Now or Never Read Online Free PDF Page B

on the wall. Fuck it, he’d deal with the consequences next month when the bill came due. The urge to throw all caution to the wind and crank it as high as it would go pricked his mind and itched his fingers, but he couldn’t be that reckless. Carefully turning the dial up another ten degrees, he listened as the old radiators clanked to life around the house.
    “Come on. Up you go.” Em wasn’t thrilled with the idea of sitting up and Jay had to do most of the work to get her that way, but he didn’t mind as he slid onto the couch beside her and she slumped against his chest. “You need to drink something. Stay hydrated.”
    He pressed the glass into her hand and watched her take several long, greedy swallows.
    “That a girl. Now let’s get you to bed, okay?” Em didn’t complain as he scooped her up in his arms and carried her down the hall. Jay couldn’t believe how light she still felt. It was a sucker punch to the gut. He worked his ass off to try to make ends meet—they both did—and still he couldn’t afford to really feed her right.
    Em didn’t release her hold around his neck as he laid her on the bed, pulling him down beside her. Before he could even tuck the blankets around the two of them, she’d borrowed into his side and fallen back to sleep.
    Jay lay awake for hours, listening helplessly to the quiet sounds of discomfort he was certain Em was unaware that she was making, feeling her body tremble in his arms. This was it. This was the best he could do for her. Pathetic.
    A low pitched whine slipped from Em’s lips. Her eyelids fluttered, and he couldn’t be sure if it was the fever or another nightmare that was causing her distress. Powerless .
    “Shh. Baby, it’s okay. I’ve got you. You’re okay.” Pressing a kiss to her sweaty brow, Jay closed his eyes and held her tighter. All he had to offer her was himself and it wasn’t enough. Not by a long shot. He’d never felt so worthless.
    “You’re going to be okay, Em. Everything’s going to be okay. Shh. Just rest, baby.” He stroked her hair and trailed his fingers over her heated skin.
    They didn’t have a thermometer, but he trusted himself to know if things got dangerous. That required a constant vigil, though. It was a long night with little rest for either of them. Em shivered and sweated for hours. Jay held her close, waking her every so often to get her to drink more water. Finally, around four in the morning, the fever broke and they both drifted into an exhausted unconsciousness.
    The alarm clock was unsympathetic to their plight, however, wailing away at seven on the dot. Jay was struck with the overwhelming urge to send it flying out the window, but they couldn’t afford to replace it.
    “Mmmm.” Em propped herself up on an elbow and blinked down at him sleepily, but all Jay could see were the thick dark circles under her eyes. “Mind if I take the first shower? I’m all sticky and gross.”
    “I don’t mind. But then you’re getting back in bed.”
    “I can’t. I have to be at work by—”
    “You’re sick, Em. You’re not working today.”
    “I have to. We need—”
    “You to get better. That’s what we need.”
    “I am better. Just tired.”
    “Besides,” Jay continued as though she hadn’t spoken , “Bart won’t appreciate it if you go around infecting all of his customers.”
    “It’ s a cold, Jay. Not the plague.” He knew she was annoyed at him, but her glare was just plain cute.
    “Em,” he wasn’t going to lose this argument and she damn well knew it, “go get in the shower. I’ll call Bart and let him know you won’t be making it in today.”
    She continued to glare, but exhaustion won out and she couldn’t maintain it, dropping back onto her pillow. “Fine.”
    Jay placed a call to Bart and agreed to cover her shift. He would have preferred to stay home and take care of her, but it was last minute notice and they’d need the money to pay for the extra heat they’d used.