Brave the Wild Wind

Chapter 34

THE next morning, Chase woke before Jessie. The sun was shining, the snow having given up sometime in the night. He didn’t feel the slightest urge to get up and face the new day. He leaned on one elbow and stared at Jessie. She slept on her side, facing him, wrapped tightly in her cocoon of blankets. He wished they were in a large single bed so he could get closer to her and share her warmth.

He thought of her illness and wondered if she would be sore today. He supposed he had overdone it. He had made love to her no less than four times in the course of the late day and evening, and even then he didn’t feel he’d had enough of her. He had taught her the benefits of patience where loving was concerned and had explored her body to his heart’s delight.

She was incredible, ready every time he was ready. And she’d been just as passionate and giving the fourth time as the first.

He wished it had gone right on snowing. He wished like hell they didn’t have to leave the cabin.

Jessie moaned softly, and her face screwed up in a frown.

“Jessie?”

She moaned again, and he shook her lightly in case it was a bad dream.

“Don’t... shake... me!” she groaned.

“Wake up, Jessie.”

But she didn’t want to wake up, not with her stomach awakened to her morning complaint.

“I’m sorry, Jessie,” she heard Chase say. “It might help some if you got up and walked the stiffness out of your muscles. The sun’s up and shining this morning.”

Morning. How early was it? How many dreadful hours did she have yet to contend with this infernal nausea? But even a short time in Chase’s presence was too risky. She couldn’t let him know she was sick again. He wouldn’t understand, not after her perfect health of yesterday afternoon and night. Or he might understand all too well.

“I, ah, don’t think I can move right now,” Jessie managed.

“You’re making me feel guilty as all hell, Jessie. It can’t be that bad.”

She finally opened her eyes. “It’s not that bad,” she offered. “I’m just going to lie here for a while yet. But you don’t have to wait here. Go on and get to work. That’s the privilege of being the boss, you know.” She tried to grin. “Giving orders and taking it easy while others do all the work.”

Chase didn’t buy that for a second, not from Jessie. He got up and dressed, casting worried glances at her all the while. Perhaps she just wanted some time to herself, time to think. He wished she would simply say as much, instead of making him feel like a louse.

After he dressed he got the fire going for her, its warmth quickly filling the small room. But Jessie still hadn’t moved.

“I’ll head out then,” Chase said reluctantly. “But the least I can do is offer some relief before I go. A massage is in order, I think.”

“No!”

“Now, come on, Jessie. Quit being so modest. It can only help,” he said as he pulled her blankets down and turned her onto her back.

“Don’t... touch... me!”

Chase drew back as if burned and watched her curl slowly back onto her side. She had said exactly the same thing yesterday morning when she’d been so sick. The pale face was the same, too, and the way she kept her arms well away from her stomach.

“Jessie? Jessie, look at me.”

“Go on to work, will you?”

He sat down on the side of the cot. She groaned as he did, and groaned worse when he touched her shoulder.

Chase felt so helpless, and his voice rose because of it. “What’s wrong with you, damn it? How can you be sick again? You got a good night’s sleep. We ate the same thing yesterday, and there’s nothing wrong with me. Jessie?”

“I’m not sick.” She wouldn’t turn to face him. She was as still as a dead thing. “I’m just... just too ... sore.”

Chase scowled. What the hell was she trying hide?

“I’m going to dress you, Jessie, and then I’m taking you to Cheyenne to see the doctor.”

“For a little soreness? Don’t be ridiculous.”

She tried to make her voice light, but there was an unmistakable effort behind each word. He shifted his weight on the bed, and the movement made her face flush with heat. Not now! It’s got to stay down! But her body wasn’t listening. She felt the bile rising and clamped her hand to her mouth. She turned so quickly then that her legs slammed into Chase’s hip. If he hadn’t jumped to his feet she would have knocked him over.

Jessie was off the bed in a second and dashing for the tin pail in the corner. He watched her, dazed as she knelt over the pail, retching. Finally he got his thoughts together enough to grab a blanket from the bed and drape it over her shoulders. She was hardly aware of him.

Chase could think of nothing else to do at the moment, so he left the cabin, walking outside to give her some privacy. Jessie, hearing him go, cursed him for not going sooner, before he’d witnessed her illness. Assuming he was gone for the day, she stumbled back to the cot and fell asleep.