Read Online Listed: Volume V by Noelle Adams - Free Book Online Page A

her.
    “Paul,”
she breathed, her eyes still closed, her thick eyelashes fanned out against her
white skin. “Please don’t.”
    “It’s
too late,” he murmured. He didn’t know if she could hear him, if she could
understand him. But he said it anyway, as he started to drain the water and
lifted her gently from the tub. “It’s too late, baby. I already do.”
    He
dried her off as much as he could and carried her back to the bed. He searched
the dresser drawers until he found an oversized t-shirt and pulled it over her
head. Then he covered her up with the sheet and comforter.
    Her
skin felt a lot cooler. Her fever seemed to have broken completely.
Maybe—maybe—it had.
    Paul’s
long-sleeved shirt was soaked and ripped so he just pulled it off, keeping on
the white t-shirt he’d been wearing beneath it. It was damp too, but not
unwearably so. Then he took off his shoes and stretched out on the bed beside
Emily.
    It
was just early afternoon, but he was utterly exhausted. Emily was here, though,
and she seemed, for the moment, to be all right.
    So
he allowed himself to indulge in the luxury of relaxing.
    *
* *
    Emily woke up four
hours later.
    She’d
slept peacefully for the most part, and her fever hadn’t come back. Her
temperature was normal, which meant this round of fever had lasted for less
than twelve hours, rather than the forty-eight plus hours that her most recent
fevers had lasted.
    “Paul,”
Emily gasped, as she started out of her sleep.
    Stacie
had gone to buy some groceries so Paul was alone with Emily in the apartment.
    “I’m
here,” Paul murmured, his voice still hoarse from the strain of the day. He was
beside her on the bed, so all he had to do was reach out for her.
    She
came into his arms willingly, her eyes still blurry from sleep. “Paul,” she
murmured, this time in obvious contentment as she nestled against him.
    His
body was much warmer than hers was now, which was an immense relief. She was
small and soft and clingy against him, and Paul held her as tightly as he could
without hurting her.
    She
buried her face in his t-shirt and seemed to doze off again for a few minutes.
    Then
she woke up for real.
    She
stiffened in his arms and sucked in a surprised breath. “No,” she gasped.
“You’re not supposed to be here.”
    “I am supposed to be here,” he objected mildly, determined not to get
impatient with her, no matter how stubborn and unreasonable she was going to
be.
    “I
told them not to call you.”
    “I
know. That was very stupid of you.” He didn’t let her pull out of his arms like
she was trying. “But you were feverish so I’ll forgive you this time. They
didn’t call me. I found you on my own.”
    “But—”
Emily’s voice cracked with emotion. Her body was tightening. Then it was shaking.
“But I didn’t want…I was trying…”
    His
heart twisted when she started to cry. She was struggling to get away from him,
but he held her close. “I know what you were trying to do, but it wouldn’t do
any good. I have to be with you.”
    She
choked on her sobs, and her body shook desperately against his. “I’m sorry. I
didn’t want to hurt you. I never meant…I thought it would be better for you if…”
    “I
know what you thought.” Despite the raw ache in his chest, he couldn’t help but
feel a warm wave of awed gratitude that someone—that Emily—cared about him so
much she’d make such an outrageous, ridiculous gesture. For him . “But
it’s just too late to pull back now.”
    “No,”
she sobbed, clutching at the fabric in the back of his shirt. “I never meant to
hurt you. I can’t stand that I did this to you. I can’t stand that you’ll be
hurt when I…when I…”
    “Stop
it,” he demanded, unable to listen to any more. He pulled back slightly and
lifted her chin so he could see her wet face, twisting with deep emotion.
“Listen to me! You didn’t do this to me. I went into this marriage fully
understanding the situation. And why