body, abated a little, but in the following days, the Laird of Ross’s health fluctuated wildly. Kenzie gave an abundance of paracetamol to him, along with the cough medicine, but still, the cough rattled the man’s chest and sounded painful whenever he breathed.
“A drink.” He coughed again. “Please, lass.”
Kenzie poured a cup and rushed over to his bedside, pleased to see him trying to sit up for the first time in what seemed like weeks.
“You’re awake. I’d not thought I’d ever see the day.” She helped him to drink. His skin still felt damp, but the fever had broken if the coolness that touched her palm was any indication.
He drank soundly, finishing the cup. “Thank ye.”
“You’re welcome.” She sat down beside the bed, wiping his brow with a damp cloth. “Can you remember anything over the past few weeks? Do you know where you are?”
His eyes took in the room before narrowing in contemplation. “I’ve no blasted idea where the hell I am. Although ye’re familiar to me.”
“That’s probably because I’ve been looking after you. You’re in Gwen Macleod’s home. It was gifted to her and Braxton from her brother, Laird Macleod.”
“I dinna need a history lesson, lass. I know who Gwendolyn is.”
He pushed himself up, leaning against the headboard, and the blankets that were previously covering his chest slipped, exposing a very fine body. Kenzie bit her lip as she watched it flex with the movement of him pushing his hair out of his face. Standing, she walked over to the basin of water and rinsed the cloth in her hands, fiddling with anything so she didn’t have to look at him. When he’d been ill, laying limp and stinking to high heaven, she’d tried to keep her mind on the task of keeping him alive.
But now. Wow. With a body like Black Ben’s, and a voice of Scottish sin, he was every twenty-first-century woman’s fantasy.
“Did we not argue the last time we met? I believe ye didn’t like me verra much.” He nodded, sitting up further. “Aye yes, ye were a right banshee and one from the future even. Just like the delightful Abby Macleod.”
“That’s right, but you were extremely obnoxious, and if you should be again, we’ll argue some more.”
“Seems to me we’re arguing already—about arguing.” He smiled, meeting her gaze.
Kenzie’s tummy fluttered at the amused look he threw her that made him look five years younger, carefree, and happy. And yet, there was something in his eyes that was far from jovial. If anything, it was dark, dangerous, and tinged with anger. She placed the cloth back on his brow.
Do you think you’re capable of bathing? I can have the servants bring up a bath for you. But only if you’re feeling up to it. You have been very sick.”
“That would be most welcome, and, lass,” he said, groaning as he slid to the side of the bed, putting pressure on his feet for the first time in days. “Thank ye for ye kindness. I’ll not forget it.”
Kenzie did as he asked, finding a maid in the corridor and sending her down to prepare water and have the menservants carry up the bath. She didn’t immediately go back into the laird’s room and instead, went to her own, wanting to change as she’d taken the night shift the previous evening and needed to feel a little more human. She would sleep a thousand years after last night. And as soon as the laird was bathed and dressed, Gwen should be in to take over his care.
A loud crash sounded in Black Ben’s room, and she hurried back to it, only to open the door and see the laird as naked as the day he was born, fighting to pull off his pants.
“Ye either going to keep staring at me ass, lass, or are ye goin’ to help pull off my trews? I’m not as strong as I was, and they seem to be stuck about my feet.”
For the life of her, Kenzie couldn’t drag her gaze upward from his groin. Seriously, what other assets did this man have? She swallowed hard, finally managing to turn around and give him privacy. “Umm. Maybe if you sit on the bed and cover yourself that would be better, before I help you, that is.”
“Ye’ve been bathing me these last few weeks, why the modesty now?”
Her cheeks burned. “I have not been doing anything of the kind. So, turn around and sit down, or you can ask someone else to