Breathless Read Online Free PDF Page A

exposed. The other blanket he wrapped around his stepdaughter’s shoulders.
    “Don’t get too comfortable. I’ll be in to check on him every hour so we can take him to the hospital if he spikes a high fever. I won’t risk him getting an infection.”
    “I understand.”
    Lainey lay down on the floor beside the couch, stealing the pillow off the chair she liked to read in. Peter sighed, leaning over and kissing her forehead. Lainey closed her eyes and waited until Peter left the room before rolling to her side and giving Jon another glance. Where did he come from? More importantly, who stole his clothes?

 

     
    Lainey bolted to a sitting position, gasping and trying to focus. It was just a nightmare. Her thoughts cleared slowly, replaced by memories of the night before. She looked over at the couch and saw Jon still asleep. A wet cloth rested on his forehead. Peter sat in a chair next to him, staring at her with an open book in his hand.
    “You okay?” Peter kept his voice soft.
    “Yeah, I just had a bad dream.” Lainey shivered, and pulled her knees to her chest. “I’ve had it before.”
    “Was it about Becca?”
    She nodded. “What time is it?” The sunlight felt warm on her skin.
    “It’s a little after six. I have to head to work soon.”
    It took her a moment to realize he was dressed in his scrubs.
    “Oh.” Lainey returned her attention to the mysterious boy. “How is he?”
    Peter closed his book and put it on the side table. “He has a low grade fever. I talked to Doctor Mueller and he sent a prescription to the pharmacy. You can pick it up when it opens. I called in a favor, but I promised to tell him how I came to have a strange young man on my couch, who I found half-naked in the kitchen with my stepdaughter. You wanna tell me what happened last night?”
    Lainey sighed and let the rest of the nightmare leave her. “I don’t know where he came from. I went to read on the beach. I know, I was supposed to be asleep. But I couldn’t. I heard him on the beach, coming up from the water. I threw my blanket around him and brought him to the house when I realized he was bleeding.” She rubbed the end of her nose, avoiding eye contact.
    “There’s something else. I can tell you’re hiding something, Lainey.” Peter leaned forward on his knees. “What is it? You wouldn’t let me take him to the hospital; it was like you thought he’d disappear.”
    She blinked at the moisture forming in her eyes. “I had to help him,” she whispered. “I have questions for him and I didn’t want him to disappear again. He’s the one who saved my life when I was drowning.”
    Peter sat up straight, and ran his hand over his mouth. “Wow. I didn’t expect that one.”
    “Does that mean he can stay here for now?”
    “Lainey…” Peter looked as if he wanted to say something else, but didn’t. “Yeah, he can stay for now. You’ll have to pick up his medication in a little bit. I better finish getting ready for work.” He smiled. “You might want to shower and change first.”
    “Why?”
    “You have blood all over your dress and smeared on your cheek. You don’t want to freak out Mr. Lester.”
    Lainey frowned as she looked at her ruined dress. “Oh, thanks.” Peter started to leave the room, but she stopped him. “Thank you for helping him. Really, thank you Peter. It means a lot to me.”
    He grinned. “You’re welcome. I’ll call to check on him a few times today. He’ll need to stay on the couch and drink lots of fluids. I doubt he’ll feel like getting up anyway. Go shower, kid.”
     
    *~*~*
     
    Lainey showered quickly and grabbed her bike. Jon was still out on the couch and Rachel was asleep. Lainey could hear her mom getting ready for work. It was a ten minute bike ride to the pharmacy; she wouldn’t be long. The store sold everything from condoms to gummy bears to cheap containers of bubbles which never worked right.
    The elderly Mr. Lester was opening up when she arrived.