Mills & Boon Christmas Delights Collection. Rebecca Winters

on Janey and her family. They had enough to cope with with two young children and a baby on the way, without me cluttering up the place.

      I rolled my head – an action that took far more effort than it should have done – and looked at the clock, screwing my face up when I read the time. OK. So, maybe I’d just grab a couple of hours more sleep and then head off home.

      When I woke, it was slightly later than I’d planned. As in, half a day later than I’d planned and Janey was sitting on the edge of the bed. On the other side, Lily was leaning on it, peering at me.

      ‘Hi.’

      ‘Hi,’ I replied, in a raspy voice.

      ‘How are you feeling?’

      ‘Better.’ Which was true. I still felt pretty damn dreadful but I did feel better than I had done yesterday. It was all relative.

      ‘You’re still looking pretty ropey,’ Janey stated, before sticking a thermometer against my forehead. A second later it beeped. Janey looked at it and made a hmm noise before popping it on the bedside. ‘Your temperature is still high and you’ll be dehydrated after yesterday so we need to start getting some liquids into you.’ Janey’s nursing training kicked back in and I couldn’t deny it was comforting to be here, but I knew I couldn’t stay.

      I took her hand. ‘Janey. Thank you so much for taking care of me, but I really need to go home now.’

      ‘Out of the question. I’m not having you at home on your own in that flat when it’s far easier for me to keep an eye on you here.’

      ‘You don’t need to keep an eye on me. I really am feeling much better than I did. And I promise I’ll drink, like you said.’

      Janey tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. ‘You can promise whatever you like sweetie. You have a temperature of one hundred and two and you’re not going anywhere.’

      That at least explained why I currently felt like one of those cook-in-the-bag chickens.

      ‘Don’t you like our house Katie?’ Lily had been studying me and now her big green eyes were full of question.

      ‘Oh no Lily! It’s not that at all.’

      ‘What is it then?’ she asked, her hand going to where mine lay on the outside of the duvet and her little fingers curling around mine.

      ‘Well, your mum and dad are busy already and I don’t want to take up any more of their time.’

      Lily started playing with my fingers.

      ‘When I was poorly Mummy looked after me.’

      I smiled as did Janey.

      ‘If you’re not here, will your Mummy look after you?’ She lifted her innocent eyes to mine. I saw Janey’s face tense. I shook my head, trying to ignore the swooshy feeling the movement caused.

      ‘Why not? Is she far away?’

      ‘Yes, she is sweetheart.’

      ‘Which is exactly why Katie is staying here until she gets better. Come on Lily. Leave Katie in peace now. Did you finish your puzzle downstairs yet?’

      Lily nodded. ‘Uncle Michael and Pilot helped me.’

      ‘Pilot’s a smart dog.’

      ‘I love him.’ Lily beamed, making me smile too.

      ‘He is rather wonderful,’ Janey agreed, throwing a private glance my way. ‘I’ll be back in a bit.’ She pointed a finger at me. ‘Do not move!’

      I gave a weak half salute and let my head flop back onto the pillow. Vaguely aware of the sound of rain beating against the window, I rolled my head a little to look out. Rain streaked down the glass, the droplets racing each other and melding together as more joined them. Looking past them, I watched the trees as they bent with the force of the wind.

      ‘It’s pretty vile out there.’ The deep voice made me jump, mostly because it wasn’t Janey’s. ‘Even Pilot gave me a filthy look when I took him out earlier.’ Michael gave me one of those easy smiles, the one I’d seen him use with his family, but rarely outside that. His hair was damp and pushed back and he wore a semi-fitted black T-shirt with khaki cargo pants. ‘Can I come in? Janey’s sent up some soup and a drink for you.’

      ‘Of course,’ I said, pulling the sheet up almost to my neck.

      Michael waited whilst I settled myself. ‘Comfy?’

      I nodded.

      He frowned, then put the tray down on the dressing table. Leaning over, he grabbed another pillow. ‘Sit up a minute.’ I did so and he squished another pillow behind me. ‘Better?’

      It was. Much. I nodded.

      ‘Right. Here you go.’

      It wasn’t that it didn’t look nice or smell good, I just wasn’t sure I felt like eating anything right now. I lifted my gaze and found Michael watching me.

      ‘Just so you know, if I go back with anything other than empty plates, it’ll be my fault. That’s already been made perfectly clear to me.’ I pulled a face and he grinned. ‘I’ll leave you to it.’

      ‘Thank you, Michael. For this and for yesterday.’

      He shook his head and turned to go. I took a spoonful of the soup.

      ‘I’m sorry about the whole boyfriend being married thing, by the way.’

      I half swallowed and half choked on the food as the impact of his statement hit me. At the same time, my eyes took in the fact that Janey’s guest bedding was pure white and the soup was tomato red. Michael was back across the room in two strides, removing the tray so that I could die choking in peace without ruining my host’s bed linen. He handed me the glass of water and I managed to find a gap in the coughing to shove some down my throat which thankfully began calming matters.

      ‘OK?’ he asked, bending to replace the tray in front of me, but staying poised to remove it should I try a repeat performance.

      OK wasn’t exactly the best description of how I was feeling so I didn’t reply.

      He put the tray down anyway, taking my silence as acceptance. I kept my eyes away from his and my mind focused on what had possessed his sister to tell him when she’d promised not to.

      ‘Janey didn’t mean to tell me.’

      I remained silent, concentrating on spoonfuls of soup, my mind darting about, trying to get my groggy brain to find a way to leave without upsetting Janey. Or more likely finding a convenient drainpipe to shimmy down which was probably the only chance I had at leaving right now if my friend had anything to do with it. When I finished, Michael took the tray away and put it on the side. But he didn’t leave. For a moment, neither of us said anything.

      ‘Don’t be angry at Janey for telling me.’

      I shook my head. ‘I’m not.’ I knew telling him intentionally wouldn’t have entered her mind once she’d promised me not to.

      ‘I know you and I haven’t always seen eye to eye about your boyfriend, but if you were mine…I mean…’ He fiddled with the spoon in the soup bowl a moment. ‘Well, although I agreed that Janey looking after you was the best thing, I thought that maybe we ought to let your boyfriend know. You know in case he finally wanted to step up and do something for you.’ I gave him a wary look under my lashes. ‘Janey was busy mixing up paracetamol or whatever magic potion it was and was obviously distracted…’

      Turning my head towards the window, I focused on the rain. ‘What did she say?’

      Michael hesitated. ‘Something about his wife probably not being too keen on that idea.’

      I closed my eyes and waited for him to leave.

      His hand on mine made me start. My eyes flew open to find his intense gaze