Georgia On My Mind (13 page)

“I will.”

“I should’ve gone over there myself when you guys told me you were worried.”

“Your mother talked about you and your sister all the time, did you know that?”

Surprised by the shift in conversation, Georgie said, “No, I didn’t.”

“It was always Ali this, Georgie that, Ali’s coming home, Georgie’s got a new apartment. The center was her job, but you and your sister were her life, honey. You two were her pride and joy.”

Georgie’s throat tightened with emotion. “Thank you for telling me that, Bill.”

“I think you already knew. She’d be so proud of the way you’ve stepped up at the center.”

“I hope so,” she said, blinking back tears. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Yes, you will. Are you all right, Georgie?”

She glanced across the hall to where Nathan was sprawled out asleep in her bed. “Yeah, I’m okay.”

Georgie woke up just after two the next morning awash in sweat to find Nathan wrapped around her, moaning softly in his sleep. As she disentangled herself from his embrace, she was startled to find his skin blazing. Resting her hand on his sweaty forehead, she gasped.

“Nathan.” She turned on the bedside light as she shook his shoulder. “Wake up.”

“Mmm, hot, Georgie, hot . . .” His mumbling descended into incoherence.

Georgie tugged the covers off him and went into the bathroom to run a washcloth under cold water. She brought it back and bathed his face.

His eyes opened, and he blinked until he had adjusted to the light. “What’s wrong?”

“You’ve got a fever. I’ll see if we have anything you can take for it. Will you be okay?”

“As long as you come back.”

She smiled as she ran the cloth over his face again. “You never miss an opportunity, do you?”

His eyes fluttered closed. “Can’t afford to.”

Georgie checked the medicine cabinets in all the bathrooms but couldn’t find what she needed. She remembered a cabinet in the kitchen where her mother had kept some medicines, so she went downstairs to find Tess leaning against the counter drinking a glass of water.

“What are you doing up?” Georgie asked.

“Haven’t been to bed yet.”

“Oh, no?”

“I went to have a drink with Ben that turned into two, and now I’m up way too late. I’ll pay for it tomorrow.”

“You and Ben?” Georgie asked as she searched for the medicine. “That’s an interesting pairing.”

“No pairing, just a drink. He’s okay once you get past all the BS. I brought your car home, by the way. The keys are on the counter.”

“Thanks.”

“I’m sorry about Gus.”

“Me, too.” Georgie sighed. “He’s one of the good guys.”

“What’re you looking for?”

“Something for a fever.”

“Are you sick?”

She glanced over at Tess. “Um, now don’t get all, you know,
nutso
about it, but Nathan’s upstairs, and he has a fever.”

With obvious restraint, Tess asked, “Did he take the meds they gave him today?”

Georgie nodded. “It knocked him out. That’s why he’s here.”

“That’s the
only
reason?”

“
Tess!
”

She laughed. “I have what you need upstairs. I’ll get it for you.”

“Great. Thank you.” Georgie took a fresh glass of ice water with her when she went upstairs.

Nathan had gone back to sleep.

Tess came down from the third floor with the pills and an ear thermometer. “May I?”

Georgie gestured for her to have at it.

Nathan didn’t stir as Tess took his temperature.

“Wow, 103. He was fine before. What brought that on?”

“Well, he ah . . . kind of carried me upstairs when I was upset earlier.”

“Georgie! He shouldn’t have done that!”

“I know. I said the same thing.”

“Let’s get his clothes off.”

“Do we have to?” Georgie asked, alarmed.

In full nurse mode, Tess lifted him and removed his shirt. As she reached for the button to his jeans, she turned to Georgie. “Are you going to just stand there?”

“Yeah, that was the plan.”

“Georgie! Come on!”

Reluctantly, Georgie helped to work the denim over his legs.

“Please tell me I’m not hallucinating,” he mumbled as the jeans cleared his feet, leaving him only in form-fitting boxers. “
Both of you?
”

Georgie rolled her eyes. “Clearly, he’s fine.”

Tess giggled. “Not tonight, big boy.” She shook two pills from the bottle and helped him sit up to take them.

Georgie watched the whole scene with an odd feeling of detachment. Tess knew what to do, so it was best if she just stayed out of the way.

He winced when he tried to move his arm.

“Who did this hack job?” Tess asked as she surveyed the bandage Georgie had applied earlier.

“That’d be me,” Georgie said. “What’s wrong with it?”

“Other than everything? Was it bleeding?”

“A little,” Georgie said.

Tess took off the bandage and inspected the wound. “It needs to be irrigated. I’ll get some stuff.”

When they were alone, Nathan held out his good hand to Georgie.

She laced her fingers through his.

“Why do you look so pale?” he asked.

“Do I?”

“Uh-huh.”

“I was worried when I woke up and you were on fire.”

“Don’t look now, but I think you’re starting to care about me.”

“Nah. I was worried about disposing of your carcass if you spontaneously combusted in my bed.”

Keeping his eyes closed and his fingers curled around hers, he laughed softly. “I’d love to spontaneously combust in your bed. Just say the word.”

Georgie laughed. “You’re too much.” As she studied him, so handsome even in pain, she wished she had met him before her life spun into chaos and uncertainty.

Tess returned with a bundle of towels and a large syringe.

“What are you going to do with that?” Nathan asked, suddenly on full alert.

“It’s just hydrogen peroxide, a little bit of alcohol, and water. It might sting but only for a second.”

Nathan tugged on Georgie’s hand. “Lay with me.”

Tess nodded at Georgie to go ahead.

Feeling tremendous pressure to do what she was told, she positioned herself on the bed behind him so he could rest his head against her chest.

“What’s going on?” Cat asked from the door.

“Nathan’s burning up,” Tess replied.

“If Nathan’s burning up in Georgie’s bed, what the heck are you doing in there?” Cat asked with an amused expression.

“I wish burning up in Georgie’s bed meant what you think it does,” he said.

“Relax your arm,” Tess said, her eyes meeting Georgie’s over his head. “Keep him still,” she mouthed to Georgie.

Georgie nodded, her stomach clenching with anxiety. She tightened her arms around him.

“Just a small sting,” Tess said in a cheerful tone.

“
Son of a bitch!
” he hissed. His face drained of color as he bit down hard on his bottom lip. “Come on! Enough!”

Tess kept an iron grip on his arm. “One more minute.”

He moaned.

Moved by his distress, Georgie cradled his head against her chest and ran her fingers through his hair.

Tess dried the wound and applied a new bandage. “I’ll take a look at it again in the morning. Try to get some sleep.”

“Thanks,” he said, his voice weak and hoarse with pain.

“Come get me if you need me,” she said to Georgie.

“I will. Thanks, Tess.”

“Night, guys,” Cat said.

Tess went into the hallway, and Georgie heard her ask Cat about her date with Ian and Rosie.

Their voices faded as they made their way upstairs.

“
Cat and Ian?
” Nathan whispered.

“Apparently, Tess and Ben, too.”

“Damn! I’m out of the loop for one night and the world goes mad!”

“Are you okay?” His lips were white with pain. “Can I get you anything?”

“Just one thing.”

“What?”

“You. I want to hold you.”

“You can’t. Your arm needs to stay still, and you need to rest.”

“Then you hold me. I can’t sleep with you and not touch you.”

She scooted from behind him to lie next to him. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

He turned onto his good side and reached for her with his injured arm.

Georgie moved an inch closer to him.

His hand landed on her hip. “That’s what I need,” he said with a contented sigh. “One more thing?”

“I’m afraid to ask.”

“Do you think maybe you could kiss me?”

“Nathan—”

“Just one kiss.” His lip curled into a pout. “Please? I’m injured.”

“How long are you going to play that card?”

“For as long as it works?”

She kissed his cheek. “There. Now go to sleep.”

“That stunk. You can do better. In fact, I
know
you can.”

“If I kiss you, will you go to sleep?”

“I promise.”

She propped herself up on one elbow and leaned in to press her lips to his and was about to pull back when his hand sank into her hair to hold her still.

His tongue traced the outline of her lips.

As she gasped with surprise, Georgie felt the now-familiar charge of desire he stirred in her.

He took advantage of her parted lips to slide his tongue into her mouth.

Her hand landed on his shoulder, and he flinched but didn’t let her go. Instead, he moved the hand he’d had in her hair down her back and pulled her even closer to him.

“Nathan!” she said, tearing her lips free of his. “Your arm.”

“Kiss me, Georgie.”

“I did.”

“Wasn’t enough.” He hooked his leg over her hips to draw her to him.

His body was warm and aroused, his eyes glassy with fever and desire. “Do you always wear boxers to bed?” he asked.

“Most of the time.”

“Very sexy. And this little number. I like that, too.”

Georgie glanced down to find her breasts spilling out of the thin camisole. When she tried to adjust her top, he stopped her.

“Don’t.”

Their eyes met, held.

Georgie knew he was going to kiss her again, and her breath got caught in her throat as anticipation did battle with her better judgment. Once again, this was on the verge of getting out of control, and she had to put a stop to it. She tried to pull away from him, but he resisted.

“Georgie,” he whispered as he brought his lips down on hers.

She wanted to fight him. Really, she did. But as his mouth fused with hers, every ounce of reason seemed to desert her.

He moved to get a better angle, his erection pressing against her leg.

Georgie knew she shouldn’t be sliding her hands over his back or sending her tongue to meet his. And she certainly shouldn’t have been stroking him through the soft cotton of his underwear. All bad moves, for sure, but that last one, well, she just couldn’t resist.

He groaned and pushed hard against her hand as he cupped her breast. When he ran a thumb over her nipple, the shock of the aching need that rocketed through her took her breath away.

He freed her breast from the cami. “Mmm,” he said, his lips vibrating against her fevered skin. “So pretty. So perfect.”

Georgie went rigid as she suddenly remembered blood tests and mastectomies. “Stop,” she whispered. “Please stop.”

Breathing hard, he let his head fall to her shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

She was at once furious with herself, frustrated at the unfulfilled desire that still pulsated through her body and sad—so painfully sad.

The soft pressure of his lips against her shoulder made her go limp in his arms.

“You must think I’m a terrible tease—”

He stopped her with a gentle kiss. “I think you’re the sexiest, most desirable, fascinating,
frustrating
, adorable, caring woman I’ve ever known, and it’s been a really long time since I’ve wanted anyone the way I want you—and not just in bed.”

Georgie had to fight to keep her mouth from falling open.
Oh! How could he say that? How am I supposed to resist him when he says stuff like that?

His grin was small but satisfied. “Nothing to say?”

“You’re not playing fair,” she said softly.

He gathered her in close to him and reached over to shut off the light. “Nope.”

Throbbing pain in his arm woke Nathan early the next morning at the time he usually got up to run. That wasn’t happening today, though. He was furious to realize he felt weak and depleted from the fever that still gripped him. Being helpless, injured or sick never sat well with him. His mother had often called him her worst patient, which was saying something in his family.

To detract his attention from the pain in his arm, he watched Georgie sleep and wondered if she would retreat again when she woke up to find him in her bed. He smiled when he remembered her accusing him of not playing fair. Damn right he wasn’t playing fair. Where would that get him? He was playing it straight, and clearly she was unused to that strategy.

Old Doug what’s-his-name in
Atlanta
was probably the type to play games. She’d said he was a sports agent.
Imagine the ego on that guy
.
Probably thought he was God’s gift to women
. Nathan hated guys like him who gave the rest of them a bad rap. Georgie deserved better.