landed on her bum if Fallon hadn’t
caught her.
“What is it? Are you allergic to Haunt?”
“Dog fur!” she gasped, then sneezed again
mightily. Her eyes were watering.
Fallon choked on a laugh. “You’re
serious?”
She sneezed in answer. “Within two feet,
I…ah..ah…”
He coughed, clearly dying to laugh. “Okay,
we’ll take you to the medics and get you something for this. We
can’t have you running around sneezing all the time. You might blow
off your nose at this rate.”
“You’re not funny!” She was really miserable,
and it was hard to breath.
He sobered. “Come on. You need medicine.”
Rain balked. “I don’t like doctors.”
One arm behind her back, he moved her
relentlessly on. “You’re getting one anyway. Get used to it.”
“I hate you,” she muttered, and sneezed again
for good measure. She was getting light-headed from lack of
air.
“Do I need to carry you?”
“You do, you die,” she promised.
“Feisty, aren’t you?”
She made it to the medics on her own. To her
disgust, she was too winded to argue with him about the bitter
medicine he made her take. It did ease her breathing, though.
The medic looked at her, a smile lurking
around his mouth. “An unusual allergy, but one we can treat.
Repeated exposure should build up immunity, and we have several
herbal mixtures that will help. We’ll try the mildest one first and
work up to the more powerful doses as needed. Be sure to note any
uncomfortable side effects; we want to make sure the medicine isn’t
worse than the disease.”
“That’s a first,” Rain muttered.
The man smiled. “Is there anything else I can
help you with today? No? Then take care, and have a good day.”
She sulked all the way back to her room. “I
hate medicine. I don’t need to take it unless I run into any more
walking carpets.”
“You’ll take it. The doctor said it would
help you to build up immunity.”
“So he claims.”
“And we’re going to test those claims. I’ll
watch you take them with every meal if I have to. If I can’t be
there, then I’ll make sure Malian sees you do it.”
“You’re awful bossy,” she sniffed. Her eyes
were still a little watery.
He opened the door to her room for her. “As
you pointed out, I am your guardian. You look tired. Would you like
a nap before dinner?”
“I guess.”
“All right, then. I’ll see you after you
rest. Pleasant dreams.” He dropped a kiss to her lips and let
himself out.
Rain stared at the door, too tired to chase
him down and yell at him…as if it did any good the last time. If
Fallon wanted to kiss her, he was going to kiss her. Maybe her best
defense was not to react.
Pondering her new strategy, she changed into
the linen pajamas laid out on the bed and fell asleep.
Someone was stroking her hair. Vaguely
annoyed because it tickled, she snuggled deeper into the
covers.
A man chuckled. Fallon. The man was always
laughing, smiling…you’d think his life was all roses. “Go
away.”
“It’s almost dinner time.”
Food. Dinner was a good thing. She sighed
sleepily. “Five more minutes.”
He laughed again. “You’ve slept for an hour
already. We’re having fresh bread, a roast with herbs, tender young
vegetables…I think there’s dessert, too.”
“Okay. You’ve convinced me.” She didn’t move
right away, though. She liked to get her brain in gear before she
climbed out of bed.
His hand moved deeper into her hair,
massaging until she looked at him with sleepy eyes.
“Rain? May I kiss you?”
A ‘no’ hovered on her lips, but the way he
looked at her stilled it. It was the first time he’d asked.
Her gaze dropped to his lips. Could it be
that bad? Curiosity stirred. “I guess.”
His lips curved at her uncertain answer.
Gently, he brushed his mouth against hers, not once, but many
times, until she found his light touch a tease and sought his lips,
seeking deeper contact. Obligingly, he gave her more…but
caught her.
“What is it? Are you allergic to Haunt?”
“Dog fur!” she gasped, then sneezed again
mightily. Her eyes were watering.
Fallon choked on a laugh. “You’re
serious?”
She sneezed in answer. “Within two feet,
I…ah..ah…”
He coughed, clearly dying to laugh. “Okay,
we’ll take you to the medics and get you something for this. We
can’t have you running around sneezing all the time. You might blow
off your nose at this rate.”
“You’re not funny!” She was really miserable,
and it was hard to breath.
He sobered. “Come on. You need medicine.”
Rain balked. “I don’t like doctors.”
One arm behind her back, he moved her
relentlessly on. “You’re getting one anyway. Get used to it.”
“I hate you,” she muttered, and sneezed again
for good measure. She was getting light-headed from lack of
air.
“Do I need to carry you?”
“You do, you die,” she promised.
“Feisty, aren’t you?”
She made it to the medics on her own. To her
disgust, she was too winded to argue with him about the bitter
medicine he made her take. It did ease her breathing, though.
The medic looked at her, a smile lurking
around his mouth. “An unusual allergy, but one we can treat.
Repeated exposure should build up immunity, and we have several
herbal mixtures that will help. We’ll try the mildest one first and
work up to the more powerful doses as needed. Be sure to note any
uncomfortable side effects; we want to make sure the medicine isn’t
worse than the disease.”
“That’s a first,” Rain muttered.
The man smiled. “Is there anything else I can
help you with today? No? Then take care, and have a good day.”
She sulked all the way back to her room. “I
hate medicine. I don’t need to take it unless I run into any more
walking carpets.”
“You’ll take it. The doctor said it would
help you to build up immunity.”
“So he claims.”
“And we’re going to test those claims. I’ll
watch you take them with every meal if I have to. If I can’t be
there, then I’ll make sure Malian sees you do it.”
“You’re awful bossy,” she sniffed. Her eyes
were still a little watery.
He opened the door to her room for her. “As
you pointed out, I am your guardian. You look tired. Would you like
a nap before dinner?”
“I guess.”
“All right, then. I’ll see you after you
rest. Pleasant dreams.” He dropped a kiss to her lips and let
himself out.
Rain stared at the door, too tired to chase
him down and yell at him…as if it did any good the last time. If
Fallon wanted to kiss her, he was going to kiss her. Maybe her best
defense was not to react.
Pondering her new strategy, she changed into
the linen pajamas laid out on the bed and fell asleep.
Someone was stroking her hair. Vaguely
annoyed because it tickled, she snuggled deeper into the
covers.
A man chuckled. Fallon. The man was always
laughing, smiling…you’d think his life was all roses. “Go
away.”
“It’s almost dinner time.”
Food. Dinner was a good thing. She sighed
sleepily. “Five more minutes.”
He laughed again. “You’ve slept for an hour
already. We’re having fresh bread, a roast with herbs, tender young
vegetables…I think there’s dessert, too.”
“Okay. You’ve convinced me.” She didn’t move
right away, though. She liked to get her brain in gear before she
climbed out of bed.
His hand moved deeper into her hair,
massaging until she looked at him with sleepy eyes.
“Rain? May I kiss you?”
A ‘no’ hovered on her lips, but the way he
looked at her stilled it. It was the first time he’d asked.
Her gaze dropped to his lips. Could it be
that bad? Curiosity stirred. “I guess.”
His lips curved at her uncertain answer.
Gently, he brushed his mouth against hers, not once, but many
times, until she found his light touch a tease and sought his lips,
seeking deeper contact. Obligingly, he gave her more…but
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