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“She has the flu,” I told him as I helped Gabby out of the truck and into the house.

“I can go to the store if you need anything,” he offered.

“Actually, that’d be great. Her prescriptions need to be picked up, as well as a few other things. I’ll text you a list as soon as I get her in bed.” It was a relief when Flint volunteered to go to the store for me. I hadn’t realized how much I didn’t want to leave Gabby’s side until he did.

I also hadn’t noticed the dog following along closely behind us until he jumped onto the bed and laid down beside Gabby. She placed her hand on his head and smiled weakly. “Maybe being sick won’t be so bad if I get to cuddle with you.”

As if he understood her words, the dog scooted closer and rested his head on her stomach. “Is it wrong of me to hope we don’t find his owners?”

“Your intentions aren’t malicious, so no, I don’t think it’s wrong.”

“Okay,” she whispered and closed her eyes.

“You should probably call your boss before you fall asleep,” I reminded her.

“Right,” she grimaced. “I hate calling in sick to work.”

“Why? Will they give you a hard time?”

“No, nothing like that. I hate knowing they’ll have to search for a nurse to replace me and might have to work short-staffed if they can’t find someone,” she admitted.

“That’s better than you going to work sick, not providing your patients with proper care, and exposing everyone there to the flu.”

“I hadn’t thought of it that way,” she said, and reached for her phone to make the call.

“Do you need to notify anyone from school?” I asked when she was finished.

She shook her head. “Not yet. I’ll wait until Monday and email my instructor if I’m still sick.”

I didn’t think she would be well enough by Tuesday to go to her clinical, but I kept my opinion to myself.

When she yawned and closed her eyes, I got up to leave the room, intending to wake her when Flint returned with her medicine. She reached out and managed to grab my hand without opening her eyes. “Will you stay?”

“If you want me to.”

“I do,” she almost whispered. Then she scooted herself and the dog over to make room for me. So, like a complete idiot, I climbed into bed beside her and wrapped my arm around her when she snuggled against my chest. Then she let out acontented sigh. And as hard as I tried, I couldn’t ignore how right it felt having her in my arms.

I joltedawake and looked around in confusion for a few seconds before I realized I had fallen asleep in my guest room with Gabby. She rolled to her side, mumbled something I couldn’t make out, rolled back, and groaned as if she was in pain. The dog was still on the bed, but he was sitting up, watching every move she made. She continued to roll around, and I tried to decide if I should let her be or wake her. We’d been asleep for over two hours, but Patch did say she needed to rest. The decision was made for me when I placed my hand on her forehead. She was burning up and needed to take her medicine.

I slipped out of bed and went downstairs to find Flint watching television in the living room. “Everything you asked for is on the kitchen table. How’s she doing?” he asked.

“Not good. She’s tossing and turning, and I think her fever’s gone up. I’ll wake her up and get some of this medicine in her.”

“Anything I can do?”

“Yes, but let me get her situated first,” I said and grabbed all the bags from the table and took them upstairs with me.

Gabby wasn’t easy to wake, but I managed to rouse her long enough to take her temperature and give her the medications Patch prescribed, as well as acetaminophen for her fever. I got her to drink half a bottle of the Propel she requested before she refused to have any more.

“I just want to sleep,” she mumbled and closed her eyes.

“Go ahead. I’ll come back and check on you in a little bit.”

She patted the bed beside her. “Where’s my dog?”

Once again, the dog seemed to understand her and snuggled up beside her.

Before I knew what I was doing, I leaned over and kissed her forehead. Realization dawned as my lips brushed across her skin, and I flew out of the room like my ass was on fire.

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