A Heart's Desire

Chapter 5

Sitting on the bed beside him, Eva patted his hand comfortingly. His eyes drifted closed as his head fell to the side. He slept. Eva studied his face for a long moment. In sleep, his slack face smoothed out the worried crinkles around his eyes and across his forehead. The tight white lines around his mouth were gone. Deep even breaths parted his chapped red lips as he slowly inhaled and exhaled and Eva sighed. He truly was a beautiful man.

Her gaze wandered to the broad expanse of chest hidden under the covers and the long lean legs stretched upon her bed. Heat flooded her cheeks at the unholy turn her thoughts were taking. Thank goodness he wasn't awake. If her eyes roving up and down his body hadn't been the first giveaway that she was checking him out, her cherry red cheeks surely would have.

She frowned at herself. Apparently she was desperate enough that she was ogling gorgeous unconscious fugitives now. Getting up from her seat on the bed, she smoothed out the covers one more time and left the room, switching out the light on her way out. Moving into the kitchen, she checked the time just as her phone dinged signalling a new message. It was not terribly late. She checked her phone to see a text message from her mother. Quickly she replied, smiling at her mother's enthusiasm about their trip to Italy. Her mother loved that country. Sighing, Eva placed her phone down and grabbed herself a bite to eat. A faint snore caught her ear from her bedroom and she chuckled. The poor man must have really been tired.

As she sat at her kitchen table, Eva allowed the consequences of her afternoon to sink in. Her head sank into her palms, overwhelmed. She was known for her impulsive decisions, but this was brash even for her. She thought about how her actions would look. Suppose Kellan wasn't who he really said he was? Suppose he was a murderer like that agent said? How on earth would Eva explain that to a Judge? She could very well hear herself. She couldn't just tell said judge she just got caught up in the moment and over all good looks of Kellan. That would fly over well. She smacked her head with her palm.

She had to live with her decision and stand by it. He had looked honest when he told her his story and she had staked her life on it when she lied to Sullivan. If what Kellan said was true, she knew he would have been dead by now. She would have had to live with the fact that she had caused an innocent mans death. She had to believe him. What alternative did she have? She was already too deep into his mess to get out. Eva wondered what would happen when Kellan was well enough to leave. Where would she go? Would he take her with her? If she stayed behind, she knew Sullivan would sooner or later come knocking on her door. But what about the bakery?

She shook her head and firmly put her thoughts to rest. Right now, she needed sleep. She had to be well rested for whatever lay ahead in the days to come. Locking all the doors, she turned out the lights. Returning to her room, she walked over to the small loveseat under the window and curled up under a blanket. Her gaze wandered again to the tall man lying passed out in her bed. His chest rose and fell rhythmically in his sleep.

Sighing deeply, she closed her eyes and tried to sleep. It must have worked because sometime during the wee hours of the morning, she woke up slightly disoriented. Shaking her head to clear the cobwebs, she glanced at Kellan before quickly shoving her blankets aside and getting up worriedly. He was wide awake, staring up at her ceiling, beads of sweat running down the sides of his face.
Eva sighed and said, "Knew it."

Kellan's voice was hoarse as he said, "General Hospital got it right."

Eva frowned at his crappy attempt at humor before pressing her hand to his forehead. "Gosh," she gasped, "You're burning up."

His eyes closed and he made no reply. Eva disappeared into her kitchen to get the thermometer out of her medicine box. She cleansed it with an alcohol swab and shook it down before walking back into the room to Kellan.

"Stick this under your tongue," she instructed.

"Water," he mumbled, his eyes opening to slits.

"In a minute," said Eva patiently, "I need to check your temperature first."

He looked with distaste at the thermometer and Eva narrowed her eyes at him.

"Do what I say or I'll stick this sucker up your butt, delirious stranger lying in my bed," threatened Eva.

He gave a weak smirk but opened his mouth. Eva slipped the thermometer under his tongue and started the stopwatch on her cellphone. "Five minutes," she informed him.

Five minutes later she pulled the thermometer out of his mouth. "Christ," she exclaimed, "Okay, you're getting sponges down now."

"How high is it?" Asked Kellan groggily.

Eva shook down the thermometer, cleaning it with alcohol and putting away as she said, "Way too high to be healthy buster. That thermometer is pretty accurate. You're running at about 102 degrees right now."

Kellan closed his eyes and groaned. Eva disappeared into the kitchen and reappeared a moment later, nearly running.

"I was not cut out for this nursing crap," she mumbled, trying not to slosh the water out of the bowl she carried.

Kellan's eyes opened when she pulled the duvet away from his body. He shivered and protested, clutching the covers to his body.

"Cold," he whined.

Eva frowned and yanked the duvet out his hands and slapped the wet cold rag on his chest. He yelped and glared at her although it was a very weak glare.

Eva twisted the excess water out of the rag several more times and continued sponging him off for the next fifteen minutes, trying to help his body cool down.

She set the rag back in the bowl for the last time and pulled the duvet back over Kellan's shivering body. His eyelids fluttered and Eva whispered, "Sleep."

He tossed restlessly, a frown marring his features. With worry in her gaze, Eva pulled back the bandages to check his wounds. His leg looked fine. But his shoulder wound was red and inflamed looking. He was getting worse.

"Oh crap," she whispered.

......

Whew it's getting intense in here! That picture at the top got me! Matthew Noszka is such a cutie.

Anyhoo, chapter 5 my Little Wildies!!! Hope you enjoy!

Even though your humble writer is sick, she diligently slaved over an update for you guys so VOTE AND COMMENT!!! Cheers babes!

XOXO,

Scarlett