Holly Jolly Cowboy (The Wyoming Cowboy #7)(34)

“Hannibal’s fed and Carson’s got the cattle handled,” Holly told him, stroking his brow through the wet fabric. “Just get some sleep and you’ll be better in the morning. I’m going back to the house but I’ll be by to check on you again in a few hours.”

He reached out and grabbed her hand before she could leave. “Thanks,” he mumbled. “For a nemesis, you’re all right.”

Her chuckle echoed in his ears long after she left.





CHAPTER FOURTEEN





The next morning, he felt well rested but still awful. Adam groaned over and over again as he hauled his heavy body out of bed. At some point, Holly had removed his shirt as well as his boots, but he was still covered in sweat and his blankets were soaked and uncomfortable. Hannibal pawed at the front door, desperate to go outside, and Adam shuffled to the door to let him out. A blast of cold air hit, and it felt so good that he closed his eyes and just lingered there for a few minutes.

Being sick sucked.

When he opened his eyes, though, he saw Holly heading across the snowy ground, a bowl in one hand and a mug in the other. He watched her approach, wondering if she was coming to take care of him again today . . . and why he liked it so much.

She gave him a bright smile as she came to the door. “Well, you’re upright! That’s a good sign.”

“You didn’t see how long it took me to get this way,” he managed to joke. “To what do I owe the pleasure of my nemesis once more?”

She moved onto the step that led to his door and nudged him with the bowl in her hands. “I’m going to feed Hannibal, get this broth in you, and then I’m driving you to the doctor.”

“I don’t need to go to the doctor—”

“Well, you certainly can’t afford to be like this for the next week,” Holly told him in a chirpy voice. “Carson and I figured it’d be best to get you medicated so you can return to work sooner. Now, come away from the door—it’s cold out—and drink this.” She held the large insulated mug out to him.

Even as he took the mug and sat back down on the edge of the bed, he protested. “I really don’t need the doctor.”

“Then you won’t get a prescription, will you? He’ll just give you a nice vitamin D shot and send you on your way, but you’re still seeing him this morning. Now, drink up.”

It was impossible to argue with her when she was in this sort of mode. The I’ll-take-care-of-everything mode came naturally to her, he suspected. After raising her sister and working at the restaurant, she probably just tried to handle everyone that came her way. It should have bothered the hell out of him. Instead, he sipped the broth and watched as she put the bowl down for Hannibal, then poked through his clothing drawers, looking for fresh socks.

Holly turned to look at him. “You want to keep wearing those jeans?”

“I do unless you want to help me strip them off,” he drawled.

To his surprise, her cheeks flushed with a hint of color and she tossed the balled-up pair of socks at him. “Looks like you’re going to keep wearing them, then.”

Seeing her flustered was . . . kinda fun. He scratched at his stomach and noticed her gaze flicked in that direction. Well, that was . . . interesting. If he wasn’t so damned tired and hot, he might have pursued it. As it was, he just wanted to take another nap.

Holly nagged and pushed him around for the next ten minutes, helping him pull a shirt over his head and putting his socks on his feet. If she felt strange kneeling in front of him to help him with his boots, she didn’t say anything. Her cheeks were crimson, though, and Adam suspected it wasn’t all cold. She stood in front of him and insisted he finish his broth, and then held out his jacket, like he was a child.

She was patient as they headed out to her car, though. Adam was pretty sure he was moving slower than usual, but she didn’t make him feel as if she were rushing him. She even flipped up the back seat and patted it so Hannibal could ride with them.

If she wasn’t his nemesis, he’d have considered her efforts rather thoughtful.

As it was, she was managing and annoying, but it must have been the sickness that made it all seem amusing and not that bad. In fact, it was kind of cute. It had been a long time since anyone had hovered over him, and Holly was doing exactly that as she drove him to the next town over, then led him into the doctors office. She even signed him in.

“Are you his wife?” the receptionist asked.

“Nope,” Holly said, even as she held her hand out to Adam. “Give me your driver’s license so I can fill out your paperwork.”

The receptionist smiled. “He’s lucky to have a girlfriend like you to take care of him, then.”

“I’m not his girlfriend,” Holly corrected, but her cheeks were flushed again. “I’m his enemy.”

“Whatever you want to call it, honey,” the receptionist said. “But you’ll have to sit in the waiting room with the dog.”



* * *



? ? ?

An hour later, Adam had two prescriptions to fill and had endured a shot in his ass, and then Holly drove him back to the ranch and insisted on putting him to bed again. “I’ll pick up your prescriptions,” she told him as she helped him pull his boots off again.