleep?” she asked drowsily.
“You could’ve fooled me. Unless you were checking your eyelids for holes,” he smiled. “How would you like a picnic?”
“What?” she asked struggling to sit upright. “Oh, Jace!” she exclaimed when she saw the hamburgers, french fries, and malteds spread out on the candlelit coffee table in front of her.
“Milady’s dinner is served,” Jace said with a swooping bow.
For the first time in weeks Katherine laughed out loud at his clowning. That set the mood for their cozy dinner. He regaled her with stories of his ventures abroad. His description of a sheikh who had fancied him as a husband for one of his twelve daughters caused tears of mirth to roll down Katherine’s face.
“You’re laughing, and I barely escaped with my virtue intact,” Jace said with feigned indignation.
Katherine stood up and began gathering the paper plates and cups. Her hands came to a complete standstill when Jace grasped her around the waist and turned her to face him as he sat on the sofa.
Exercising no will of her own, she followed his lead and was drawn closer. His hands ran up and down her back as he stared into her eyes.
“No bra today,” he whispered roguishly, flashing that mischievous smile she had come to adore.
Holding her eyes with his, he reached under her T-shirt with caressing hands. Her own eyes swam with emotion as she felt his tentative fingers on her flesh. She didn’t deter him. She wanted this. She would review her regrets later. For right now she gloried in his touch.
He raised the shirt and slipped it over her head. Honey-colored hair tumbled down around her shoulders. The candles were the only illumination as he viewed her body. The flickering candlelight shaded and highlighted the hollows and planes in a study of sculpture.