wasn’t sure. Rafe’s eyes widened, and he stomped out of the
room in a huff.
Candy
ran her tongue across her chapped lips and turned to stare at the warm chestnut
eyes gazing down at her. “What did you say to him?”
Selena’s
laugh sounded delightful. “I told him that if he doesn’t want to be my helper
and give you a sponge bath, he better go into town and find something to do.”
Candy
giggled. “I’ve never seen that man move to anyone’s orders.”
Selena
started stripping the soaked T-shirt off Candy’s body and over her head. “He
moves when his father has that mountain stick in his hands, and he moves when Selena
gets mad.”
Candy
smiled at the thought. She turned over as Selena gently scrubbed her back with
a cool sponge.
“You
like my Rafe, no?”
Candy
closed her eyes and pretended she didn’t hear the question. She was usually the
one giving sponge baths to her patients, and it actually felt quite nice being
taken care of for a change.
Selena
sighed. “Rafe has never been in love.”
Candy
hated to admit how much those words cheered her. “Never?”
“You
love Rafe then, yes?”
Candy
frowned. “No.”
“But
you like Rafe? He’s a pretty boy, yes? He’s good man. He likes you. I can see
it in his eyes. He thinks about you all night.”
The
cold water dripped on Candy’s forehead and neck as the lady continued to wipe
her down.
“I’ll
bet he thought about me all night. He probably was thinking about how he could
get rid of me.”
Selena
shook her head. “You’re a stubborn lady. If you like Rafe, you must go after
him like a pirate on the high seas. You must take what you want, or it will be
taken by other pirates.”
Selena
hastened across the room and grabbed a clean shirt from Candy’s bag. When Candy
realized that other pirates meant other woman, her stomach coiled in dread. She
realized that she didn’t want other women running after Rafe.
“Are
you thinking about what I said? Do you want Rafe all to yourself?”
Candy
reddened. “We don’t get along. We fight all the time. He doesn’t like me. His
father set this up. I’m going to a hotel as soon as I feel better.”
Selena
slipped the shirt over Candy’s body. Candy felt weak, but refreshed. “Thank
you.”
“You’re
not going anywhere,” Selena commanded.
Candy
swallowed past her dry throat, and the woman gave her a sip of some lemony
drink.
“You’re
staying right here where Selena can keep an eye on you. Too many pirates out
there of another kind.” She nodded her head emphatically, and a sudden twinkle
came to her eyes. “But maybe that’s what a pretty lady like you needs.”
Candy
liked this happy lady. “I need another pirate?” she said with a tired smile.
Selena
fluffed the pillow behind Candy’s head and brought up the covers. “Ring the bell
if you need Selena.”
The
lady lifted a copper bell from the end table. “I’ll stay all day today and keep
the doctor out of your room.”
The
lady walked toward the window and opened it. “You can listen to the beautiful
waves. They will make you sleepy and think about my Rafe.”
If
Candy was hot, her cheeks warmed even more at the mention of Rafe.
His
powerful silhouette stood out in her mind, his wide shoulders stretching taut
against his blue golf shirt, his gray eyes simmering like a summer barbecue,
his tanned face squinting with lines of determination.
And
she had to admit, for all his hard-headedness, he was a great doctor. Maybe
somewhere beneath that tough shell existed a softness that very few were able
to touch.
Selena’s
darks brows rose. “Yes, he likes you too much. I will stay as your guard.”
Candy
let out a hesitant laugh, and her eyes closed as she heard the lady shuffle out
of the room, singing some island song about love.
Rafe
paced back and forth in the sand. He heard Selena singing. Finally, she was
done giving Candy a bath.
Turning,
he started back toward the house, telling himself he
room in a huff.
Candy
ran her tongue across her chapped lips and turned to stare at the warm chestnut
eyes gazing down at her. “What did you say to him?”
Selena’s
laugh sounded delightful. “I told him that if he doesn’t want to be my helper
and give you a sponge bath, he better go into town and find something to do.”
Candy
giggled. “I’ve never seen that man move to anyone’s orders.”
Selena
started stripping the soaked T-shirt off Candy’s body and over her head. “He
moves when his father has that mountain stick in his hands, and he moves when Selena
gets mad.”
Candy
smiled at the thought. She turned over as Selena gently scrubbed her back with
a cool sponge.
“You
like my Rafe, no?”
Candy
closed her eyes and pretended she didn’t hear the question. She was usually the
one giving sponge baths to her patients, and it actually felt quite nice being
taken care of for a change.
Selena
sighed. “Rafe has never been in love.”
Candy
hated to admit how much those words cheered her. “Never?”
“You
love Rafe then, yes?”
Candy
frowned. “No.”
“But
you like Rafe? He’s a pretty boy, yes? He’s good man. He likes you. I can see
it in his eyes. He thinks about you all night.”
The
cold water dripped on Candy’s forehead and neck as the lady continued to wipe
her down.
“I’ll
bet he thought about me all night. He probably was thinking about how he could
get rid of me.”
Selena
shook her head. “You’re a stubborn lady. If you like Rafe, you must go after
him like a pirate on the high seas. You must take what you want, or it will be
taken by other pirates.”
Selena
hastened across the room and grabbed a clean shirt from Candy’s bag. When Candy
realized that other pirates meant other woman, her stomach coiled in dread. She
realized that she didn’t want other women running after Rafe.
“Are
you thinking about what I said? Do you want Rafe all to yourself?”
Candy
reddened. “We don’t get along. We fight all the time. He doesn’t like me. His
father set this up. I’m going to a hotel as soon as I feel better.”
Selena
slipped the shirt over Candy’s body. Candy felt weak, but refreshed. “Thank
you.”
“You’re
not going anywhere,” Selena commanded.
Candy
swallowed past her dry throat, and the woman gave her a sip of some lemony
drink.
“You’re
staying right here where Selena can keep an eye on you. Too many pirates out
there of another kind.” She nodded her head emphatically, and a sudden twinkle
came to her eyes. “But maybe that’s what a pretty lady like you needs.”
Candy
liked this happy lady. “I need another pirate?” she said with a tired smile.
Selena
fluffed the pillow behind Candy’s head and brought up the covers. “Ring the bell
if you need Selena.”
The
lady lifted a copper bell from the end table. “I’ll stay all day today and keep
the doctor out of your room.”
The
lady walked toward the window and opened it. “You can listen to the beautiful
waves. They will make you sleepy and think about my Rafe.”
If
Candy was hot, her cheeks warmed even more at the mention of Rafe.
His
powerful silhouette stood out in her mind, his wide shoulders stretching taut
against his blue golf shirt, his gray eyes simmering like a summer barbecue,
his tanned face squinting with lines of determination.
And
she had to admit, for all his hard-headedness, he was a great doctor. Maybe
somewhere beneath that tough shell existed a softness that very few were able
to touch.
Selena’s
darks brows rose. “Yes, he likes you too much. I will stay as your guard.”
Candy
let out a hesitant laugh, and her eyes closed as she heard the lady shuffle out
of the room, singing some island song about love.
Rafe
paced back and forth in the sand. He heard Selena singing. Finally, she was
done giving Candy a bath.
Turning,
he started back toward the house, telling himself he
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