he began taking a few steps closer I once again felt a warning growl rising in my throat and my fists actually tightened by my sides. I literally had no control over these reactions. Fuck, it really was crazy how bloody protective I felt over this woman. Talk about primal instincts flooding to the surface.
Hearing my warning Kenny stopped dead and flashed me another nervous glance from a safe distance away. Sensible lad. ‘Uh … she looks awful, what’s the matter with her?’
Shrugging helplessly I turned back to Stella and chewed on my sore lower lip before bending to gently brush some stray hairs from her sweaty brow. ‘A bad flu I guess, it just came on suddenly about three hours ago, I’ve called my doctor and he’s on his way.’
‘Do you need any help?’ Kenny asked carefully. His tone was respectful, but he was giving a pointed glance to the clean T-shirt in my hand that I had been about to dress Stella in. Feeling my eyebrows lower and furrow, my jaw tensed at the idea of him seeing her undressed and I found myself adamantly shaking my head. ‘No. I’ll take care of her,’ I muttered in a low tone turning to face him fully and probably sending a death glare his way if his shaky backward step was anything to go by.
Tugging nervously on his goatee Kenny seemed to be considering making a run for it when he suddenly straightened his back and looked me straight in the eye with more courage than I’d ever thought he possessed. ‘I love her just as much as you, Nathan,’ he said quietly and in response my entire body seemed to tense unpleasantly as the image of punching him sprang to my mind, ‘just in a different way,’ he added quickly.
Forcing myself to acknowledge his words I pushed a breath from my lungs in an attempt at calming myself down. I hadn’t even had the balls to sit down and really work out if I was capable of real love yet, let alone vocalise any such emotion to Stella. I was pretty sure I did love her – that must be what these overwhelming feelings of care, protection, affection, and desire inside me meant, but I was actually quite jealous of how Kenny could just stand there and say it like it was the easiest thing on earth. Sucking in a deep breath I glanced at Stella again and felt my heart melt and a smile tug my lips. Being with her was the easiest thing on earth. Talk about an enlightening few hours – I felt like I’d been on a voyage of self-discovery and finally emerged into the clarity of daylight. Except it was Stella that was my blinding light.
I let my gaze wander over her again before nodding decisively; once she was better I’d sort myself and my tangled feelings out and then talk to her, but for now it was obvious that I was getting worked up and predatory for no reason. Kenny was right, he was Stella’s best friend and definitely not a threat to my relationship with her in any way, shape, or form.
Ramming my hands into my trouser pockets I dipped my head.
‘Sorry.’ My apology was difficult for me to say, feeling like sawdust in my throat and came out quietly, possibly too quiet for him to hear. ‘I’m just worried about her. Is there any chance you have some soup in the flat for her when she wakes up? She’s sweating so much that she’s bound to be dehydrated.’
Looking pleased to have a job to do Kenny grinned at me and visibly perked up. ‘We haven’t, but I’ve got lots of fresh veggies in the fridge and I’m a whizz in the kitchen, I’ll make a homemade broth, it won’t take too long.’ Springing into action Kenny swung away with purpose and left the room so I could turn my attention back to Stella.
The next few hours felt like torture. I hated seeing Stella sick with me being helpless to do anything, but at least on the positive side her fever seemed to be reducing slightly. She came in and out of consciousness several times, always drowsy and confused, but she did at least manage to eat a little of the soup that Kenny prepared, and
Hearing my warning Kenny stopped dead and flashed me another nervous glance from a safe distance away. Sensible lad. ‘Uh … she looks awful, what’s the matter with her?’
Shrugging helplessly I turned back to Stella and chewed on my sore lower lip before bending to gently brush some stray hairs from her sweaty brow. ‘A bad flu I guess, it just came on suddenly about three hours ago, I’ve called my doctor and he’s on his way.’
‘Do you need any help?’ Kenny asked carefully. His tone was respectful, but he was giving a pointed glance to the clean T-shirt in my hand that I had been about to dress Stella in. Feeling my eyebrows lower and furrow, my jaw tensed at the idea of him seeing her undressed and I found myself adamantly shaking my head. ‘No. I’ll take care of her,’ I muttered in a low tone turning to face him fully and probably sending a death glare his way if his shaky backward step was anything to go by.
Tugging nervously on his goatee Kenny seemed to be considering making a run for it when he suddenly straightened his back and looked me straight in the eye with more courage than I’d ever thought he possessed. ‘I love her just as much as you, Nathan,’ he said quietly and in response my entire body seemed to tense unpleasantly as the image of punching him sprang to my mind, ‘just in a different way,’ he added quickly.
Forcing myself to acknowledge his words I pushed a breath from my lungs in an attempt at calming myself down. I hadn’t even had the balls to sit down and really work out if I was capable of real love yet, let alone vocalise any such emotion to Stella. I was pretty sure I did love her – that must be what these overwhelming feelings of care, protection, affection, and desire inside me meant, but I was actually quite jealous of how Kenny could just stand there and say it like it was the easiest thing on earth. Sucking in a deep breath I glanced at Stella again and felt my heart melt and a smile tug my lips. Being with her was the easiest thing on earth. Talk about an enlightening few hours – I felt like I’d been on a voyage of self-discovery and finally emerged into the clarity of daylight. Except it was Stella that was my blinding light.
I let my gaze wander over her again before nodding decisively; once she was better I’d sort myself and my tangled feelings out and then talk to her, but for now it was obvious that I was getting worked up and predatory for no reason. Kenny was right, he was Stella’s best friend and definitely not a threat to my relationship with her in any way, shape, or form.
Ramming my hands into my trouser pockets I dipped my head.
‘Sorry.’ My apology was difficult for me to say, feeling like sawdust in my throat and came out quietly, possibly too quiet for him to hear. ‘I’m just worried about her. Is there any chance you have some soup in the flat for her when she wakes up? She’s sweating so much that she’s bound to be dehydrated.’
Looking pleased to have a job to do Kenny grinned at me and visibly perked up. ‘We haven’t, but I’ve got lots of fresh veggies in the fridge and I’m a whizz in the kitchen, I’ll make a homemade broth, it won’t take too long.’ Springing into action Kenny swung away with purpose and left the room so I could turn my attention back to Stella.
The next few hours felt like torture. I hated seeing Stella sick with me being helpless to do anything, but at least on the positive side her fever seemed to be reducing slightly. She came in and out of consciousness several times, always drowsy and confused, but she did at least manage to eat a little of the soup that Kenny prepared, and
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