Read Online Hired by Her Husband by Anne McAllister - Free Book Online

call last night. Besides, it didn’t matter what she wanted. This wasn’t about her.
    “Of course not. I’m just being a rent-a-wife, Nat,” Sophy said with some asperity. “It’s what we do.”
    “Oh, okay,” Natalie said after a long moment, and from her tone Sophy could tell her cousin wasn’t exactly convinced.
    “I need to do this, Nat.”
    “Do it then,” Natalie said more convincingly. There was a pause. Then she said, “I’ll bring Lily out on Saturday.”
    It was far more help and cooperation than Sophy had any right to expect. “You’re a gem,” she said, relieved beyond measure.
    “I’m glad you think so,” Natalie replied. “But the truth is, I want a look at the man who’s playing fast and loose with your life.”
    The man who was playing fast and loose with her life looked like death by the time he was dressed in the clothes Sophy had brought and was leaning on a pair of crutches, waiting while she flagged down a taxi.
    Fortunately one turned up almost immediately. If it hadn’t Sophy would have been sorely tempted to march him right back into the hospital and suggest they rethink things.
    He had taken the clothes from her with barely a word when she’d returned with them. She’d gone out to get last-minute instructions from Sam while George got dressed. And while Sam had given her a lengthy commentary complete with all the dire things that could happen, George still hadn’t come out of the room when Sam finished.
    When he finally had, he was white as the sheets on the bed he’d just left, and Sophy had wanted to push him right back into it.
    But George had said, “Let’s go,” through his teeth, and so they’d gone.
    He hadn’t spoken again, and he still didn’t say a word when the taxi pulled up and Sophy opened the door. He just got in, not without difficulty, and slumped back against the seat, eyes shut, perspiration on his upper lip, when she shut the door again and Sophy gave the driver George’s address.
    Because he had his eyes closed, she studied him. And the longer she did so, the more concerned she got. His breathing seemed too quick and too shallow. His knuckles were white where he clenched his fists against the tops of his thighs. With his head tipped back, she could see his Adam’s apple move as he swallowed. She thought he was swallowing too much.
    He didn’t open his eyes or his mouth until the driver pulled up outside his place. Sophy eyed him nervously.
    “Can you manage?” she asked when she opened the door.
    “Yes.” The word came from between his teeth.
    She didn’t know if he could or not, but if he couldn’t, she supposed they’d deal with it then. So she got out and paid the driver, then waited as George eased himself slowly out of the car.
    Inside the house, Gunnar was barking. She could see him at the bay window, his paws up on the sill as he looked at them on the sidewalk. “He’s glad to see you,” she said and was pleased to see George’s features lighten fractionally as a faint smile touched his mouth.
    “I’m glad to see him.”
    Getting up the stairs was a chore. He wouldn’t have had a problem with the crutches if he hadn’t also hurt his shoulder in his dive to get Jeremy out of harm’s way. As it was, one complicated the other. Finally he thrust the crutches in her direction and said, “Just go on in. I’ll get there.”
    As Gunnar was still barking, she did as George said, opening the door and staying out of sight so he could get up the stairs without an audience. Or at least without her. Gunnar was delighted to see her. He bounced eagerly and nosed her hands. But then he went back to the window to check on George.
    Sophy went to the door to hold it open for when he finally got there, which he did at last. He looked like death.
    “I know Sam said to get you to bed, but we’re not doing any more stairs right now,” she told him.
    He didn’t argue. Wordlessly he headed straight down the hall to the living room, then sank