“The better to see you with, my dear. And it’s Alec.”

“Very funny.” She leaned against the radiator, panting from the adrenaline rush. “Never do that again.”

“Sorry.” He swallowed a chuckle. “I was watching you sleep. When you got up and made such a determined beeline to the bathroom, I was afraid to do anything that might slow you down. Were you sick again, sweetie?”

“Uh, no. And about this afternoon—”

“When you—er—gifted me with your daiquiris and oysters and swordfish and hash browns and tarte tatin?”

“Let’s never speak of it again,” she said determinedly.

He laughed, delighted; stood in such an abrupt movement if she’d blinked she’d have missed it; and crossed the room. In another moment, he was holding her hands. “I’m so glad t’see you’re better,” he said with such obvious sincerity she smiled—for the first time in hours, it seemed. “I was worried.” Except in his charming brogue, it came out sae glad tae see yerrr betterrrrrr. Ai wooz worred.

“I’m pretty damned glad to be feeling better myself. God, I’ve never been so sick! I guess I’d be a terrible alcoholic,” she confessed.

“It wasna the alcohol. The doctor said it was food poisoning. I’fact, this hotel is full…quite a few guests of the restaurant suffered from the oysters and are resting up because of it.”

She thought she ought to pull her hands out of his grip, but she couldn’t bring herself to take the step. His hands around hers were warm—almost hot—and looking up into his unbelievable face was just too good right now. “What doctor? Was she the lady in the red dress? I remember someone in red who wouldn’t stop with the shrieking…”

Alec’s lips quirked in a smile. “Dr. Madison is a verra soft-spoken woman, actually. You were just sensitive to noise while you were sick. I called her when you—uh—”

“Remember. We’re not speaking of it.”

“—became indisposed,” he finished delicately, but he wouldn’t quit smiling. “She helped me take care of you.”

“Oh.” Touched, she squeezed his hands. “Thanks, Alec. I guess I was a lucky girl to be out with you.”

“Lucky?” The smile dropped away. “It was my fault you got sick, so the least I could—”

“Your fault? Held me down and shoveled in the oysters, did you?” she said dryly. “Hardly. In case you haven’t noticed the inordinate size of my ass, I’m a girl with a healthy appetite. I got so incredibly sick because I ate so incredibly much.”

He squeezed her fingers in response. She had a sudden sense of crushing power held in check. “I adore your ass.” Ai adorrrre yuir arse. Was she crazy, or was his brogue getting thicker by the second? What had he said? That it came out when he was angry or…

Or…