In this mood Zak was…irresistible. She was fast losing all objectivity.
“You were struggling in the doorway just now. Your vital signs don’t lie.”
He let out a frustrated sigh. “You’re right. I feel like hell. When do you think I’ll be well enough to get back on the job?”
If only once Rob could have admitted to his misery in front of her like Zak had done just now, they could have shared so much. But he wasn’t the kind of man to let go. His determination to suffer in silence had pushed her away, hurting her and he’d known it.
She let go of Zak’s strong, suntanned arm, noting the cleanliness of his hands and nails. Despite working in construction, he’d always been well groomed. He always smelled good.
Don’t do this, Michelle. What are you thinking?
“I’m not your doctor, but I’d say three to four weeks, barring no complications.”
“I can’t stay away from the condo any longer.”
She leaned back against the dresser with her arms folded. “You don’t have much choice. You need help.”
“I agree.”
His penetrating gaze followed the lines and rounded curves of her slender body dressed in cream linen pants and a sage colored, short-sleeved blouse.
Her pulse raced in reaction. She was helpless to stop it, and that made her more nervous than ever.
“You’ve put on some weight since the last time I saw you, Michelle. It looks good.” His husky tone sent a coil of warmth through her body. “Why don’t you pull up a chair and sit down. I want to discuss something with you.”
Zak hadn’t said or done anything wrong, yet she felt like she was suffocating in the enforced intimacy of the bedroom with him lying there so close and so…
She’d thought the brief feeling of guilt she’d experienced at the funeral when she’d found herself comparing Zak’s openness to Rob’s inability to let her comfort him would be gone by now.
In the interim she’d begun dating again and had met some very attractive men. Mike Francis was a case in point. So why wasn’t she thinking about Mike right now?
“Before I do that, can I bring you something else to eat? Some strawberry dessert maybe? It doesn’t look as if you’ve touched your breakfast.” The tray of food Sherilyn had brought up earlier still sat on the far side of the bed.
“The pills I’m taking have killed my appetite.”
“Then you need some medication to get rid of the nausea.”
“That’s the least of my problems,” his voice grated. “It’s important I talk to you about something else before Sherilyn gets back.”
Suddenly Michelle was transported to the past when a much younger Zak had sought her out to confide something in private.
Anxious to appear at ease around him the way she once was, she complied with his wishes and drew the bamboo chair from the corner of the room.
“What’s wrong?” she asked after subsiding into it.
His eyes were closed again, as if the mere act of talking was an effort for him. It probably was if he felt so sick to his stomach he couldn’t eat. “It’s about Lynette.”
Hearing her niece’s name reminded Michelle of the unpleasantness in the hall earlier. Without being aware of it, she rubbed her palms over her knees. “She wanted to stay home and help you.”
He made a strange noise in his throat. “Three weeks ago she lied to her parents about sleeping over at Jennifer’s and drove to Carlsbad to see me instead,” he explained without acknowledging her remark.
“When I came home for lunch, I found her waiting in my condo dressed, or should I say undressed, in the kind of bikini Sherilyn would never approve of.
“She’d let herself in the back entrance with the key I gave them in case of an emergency. To say I was shocked is putting it mildly.”
“I can imagine,” Michelle whispered. “I’m afraid you’ve been the object of hero worship for a long time.”
His lips twisted unpleasantly. “Throughout the summer she’s been acting out in an attempt to flirt with me. But I never imagined she would go so far as to actually come on to me.”
At that revelation, Michelle’s breath caught.
“When I told her to get dressed and go home before she was missed, she said Jennifer would provide an alibi for her. Then she walked over and threw her arms around my neck. After reminding me that we weren’t really related, she asked me if I was glad to see her.”
Michelle closed her eyes, unable to prevent the quiet gasp that escaped her throat.
“I as quickly removed her arms and told her I was due back to work any minute. After packing up the things she’d left strewn in my bedroom and bathroom, I forced her to give me the key.
“Then I walked her out to her car and told her to drive straight home. If I found out she wasn’t there inside of two hours, I would phone her parents and tell them what she’d done.”
After assimilating everything, Michelle said, “Did she do as you asked?”
“Yes.”
“Under the circumstances, why did you let Sherilyn and Graham bring you here after you were released from Carlsbad Hospital? I understand there are several wom—”
“I need a qualified nurse like you,” he cut in moodily, making no explanation about his personal life. “You’d know the kind of care I require.”
She did. Since his chest tube had been removed, he needed to do regular deep breathing and coughing exercises.
“Sherilyn told me you’re between jobs. That’s why I came home with them, so I could ask for your professional help in person. I’d like to hire you to take care of me at the condo until I’m ready to go back to work.”
What?
“I’ll pay for anything the insurance doesn’t cover. There will be one perk at least. When you’re not busy, you can enjoy the ocean. You’ve never been to my new condo.”
Her heart lurched.
“All you have to do is walk out of your own bedroom and step onto the beach. If you recall, it’s perfect for swimming. How long has it been since you had fun playing in the surf or got a suntan?”
Shock almost forced Michelle out of the chair. It was with the greatest restraint she remained seated so he wouldn’t guess at the true reason for the chaotic state of her emotions.
“The hospital stay has kept me away from my business too long as it is,” he continued. “It’s vital I get back home where my assistant can come over and conference with me in my bedroom if he has to.
“With you there to supervise, Lynette won’t be pulling any more stunts like the last one. Even if I could find another nurse, Lynette would find a way around her. I can’t chance that.
“Let’s pray to God some guy on campus will catch her eye and she’ll be able to chalk this up to growing pains. The last thing I want to do is embarrass her, but I will if I have to.”
A shudder ran through Michelle’s body. He never made idle threats. You always knew where you stood with Zak.
Lynette should have gotten his message loud and clear three weeks ago. The fact that she’d undoubtedly skipped class this morning in the hope of picking up where she’d left off with him, showed how in denial she was, how desperate she was for his attention.
“There’s never been friction with the family,” he confided. “I want things to stay that way.”