Fairy Tale Weddings by Debbie Macomber

sheets and blankets. She left him long enough to pull back the covers and fluff up the pillows.
    Because he felt so weak, Thorne sat on the edge of the bed and ran a weary hand over his face. Under normal circumstances he would’ve been humiliated to have a woman fuss over him like this, but nothing about his relationship with Cindy was conventional.
    â€œHere, let me help you,” she insisted, urging him to lie down. She held the back of one hand to his forehead.
    â€œNo.” He brushed her hand away.
    â€œYou need to rest.”
    â€œNo,” he repeated.
    â€œThorne, please, you’re running a fever.”
    â€œIf I fall asleep,” he said, holding her gaze, “you’ll be gone when I wake up.” His mouth curved into a sad smile. “Will you promise to stay?”
    Cindy hesitated.
    â€œI’ll stay until you wake,” she finally said.
    â€œDo you promise?”
    She nodded.
    â€œSay it, Cindy.”
    â€œI’ll be here,” she cried, angry that he couldn’t trust her. “I wouldn’t dream of leaving you like this.”
    He fell against the pillow and released a long sigh. “Good,” he said and closed his eyes. For the first time in days he felt right. From the moment Cindy had left him standing in the park, it was as though a part of him hadbeen missing. Now she was here, so close that all he had to do was reach out and touch her.
    Standing at his side, Cindy pulled the covers over his shoulders and lingered beside the bed. She wouldn’t leave the room until she was sure he was asleep. He appeared almost childlike, lying on his side, his brow relaxed and smooth. The harsh lines around his mouth were gone, as were the ones that fanned out beside his eyes.
    A minute later, his lashes fluttered open and he looked around, startled.
    â€œI’m here,” she whispered and stroked his forehead to reassure him.
    â€œLie down with me,” he pleaded, shifting to the far side of the bed, leaving more than ample room for her.
    â€œThorne, I can’t.”
    â€œPlease.” His voice was barely discernible, hardly more than a whisper.
    No one word could be more seductive. “I shouldn’t.”
    He answered her by gently patting the bed, his eyes still closed. “I need you,” he said softly.
    â€œOh, Thorne.” She pressed her lips together and slipped off her shoes. He was manipulating her and she didn’t like it one bit. As soon as he was well she’d tell him in no uncertain terms what she thought of his underhanded methods.
    Keeping as close to edge of the bed as possible without falling off, Cindy lay stiff and tense at his side. Thorne was under the covers while she remained on top, but that did little to diminish her misgivings.
    Gradually, so gradually she was hardly aware of what he was doing, Thorne eased himself closer to her so he could feel the warmth of her body against his. Sleep was so wonderfully inviting. He draped his arm over her ribsand brought her next to him. He felt the tension leave her limbs, and for the first time since the Monday after the Christmas Ball, Thorne Prince smiled.
    Cindy woke two hours later, astonished that she’d slept. The room was dark and she lay watching the shadows on the bedroom walls, thinking. Her mind was crowded with conflicting thoughts. She should leave him while she could, with her heart intact—but she’d promised she wouldn’t. No matter what the consequences, she wouldn’t lie to him again.
    As gently as possible, Cindy slipped from his arms and tiptoed across the plush carpet. Clothes littered the floor and she automatically picked them up as she made her way out of the room. She collected towels from the bathroom and threw everything in the washing machine, which she found in its own alcove.
    Dirty dishes were piled in the kitchen sink, and Cindy placed them in the dishwasher and turned it on. The pots and pans she scrubbed by