‘You’re not well enough to be out of bed without help,’ she scolded, helping him towards the bathroom, trying not to notice as he slid an arm round her shoulders.

He was just using her for support, she reminded herself firmly, escorting him as far as the bathroom.

‘There we are—you can manage this bit by yourself. I’ll go and get you a drink. I’ll be back in a minute.’

When she’d had time to dress in something more appropriate and remind herself that Alex Westerling was absolutely not her type.

* * *

Alex lay in bed watching as Jenny straightened the sheets and replenished his drink. She was a born nurturer, he reflected. A woman who was never happier than when she was taking care of people. You only had to look at the way that she cared for Daisy to see that. And the child wasn’t even hers.

And now he was on the receiving end of that warmth and it felt good. Better than he ever would have imagined.

He couldn’t remember ever being cared for like this before, not even as a child.

Her hands were unbelievably gentle, her voice warm and soothing, and just having her there made him feel a hundred times better.

She was peaceful and soothing and calmed the atmosphere more effectively than the scented candles she’d insisted on placing in his room.

She’d dragged on a dressing-gown that covered her from neck to ankle but she may as well not have bothered. He had a very vivid memory of a pair of sensational long legs that had been the first thing he’d seen when he’d opened his eyes.

He’d pretended not to notice because she’d clearly been embarrassed by her lack of attire, but he was incredibly touched by the fact that she’d been sleeping at the bottom of his bed. She must have been seriously worried about him.

And she obviously hadn’t had much sleep herself. She looked done in.

‘How the hell did you cope, looking after Daisy as well as me?’

She smiled. ‘You were much more demanding than Daisy. She’s a very easy baby. I put her on the mat on the floor and she played happily. At night she slept.’

But Jenny had been awake all night looking after him. And then all day looking after Daisy. No wonder she looked so exhausted.

The fact that she’d made such a sacrifice for someone she disapproved of as thoroughly as him made him feel vaguely uncomfortable.

He shifted slightly in the bed but the feeling remained and he realised that it wasn’t physical.

She placed a hand on his forehead and frowned anxiously. ‘How are you feeling now?’

‘Pretty weak.’

It was true, but he also knew that in normal circumstances he would have died rather than admit weakness to a woman. But he’d discovered that there was no nicer feeling than being cared for by Jenny. And he liked the fact that she no longer seemed so wary of him.