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〃You should have known I'd e looking for you。〃
〃I wasn't sure you were here。 There were no tire tracks…〃 She broke off；
coughing again。
He waited until she quieted。 〃I arrived before the storm began。 Snow can
be pretty dramatic up here。 It should be beautiful e morning。〃
The thought of wandering through the snow with Mitch was a lovely one。
She smiled then sneezed。
〃I'll get that soup now。〃
〃No。 Really； I'm not hungry。〃
〃You need something warm inside。〃
〃I don't think I can keep it down。〃
〃You will。〃 He set her down。 〃Just rest。 I'll be back。〃
She rolled to her side and tucked up her knees。 The warmth of the bed
burned； still she felt chilled。 Turning over； she huddled in a ball and
dozed。 She woke up when Mitch returned with a bowl of steaming broth。 He
helped her sit； and he fed her himself When she couldn't take in another
drop； he let her sleep。
She awoke an hour later feeling even worse。 Mitch was bathing her face
and neck with a damp cloth。 〃That's quite some cold；〃 he muttered。
〃It just hung on。 I thought it'd be better by now。〃
〃Why did you leave New York in the first place？ You should have stayed
in bed。〃
He was annoyed with her。 She thought that was unfair。 〃It wasn't snowing
at home；〃 she argued。 〃I had no idea I'd run into this mess； or that it
would get so bad so fast。〃
〃Forget the weather。 You should have been in bed anyway； with a cold
like this。〃
〃Good God； Mitch； I can't put my life on hold every time I get a cold。〃
〃Yeah； well if you don't take better care of yourself； you may put your
life on permanent hold。 Colds can turn into pneumonia； and people die
from pneumonia。〃
She teared up。 〃I just wanted to be here with you。〃 She turned onto her
side； away from his glower； and pulled the covers up around her ears。
She was startled when Mitch lifted her； covers and all； and held her
tightly。 From time to time he dipped his head； touching his lips to her
hair； her brow； or her eyes。 His voice was softer when he finally spoke。
〃Don't think I didn't want to see you as much。 I did。 But we could have
e next week。〃
〃Someone else may be here next week。〃
〃No one will be here。〃
〃How do you know？〃 she cried with a touch of indignance。
Looking suddenly resigned； he shifted her in his arms and ran a hand
back through his hair。 〃Because this is my house。 Miles Cooper works for
me。 He rents it out when I'm not planning to be here。〃
The puzzle piece fell into place。 Hoarsely； she said； 〃Oh； my。 It
figures； I guess。 Helps explain the original mix…up。 And why you prefer
this bed。 It's yours。〃
〃There won't be any more mix…ups； Annie。 I've taken the house off
Miles's rental list。 From now on we'll be the only ones who use it。〃
Before Anne could grasp the full implication of that； a new shudder
shook her。 She burrowed against him； seeking warmth for her extremities。
Gently； he laid her down and disappeared。 He returned moments later and
lifted her head。 〃Aspirin；〃 he explained before she could ask。 〃Open
your mouth。〃
She was a docile patient； too weak to protest his pampering； too pleased
by it to want to protest。 He kept her pumped with broth and aspirin for
most of the night； dozing beside her under the quilt。 One part of his
body always touched her。 She couldn't so much as turn over when he was
up on an elbow； concerned。 In other circumstances； the sleeping
arrangement would have been heady。 But Anne's senses were blunted by
fever。
The next day was a mass of hours blurred together。 Her fever stayed high
despite the medicine。 Increasingly； her whole body suffered when she
coughed。
〃What is the matter with me？〃 she cried in frustration； when she awoke
late in the afternoon feeling no better。
Mitch took her hot hand in his。 〃I'm not sure。 As soon as the road is
plowed； I'm taking you to the doctor。〃
〃Has it stopped snowing？〃
〃Finally。〃
〃How much is on the ground？〃
〃A little over a foot。 It makes the plowing slower； though the folks up
here are well…equipped。〃
〃Mitch？〃 She rolled onto her back to see his face； as he sat beside her
on the bed。 Her voice was weak； but something had been nagging at her。
〃Yes？〃
〃If you own this house； then you have access to the names and addresses
of the renters。 Yes？〃
He looked amused。 〃Yes。〃
〃Then you know who I am。〃
〃No。〃
〃But you have that information。〃
〃Miles has that information。 I suppose I could see it if I wanted to；
and I've been tempted a time or two； but I haven't peeked。〃
Anne wasn't sure whether to be relieved or hurt。
He laughed。
〃What's so funny？〃 she grumbled。
〃You。 Your face hides nothing！〃
〃I'm that transparent？ It's not fair； y'know。〃
〃What isn't fair？〃
〃Me 。。。 here 。。。 at your mercy。 With my transparent face and all； I feel
naked。〃
〃Except for the good graces of my shirt； darling'； you are；〃 he drawled。
〃That's not what I mean； and you know it；〃 she scolded and broke into a
spasm of coughing。 When she quieted； he ran cool fingers across her hot
cheek。 It felt good。
〃You talk too much； Annie。 Rest your voice now。〃
At the silence that followed； a sound filtered in from outside。 〃The
plow！〃 Mitch was on his feet； stopping only at the bedroom door to call；
〃Don't move until I get back！〃 Then he was gone。
She lay there for what seemed hours。 Finally； she struggled out of bed
to use the bathroom。 Her reflection in the mirror appalled her…pale
skin； red cheeks； dark and sunken eyes。 Her hand trembled as she sorted
through Mitch's toiletries for a b。 Halfway bing her hair； her
knees began to knock。 Dropping the b； she clutched at the edges of
the sink for support。 That was when the bathroom door opened。
〃What are you doing out of bed？〃 He scooped her up and carried her back；
and the bed felt like heaven； the quilt even more so。 〃Next time；〃 he
taunted； 〃you might just pass out in the middle of the floor。 Will you
stay in bed？〃
〃I just went to the bathroom。〃
〃Good。 You should be set for a while。 Where are the keys to your car？〃
She tried to remember。 〃I think I put them in the pocket of my jeans。〃
He vanished and returned moments later with the keys in hand。 〃I'm
hitching a ride with the plow down to your car。 It may take me a little
while to dig it out。 Does it have snow tires？〃 When she nodded； he said；
〃Good。 I'll be back as soon as I can； then I'm taking you to the
doctor。〃
〃Mitch…〃 Her hoarse call caught him at the door。 〃Your arm…is it all
right to shovel？〃
She heard a sharp intake of breath； then a grunt。 〃It'll do。〃
While he was gone； she suffered。 Her head hurt； her sinuses hurt； her
throat hurt； her chest hurt； her legs hurt。 Curled up in misery； she
prayed for sleep。
She must have dozed off； because it seemed only minutes before Mitch
returned with a gruff foot…stamping at the front door。 Lacking the
strength to call out； she waited until he appeared by her bedside； ruddy
checked from the cold； but eager to pack her up and leave。
He did it without a fuss； simply snatching her up； quilt and all； and
carrying her out。 He stopped short at the front door。 Swearing softly；
he back tracked and deposited her on the sofa； went into the kitchen；
and returned with her wool hat； which was now warm and dry。 He put it on
her head； scooped her up again and didn't put her down until they
reached his car。
She wheezed heavily for most of the trip into the village。 Between
darkness and the new walls of snow lining the roads； there wasn't much
for the headlights to pick out。
He parked in front of a tiny clinic； ran around the car； and hoisted her
up。 He had had the driver of the plow call ahead。 A doctor was waiting
inside。
Thirty minutes later he carried her back to the car。 〃Bronchial
pneumonia。 Good show； Annie；〃 he teased gently as he tucked her into the
passenger's seat again。
Weary； she caught his eye。 〃Do you have my pills？〃
He patted the spot where the upper…left breast pocket of his shirt would
be。 〃Right here。 Are you fortable？〃
〃fortable？〃 she shot back hoarsely。 〃I've been poked； X…rayed； stuck
with needles； and carted around like I had no feelings at all。〃 She
scowled。 〃I feel hot and cold and achy。 And you ask if I'm fortable？〃
She looked away。 〃Don't ask。〃
Mitch chuckled。 Slamming the door； he circled the car to the driver's
side and slid behind the wheel with remarkable ease； given his length。
〃At least your good humor is intact；〃 he teased。 〃Let's go home。 The
doctor ordered warmth； rest； and lots of hot liquid。 We'd better get to
it。〃
For the next three days they followed the doctor's orders to a tee； with
Mitch in mand； dictating when each pill was to be taken； when she was
to eat and sleep。 She felt miserable for another full day before the
medication began to take effect。 Only then did she dare to balk at the
strict regimen。
〃I'm going to turn into a chicken if I drink one more drop of this soup。
It's awful；〃 she plained when he appeared on Tuesday morning with
another mug of broth。 〃I feel better today。 Honestly I do。〃 She was
sitting up against the headboard of the bed； dressed in her own flannel
nightgown。
〃You still sound lousy；〃 he informed her； as though that settled that；