Somewhere in His Arms (8 page)

             
Rudy had her little car delivered to her and she drove into town for groceries and necessary items. She glanced at a tabloid and quickly looked away. The headlines still screamed Vivian and her new boy-toy.  As she drove back, she wondered if he even thought about her.

             
Gripping the steering wheel, Lucy decided that Dean was best left to the ashes of her memory. She had bigger problems. Like giving her new patient a bath. She wasn’t looking forward to it. Not that she anything against the chore, it was just that they were all alone in the little cottage, and there weren’t any witnesses should he decide to get ugly.

             
Pulling up in front of the house, she paused and tried to think how best to go about it. She got out and went in.

             
“You’re back,” he said, almost relieved. “I was beginning to think you’d left me.”

             
“Why would you think that?” she replied, as she carried the groceries into the kitchen. “I live here.”

             
“I don’t know,” he shrugged, peering up at her shyly. “Maybe you’re tired of the company?”

             
“The company’s fine,” she murmured as she pulled out a package. She held it up for him to see. “Look what they had.”

             
His eyes widened in horror. “Bloody hell! You’re not giving me a bath!” He turned his chair around and peeled off toward his bedroom.

             
Lucy chased after him. “But Alec! These are the latest thing. You just pop them in the microwave and you’re good to go. It’ll only take five minutes.”

             
“Well, if they’re so bloody great you take them and knock yourself out. I’m going to bed.”

             
Laughing at the whole thing, Lucy followed him in and watched in disbelief as he wheeled himself into the corner. He stared at her defiantly like a naughty boy. “You’re not giving me a bath!” he told her firmly. “I had one last week. Hilda gave me one before she left. I’m good for another.”

             
“Don’t be silly! You’ll feel so much better, she said as she approached him.

             
“I said
no!”
he shouted at her and backed away from her. “Get the hell away from me!” 

             
Lucy didn’t know what was wrong with him. He seemed agitated, almost frightened. His eyes were wild with fear and his hands were gripping the wheels with such force, his knuckles showed white. “Alec---” she began, “what on earth…?”

             
“Stay away from me,” he warned ominously.  “I’ll not tell you again.”

             
Not knowing what to make of it, Lucy set the package down and left him alone. As she put the groceries away, she wondered what Rudy had neglected to tell her about Alec. She knew fear when she saw it and he had been terrified.
Of what?
Her?
He hadn’t exhibited any abnormal behavior in the past few weeks she’d been here. Sometimes she heard him talking in his sleep but nothing out of the ordinary. Now, he was acting like a frightened animal when she tried to bathe him! It didn’t make sense.

             
Lucy went to her bedroom and saw his door was closed. Feeling suddenly ill, she had to lie down on the bed, and put a cool cloth over her aching eyes. She closed them against the incessant pounding and tried to get some rest.

             
She hoped she wasn’t coming down with anything.

* * *

              Someone was in her room! She lay quietly and heard them moving around. Lucy took the cloth from her eyes and sat up. It was dark and Alec was sitting near the window looking out. He turned and moved toward the bed.

             
“Are you feeling better?” he asked quietly.

             
“I’m not sick,” she told him as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed. “I had a headache.”

             
“A headache that lasted for six hours? It’s seven.”

             
“I’m so sorry!” she cried out in dismay. “I forgot about dinner.” She stood up then sat back down as the room suddenly began spinning.

             
“Don’t try to get up. I can fix dinner,” he said as he started to leave. “You should rest.”

             
“Don’t be silly. I’m just a little lightheaded. I haven’t eaten all day.”

             
“Are you sure?”

             
Nodding, she stood up on solid legs and went through the darkened cottage to the kitchen where she started to pull out pots and pans. She threw some chicken into a skillet and started to peel some potatoes. “It won’t be long,” she said as he watched her from the living room. “Will chicken and fried potatoes be okay? I think I have some biscuits---”

             
“I’m sorry!” he blurted and came into the kitchen. He looked so guilty Lucy wanted to comfort him.  “I’m sorry I yelled at you.”

             
Lucy didn’t reply but kept on peeling potatoes. “I’m sorry too.”

             
“Sorry for what? I’m the one who behaved like an arse. You were only trying to help.”

             
“I was, wasn’t I?” she said softly. “But I should have asked.”

             
Swearing under his breath, he wheeled himself into the living room and turned on a few lamps. “Rudy told me to be nice to you. He’d kill me if he thought I wasn’t treating you right.”

             
Wiping her hands on a towel, she followed him out and watched as he fidgeted restlessly in his chair. “Alec?”

             
He raked his hand nervously through his hair. “I just didn’t want you to see.”

             
“See what?” she asked gently.

             
Alec began to pick at threads on his old robe. “S-Scars,” he managed and then cleared his throat. “I, um, was in Afghanistan and I have a few um…” he couldn’t finish.

             
Lucy was relieved. “Is
that
all?”

             
He glanced up, startled. This was hardly the reaction he was expecting. Somehow he thought she’d be repulsed by it, nurse or not. The others had been. “Y--You’re not disgusted?”

             
“Of course not! That’s why you didn’t want me to bathe you. Well, I don’t know why. I’ve seen worse.”

             
“No, you haven’t,” he said grimly. “It’s pretty bad.”

             
“Where?” she said, coming towards him. “Let me see.”

             
Alec backed away, wishing he hadn’t told her. “Not before we eat.”

             
“For heaven’s sake!” she cried, exasperated. “I’m a nurse! I’ve seen it all.”

             
“Later,” he choked, and turned around suddenly. “I’ll eat in my room.”

              He left her alone and wondering how bad could a few war scars be. But as Lucy prepared dinner, she began to sense that to him it would have been devastating. It would certainly explain his hostility toward others and why he’d gone through so many nurses. She felt guilty for all the horrible things she’d thought about him.  No wonder he’d shut himself off from family and friends. In a way she supposed Rudy had thought they’d be perfect for the other, each bearing their own scars.

             
Sighing, Lucy prepared his tray and carried it to his room. She opened the door and set it down. Alec was staring out the window seemingly lost in his thoughts. He seemed so alone just then, as if he carried the weight of the world on his broad shoulders. She wanted to say something to comfort him but couldn’t think of anything at the moment.

             
“Call me if you need anything else,” Lucy managed and left.

             
She returned later to find him asleep in his chair. Lucy nudged him awake and pushed him to the bed. Just as he finished lowering himself down onto the mattress, she leaned over to pull the blankets over him and stood up. That’s when she felt it. Her head felt fuzzy and light. Then she felt herself falling into a long black tunnel and knew no more.

             
Alec caught her as she fell. His strong arms lowered her gently beside him and for a moment he panicked. He didn’t know what to do. Lucy had fainted in his arms and was now lying unconscious in his bed. He felt her brow and touched her cheek. She felt warm. He reached over for a damp cloth and wiped her face.

             
Rudy had told him very little about his new caregiver.                                              

             
Only that he mustn’t upset her, and he had done more than that when she had only meant to be helpful. He swore silently. He tried to nudge her awake but it didn’t work.               She was out cold.

             
What to do with a beautiful girl in his bed? Her soft pink lips were parted with her breathing, and Alec leaned his head down to listen to her heart. It was quiet and gentle…
like her.
  He sighed heavily; wishing this ache in his chest would go away. He reached up and brushed aside the sooty locks of hair from her pale face and covered her with his blanket.

             
Alec rested his head beside hers and inhaled deeply, savoring the sweet scent of her hair.

             
“Goodnight, lovely Lucy,” he whispered softly and closed his eyes.

Chapter Six

Lucy’s eyes flew open. The room was dark and she was lying in bed but something wasn’t right. The bed felt different and something warm was wedged up against her back. She wiggled onto her back to find Alec sleeping contentedly beside her. She was half covered with his blanket.

             
What the hell?

             
Then it came back to her. She had fainted and poor Alec, unable to do anything, had simply fallen asleep with her in his bed. Lucy carefully slid out and slipped out of the room. She shut the door leaving a small crack to hear him and went into the bathroom.

             
Splashing some cold water on her face and neck, she tried to make sense out of it. She wasn’t given to fainting spells. But these past few weeks she hadn’t been feeling up to par. Maybe she should see a doctor. Putting her nursing skills to good use, she made a mental list of all her symptoms and came up with a simple diagnosis. Stress. Plain and simple.

             
Sighing, she began to undress when she was overcome by a wave of nausea so sudden and severe she barely had time to flip up the lid of the toilet. Lucy sank to her knees as wave after wave hit her. Shuddering, she closed the lid and flushed it. She wet a washcloth and bathed her face refusing to accept the horrible thought that was suddenly hurtling through her weary brain.

             
When she felt her legs could support her, she went to her bedroom and lay down. Lucy covered her eyes and wished the whole world would go away. This wasn’t happening. Not now. It couldn’t be.

             
Could it?

What are you doing here?” she asked shyly.

“I’m looking for someone.”

“Did you find them?”

His hand reached out and took hers. “I think I have.”

“We’re drunk,” she insisted breathlessly
as his mouth moved over hers. “Shouldn’t we talk about this?”

“What’s there to talk about?” he muttered hotly against her throat. ”It’s perfectly proper, love,” he assured her. “We’re married.”

“A-Are you sure,” she gasped as his hand slid up her thigh. ”I-I mean, is it legal?”

His hand suddenly settled between her thighs. She gasped in shock. “Don’t!”