Page 38 of Taming a Heartbreaker

She of all people knew just how good Redford’s hands were. “I’m sure,” she said, bringing her thoughts back to the present. “Letting him stay here with me was a good decision. He’s been telling me a lot about his family’s history. That’s good to know so I can pass it on to our child.”

She and Leslie talked a little while longer before they ended their call. Whatever Redford was cooking smelled good. The aroma seeped into her bedroom without upsetting her stomach. She was glad of that. The visiting nurse had assured her that although she still threw up a lot, her condition hadn’t gotten worse.

Carmen eased up in bed when she heard the knock on the door. “Come in.”

The bedroom door opened and there he stood. Handsome as ever. Bigger than life. Sexier than any man should be. And then her heart pounded when the corners of Redford’s mouth lifted in a smile. If she wasn’t careful, that same smile would be her undoing.

“How do you feel, Carmen?”

There was something about how he said her name. He had an accent, sort of Midwestern. However, there was a noticeable difference whenever he or any of the Outlaws spoke. She thought their speech articulation was rather unique and she loved the sound of it.

“I feel fine.”

He came into the room and slid into the chair by her bed. “Do you think that maybe your appointment with the doctor should be at her office instead of one of those laptop visits?”

She heard the concern in his voice and knew why. Yesterday hadn’t been a good day for her. She’d been sick so many times. “I’ll tell her about yesterday. If she wants to see me then I’ll go in.”

“And I’ll take you.”

“Thanks.” She appreciated his offer. “The nurse said I’m holding my weight. I haven’t lost any, thank goodness. In fact, I’ve gained a couple of pounds.”

“I can’t tell. Your stomach is still flat.”

She wondered how he figured that. When had he seen her stomach? She then remembered that while throwing up profusely yesterday, he’d been on the bathroom floor beside her not only stroking her back but also gently rubbing her stomach.

“Whatever you’re cooking smells good.”

“It’s a lemon pasta dish I came across.”

“In your research,” she asked, unable to fight back a smile.

He chuckled. “Yes, in my research. Are you ready for dinner?”

“Yes, I’m ready.”

“I’ll be back in a minute.”

When he left, she released a deep sigh, wishing there was some way to avoid such a potent attraction to him whenever they were in the same room.

Easing out of bed, she moved to the love seat and the table. Although she had researched it, there wasn’t much advice on how to stop loving a man who didn’t love you. At this point she didn’t care. She loved Redford, and maybe one day he would realize she was a woman who could heal his broken heart.

Chapter Sixteen

“You’ve gained weight and that’s good, but after telling me about what happened earlier in the week, I want to see you. How about on Tuesday?”

Redford saw the worried look on Carmen’s features. She must have felt his gaze because she looked at him with a forced smile before turning back to the doctor’s face on her laptop screen. “Yes. What time do you want to see me?”

“I’d like to review your lab reports first. That means I’ll need you to go to the lab before I see you here. They are in the same building as my office. I will make the appointment there for around eleven and will see you around one.”

“Alright.”

“And don’t eat anything that morning,” the doctor instructed.

Redford and Carmen sat side by side on the loveseat. When the virtual doctor visit ended, he tightened his arms around her. He could feel her tension. What stood out more than anything was the doctor saying she was concerned about the number of times Carmen had thrown up recently. Honestly, so was he, although he tried hard not to show it.

Things hadn’t gone well for Carmen that morning. He had awakened to the sound of her feet rushing to the bathroom. By the time he had slipped into his pajama bottoms and rushed up the stairs, she’d been in her usual spot on the floor over the commode.

There she had stayed, longer than she had ever before. He had been so concerned at one point that he’d thought about calling 9-1-1. When she’d finally finished, he had picked her up in his arms to help her over to the vanity, certain she was too weak to walk. He had wiped her face with a cool cloth before handing her a toothbrush and cup of mouthwash.

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