Clay's Hope (19 page)

Nicole’s smiled widened as she glanced at
Gabby then back at the men.

“I’ll be back in just a bit,” Nicole said to
them. “Can someone get me a soda?”

She took Gabby by the arm and turned her
around so fast I barely had time to move out of the way. I scowled
at her. Couldn’t she see Gabby was sick? You can’t tug around a
sick person like that.

Sticking with the pair, I followed them from
the porch and across the yard, in the direction of Gabby’s car.

“Thank you for that,” Nicole said. “It was
really weird the way they were acting tonight. I guess mermaid
sends off the wrong vibe. I hope he remembers talking to me,
though. I liked it until his friends showed up.”

Impatience ate at me as I watched their slow
progress. I wanted to pick Gabby up and carry her to the car. My
concern hadn’t yet outweighed my fear of her reaction though.

“Yeah,” Gabby said. “He s-seemed okay.
D-don’t trust his friends.”

“Are you okay?” Nicole asked, looking
closely at Gabby.

Finally, she notices, I thought.

“I think I’m getting sick or s-s-something.
Clay felt my head, but s-said I didn’t feel warm.”

“Is Rachel going to be home tonight? You
said she’s going to school for nursing, right? She’ll probably know
if there’s something going around on campus. The nursing students
doing clinicals always seem to know.”

“Good idea.”

Halfway to the car, Gabby noticeably
flinched and started shaking more. She needed to warm up. I ran
ahead and started the car. Then, I got back out and waited for them
by the door. As soon as they were close, I opened the door for
Gabby. She was too pale with dark circles under her eyes.

Nicole kept an arm around Gabby as she
helped her into the front seat.

“Do I look as b-bad as I f-feel?” Gabby
asked with a weak smile as Nicole buckled her in.

Nicole glanced at me, but I couldn’t tear my
gaze from Gabby as I circled the hood to get in. What had happened?
She’d been fine all day. There hadn’t been any signs of illness.
Not a single sneeze or sniffle like humans tended to display.

“Well, you do look like you’re coming down
with something. I’m so sorry I begged you to come out tonight.”

“Don’t w-worry about it. It w-was r-really
interesting.”

Nicole closed Gabby’s door and got in
back.

I sped home because, despite the heat
pouring from the vents, Gabby’s shivering had gotten worse. Her
teeth chattered nonstop.

The dark house was a welcome sight when I
pulled into the driveway.

“I hope you feel better,” Nicole said. “I’ll
see you on Tuesday.”

Gabby only nodded as I parked by the porch.
I immediately got out and walked around the front of the car as
Nicole left. Gabby blinked slowly, miserably, as she watched
me.

I opened the door and wrapped an arm around
her shoulders. Keeping a firm hold on her, I helped her from the
car and across the porch. As soon as I had the door open, she
slipped from my hold, stepped inside, and started to tug off the
flannel. I followed closely, ready to help in whatever way I
could.

“Clay, c-can you get my towel?” she asked,
pausing outside the bathroom to drop the shirt on the carpet.

A shower? I nodded. It would help warm her
faster. I quickly went to her room and grabbed the towel. The
closing of the bathroom door made me pause. She’d barely been able
to stand. Would she be able to shower on her own?

I brought the towel to the bathroom door
then waited. Inside, I listened to the small, mewling noises she
made. Each one broke my heart and tested the respect I had for her
privacy and my need to care for her.

Unable to stand another second, I tapped on
the door. Just let me in. Please.

“J-just a s-sec,” she said, her panic clear.
“I’m not ready, y-yet.”

A second later, I heard her bump into
something. Taking a breath, I cautiously opened the door.

She stood by the toilet. She’d managed to
get her shirt, socks, and shoes off, but her pants were obviously
giving her trouble.

“Hey!” An unnatural flush crept across her
pale cheeks as she crossed her arms over her chest.

If I wasn’t so scared for her, I would have
taken a moment to enjoy all the skin she’d bared. Instead, I tossed
the towel on the toilet lid and moved past her without a glance. I
turned on the shower so the water could heat up. Then with a burst
of speed, I did what needed to be done. I moved back to her side,
bent, and had her pants around her ankles before she could
screech.

With my eyes averted, I remained by her legs
to wait for her reaction and for her to step out of her jeans.

“Clay, g-get out!”

Her outraged demand just firmed my resolve
to stay.

“Really, I c-can do the rest.”

I tapped her leg and motioned for her to
step out of the pants. After a moment, she placed a hand on my
shoulder and did as I asked.

“N-now out, Clay.”

I picked up the pants and stood, careful to
keep my gaze glued to the wall tile, then shook my head.

“The h-hell you s-say!”

She almost made me smile. I set her pants on
top of the towel then pulled back the curtain and held out a hand.
While I waited, steam began to drift in the air, letting me know
the water had warmed. When she took too long, I nodded toward the
shower and tapped the tub with my boot. Couldn’t she see she’d be
warmer in there?

“You’re s-staying until I’m in? So I don’t
fall?”

I was staying because I couldn’t leave her.
But I shrugged, willing to let her think what she wanted.

She sighed and, a second later, placed her
cold hand in mine. Sure, she still wore her bra and underwear, but
I highly doubted she’d appreciate my help with those.

As soon as she was in, I closed the curtain
then hesitated. She wasn’t steady on her feet. Would she fall when
she tried to remove the rest of her clothes? I waited, but she
didn’t move an inch behind the curtain. And, I realized she
wouldn’t until I was gone. With a worried sigh, I turned and
left.

As soon as the door closed, I heard material
hit the bathroom floor.

After listening to the water run for five
minutes with very little additional sound, I let myself back
in.

“Clay?”

She sounded worse. Weak. I grunted so she’d
know it was me. Who else would it be if not me?

I grabbed the towel, held it out, and
averted my eyes again. The curtain rustled, then a moment later the
water turned off. She plucked the towel from my fingers but
remained hidden behind the curtain. I stayed as I was, facing the
door with my hand extended, ready to help.

After some more rustling, she grabbed my
hand and stepped from the shower. I knew how badly she felt when
she scooted past me, wrapped in only a towel, and shut herself in
her room. I picked up the bathroom to give her time to dress, then
waited outside her door.

A long pause and short breaths followed each
rustle of movement. Her pain tormented me. Yet, I knew she wouldn’t
welcome any further interference. The waiting became agony.

As soon as I heard her climb into bed and
pull the covers up, I let myself in and turned off the lights.

In the dark, her teeth chattered loudly. I
tossed her clothing on the floor, stripped out of my clothes, and
tugged on a pair of shorts from the bottom drawer. She didn’t make
any other sound, just the clacking of her teeth, as I pulled back
the covers and slid in next to her.

“I really hope you’re wearing shorts or
something,” she said with a slight slur.

Her concern over what I wore didn’t stop her
from pressing her cold feet against my legs. She made a small
noise, one of relief, and moved closer to me.

Seconds later, her breathing slowed. She
slept. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her to my chest,
holding her as I’d wanted to do for months. My heart broke that it
was because she was sick.

Please let her be all right, I thought.

I didn’t sleep, just held her. Night faded
to dawn, and dawn gave way to day. Still she slept without
stirring. Each hour brought more helpless fear.

By mid-morning, Gabby finally stirred. My
throat tightened at the feel of her feet moving under the covers.
She groaned slightly and tilted her head back, shifting away from
my chest. Her eyes were open but her gaze was bleary.

“I’m thirsty.” The dry rasp of her words
supported her claim.

I eased her from my arms and hurried to the
kitchen, glad Rachel wasn’t home yet. With a glass of water in
hand, I returned to Gabby’s side and helped her drink. She drained
the glass in long swallows then curled up once more. She was
sleeping before I set the glass aside.

Sitting on the bed, I studied her. Her skin
seemed to have more of its normal color back. And the circles under
her eyes were less pronounced. I hoped that meant she was better.
The worry and fear that I’d held all night eased up, but only a
little. Her need for more sleep when she’d already slept more than
twelve hours didn’t seem normal.

Taking her glass, I went to the kitchen to
refill it just in case she woke again. I set it on her dresser and
grabbed one of my books before settling on the bed beside her. She
shifted in her sleep, moving close to me. I smoothed back her hair
then forced myself to open the book and began to read. Though my
eyes touched on the words, I read very little. How long should it
take for her to get better? Should I reach out to Sam? I glanced at
Gabby, knowing she wouldn’t like that.

I stayed close, trying to read, until she
started moving in her sleep.

Hoping she’d wake hungry this time, I went
to the kitchen to make a very late breakfast. Rachel still wasn’t
home so I could move around freely. If she were home, though, maybe
she’d know what was wrong with Gabby.

I’d just turned the bacon in the pan when I
heard Gabby get out of bed. She didn’t leave her room, though. She
just moved around a bit. Probably grabbing her books.

I hurried to finish cooking then made a
plate for her.

Carrying her food and a glass of juice, I
nudged the bedroom door open and found her sitting up in bed,
studying. When she looked up, I lifted the plate and glass unsure
if she wanted it.

“Thank you,” she said with a smile. “I’m
starving.”

Starving was good. That meant she was
better. Right?

I stepped into the room as she tossed her
book aside. She was ready when I handed her the plate with a fork
and set the orange juice on the dresser. The enthusiasm with which
she dug in surprised me. Eggs, bacon, potatoes, and toast vanished
in minutes.

When she looked around for more, I handed
her the glass of juice. She sipped it with a contented sigh and
patted the bed next to her.

“Want to read by me?”

Yes and always. I grinned at her, collected
the dishes, and left the room. As I finished up the breakfast
dishes, she used the bathroom. Instead of hovering like I wanted
to, I grabbed a book and settled on my side of the bed. I finally
had a side, not just the foot of the bed.

She joined me a few minutes later, and we
remained like that for the rest of the day.

Near dinner, I heard Rachel’s car and closed
my book. With Gabby sticking to the bed, I left the room to shift
in the living room.

Rachel would just have to deal with a man’s
set of clothes on the couch.

Clay, time’s up.

Sam’s unexpected words sent a bolt of panic
through me as I stared down at Gabby. She slept peacefully beside
me, still recovering from whatever affected her last night.

Several males have approached Elder Joshua
and requested permission to Introduce themselves to Gabby.
Permission’s been granted. Sorry, son.

Had it been that long? I thought back to the
Introduction in spring and wanted to growl. It had. I’d been so
focused on the progress Gabby and I were making, I hadn’t noticed
the passing time.

There wasn’t much I could do about unMated
males asking to meet her. I’d been given six months to win her
over; and in their eyes, I’d failed. I knew better, though. Gabby
was human. She was taking her sweet time to realize that she didn’t
just care about me but loved me.

Elder supervised only,
I sent
back.

I wasn’t giving up, just ensuring her
safety.

Though werewolf laws forbade us from
Claiming a human—only the human could initiate the Claim—I’d
already dealt with one unMated who’d challenged me when Gabby was
around. She could have been hurt. If they wanted to start
Introductions again, she needed to be in a controlled environment.
Plus, the Elders would be there to note her disinterest in others
and preference to me.

I reached out and gently touched Gabby’s
cheek. She was so fragile.

I’ll see what I can do.

I growled. Not good enough.

Let them all know I’m challenging for the
right to keep her.

Gabby shifted in her sleep. I calmed,
wrapped my arms around her, and waited for her to wake up. When she
did, she seemed better but still not herself. She stayed in her
room, studying or napping. As the day wore on, no one bothered us,
and I hoped that meant the Elders had agreed to chaperoned
Introductions.

While she read, I tried to think of ways to
broach the subject of Claiming. Deep down, I knew she wasn’t ready
yet. She’d let me sleep next to her only because she was sick. I
had no doubt, when she felt better, I’d be back to the end of the
bed.

Yet, I also knew I was making progress. She
talked to me when she wanted to share news that excited her. She
chose to have dinner with me instead of going out with Rachel.
Whether she realized it or not, we were slowly working up to making
things official. Just not fast enough.