Page 11 of Accidental Mate

“That would be the plane at the bottom of the lake? Probably better just to claim a total loss on your insurance.”

“You don’t understand. I need to get that package delivered. Tevryn said it was important. If nothing else, I have a reputation to maintain.”

“You crashed your airplane. You survived, but just barely. I’d think that would be the most important thing.”

“You’d think wrong. Now, get off me,” she said, pushing away from him to make a dramatic escape. Only when the world started spinning and she had to grasp the sides of the mattress and close her eyes to keep from puking or falling off the bed, it lessened the dramatic impact.

Heat flushed her skin and rushed through her system. Part of it was because the sexy man on the other side of the bed was having an effect on her. Was it possible to feel aroused and nauseous at the same time? Apparently so.

“Take it easy, Ms. None of Your Business.”

“Amelia,” she snuffled, not bothering to open her eyes. “It’s Amelia.”

“See? We’re making progress.” Two firm hands reached out to pull her back into the middle of the bed, pressing her back into the pillows as he swung her legs back up onto the mattress. “You need to rest, Amelia.”

“What happened? How did I get here?”

“I saw your plane was in trouble and so I went to see if I could help. By the time I got there, you’d ditched your plane in the water, which was probably the only reason you survived the impact. The nose was submerged. I swam out to check for survivors, which is when I found you…”

“And the package?”

“Forget the package. I barely managed to drag you out and onto the floating sled. I hauled you out of the lake and then up to the cabin. You’ve been out of it for the most part since then.”

Amelia shook her head and began to shiver violently. “I don’t feel good.”

“I know. It’ll be all right.”

“I’m sick, and I’m hurt.”

“I can’t see or feel any major injuries, but you’re pretty banged up.”

“The package.”

“Forget the package. Let’s get you healed up, and then we’ll worry about the package. I’m going to take care of you, Amelia. I need you to believe that.”

She nodded—not just to reassure him, but because she knew it was true. There was something about him that she trusted instinctively. It was as if she’d known him before, perhaps in some other life. But somehow something deep inside her recognized and trusted something deep within him. Two souls touching, reconnecting.

As he pulled her into his arms, she tried to resist, but it was so much better just to listen to the deep purring that emanated from his chest, to feel it wrapping around her in a safe cocoon. She felt a shiver but couldn’t identify if it was cold, desire, or something else. It didn’t matter. She was where she seemed to belong and for right now that would have to be enough.

He laid her down, wrapping his body around hers and Amelia gave over to the infinite comfort and caring he seemed to offer. She rubbed her cheek against his upper arm as he spooned against her, nuzzling him.

“Sleep,” he rumbled reassuringly.

“For now,” she answered, understanding there would come a time when sleep would not be the balm she needed for her ravaged body.

Her plane was gone; the package was gone. But she was alive, which meant there was nothing cast in stone as far as the future was concerned. She would show the Phoenix Corp that she was the pilot they wanted to hire. She’d be damned if a downed plane and injured body would keep her from reclaiming the rest of that money and missing out on other lucrative contracts.

But for now, she’d snuggle into Carson’s body and let the noise that seemed to come from him weave its way into her being and offer her peace, security and something more. What that more might be was also in question, but answers could wait. Sleep and safety could not.

CHAPTER7

CARSON

He held her close, purring to her soothingly and letting the sound and his presence reach out to her down a link she didn’t even know existed. She didn’t need to know. What she needed was sleep and an antibiotic. Her fever had started the second day and had been climbing. So far he’d been able if not to abate it, then at least to slow it down, but it was a fight he now feared he was losing.

Mason’s medicine chest was impressive, but mostly herbal. There were no prescriptions. Only the herbal remedies and over-the-counter drugs. Easing out from beneath her, he settled her back beneath the covers and into the soft mattress before returning to the kitchen area. One of the nice things about the design of Mason’s cabin was that he could see her from everywhere but the bath. He removed what appeared to be organic honey from the pantry and went into the root cellar for ginger.

He cut a ginger root into pieces and placed it in cold water on the wood stove. Mason had a dual hot plate if quicker heat was needed, but Carson wanted to use as little electricity from the generator as possible. Given the time of year, he was fairly sure his brother had enough fuel, but with finite resources it was always best to be conservative. Once the water began to boil, he let the ginger steep into a rich, golden tea before removing it from the heat and straining it into a glass jar. He poured some into a mug and allowed it to cool while he began chopping vegetables to be stewed with venison in a Dutch oven. Once they were cooked, he’d make rustic mashed potatoes, to cover the venison and vegetables to make a forest version of shepherd’s pie.

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