When Claire woke up, she didn't exactly feel on top of the world. She did
get up though and wasn't going to be beaten by a silly little cold. She
started to load up the Ute when Alex came over. "Where you going?" He
asked. "Fix a fence" "I thought we were horse training today?" She sneezed.
"I wont be long" "I'll come with you" "No, it's all right" She sneezed
again and got in the Ute. "I can help" "I can do it by myself" "Fine, Ill
watch" He said getting in. They got to the fence and Claire started
unloading the bits as Alex stood there, leaning against the Ute. "Well
don't just stand there" "You didn't want my help" "Yeah, well you're here
now so move your but!" she sneezed again as they started working. "You
feeling all right?" "Yes!" "Well you don't sound it" "Oh thanks" "You sure
you're up to this?" "It's just a bit of a cold. Now can we get on with it?"
They carried on, but Claire was a bit slack. "Come on, keep up" Alex
teased. She just glared at him. As they finished Alex looked up at Claire.
"You sure you're ok?" "Yes" "You look a bit red" "I'm just a bit hot, it is
a hot day you know" "Not that hot" He said touching her forehead. She
swatted it away like an annoying bug. "Claire, you're burning up" She
started to walk away to check another part of the fence. "Oh no you don't"
Alex said, running in front of her. "What?" "Come on, you should be in bed"
"I'm fine!" And with that she sneezed. Alex lifted her up and threw her
over his shoulder. She protested profusely but he wasn't going to give in.
He put her in the Ute, grabbed the rest of the bits and drove her back to
the house. She got out and headed for the stables. "Oh no you don't" He
said and grabbed her arm. She gave him a daring look. "You want me to carry
you again" "I don't see what the big deal is, it's only a little cold" "So
you wont have to stay in bed for too long" "I don't need to go to bed, I
need to train the horses" "Not with a fever you don't" And he picked her up
again, taking her to her room. He left strict instructions with Meg, not to
let Claire leave her room. He went and trained the horses and when he went
to see Claire, she was not in a good mood, so he didn't stay long.
Claire hardly slept all night. Her fever hadn't gone down, yet she felt so cold and was coughing. She had to get up several times to get some water as her mouth was so dry and with only a couple of hours sleep, she managed to get up the next morning, determined not to let this thing get the better of her. She was watching Blaze as she lent forward against the fence, resting her head on her arms when Alex slowly crawled up behind her. He poked her sides and made her jump. "Hey!" He leaned forward against the fence like Claire was doing. He looked over at Claire and then back at the horse. "You sure you should be up, you look awful" She looked at him and he turned to face her. "Thanks" she said, trying to act hurt. He smiled and carried on looked back at the horse, as did Claire. She sneezed. "You still got a temperature?" He went to move his hand to her head, but she grabbed his hand before he got a chance to. "Go back to bed" he told her. "I've got work to do!" "You're not going to get any work done just standing here, now go to bed" "No!" "We don't need you" "Oh thanks, first of all I'm ugly, now I'm disposable, you really know how to treat a girl" "Hey, I know how to treat a girl. I can show you if you like" "Ah, so that's why you want me in bed" she said playfully, and Alex carried on. "Too right, now come on" he said, nodding his head to the house. "I don't think so Ryan," She said. "If that's the way you want to play it" he went to pick her up again but she moved backwards. "Oh no you don't. Despite the fact that I'm not needed, there is work I have to do" she walked off and Alex didn't follow as Tess was headed in his direction. "Hey" "Hey" "Is Claire ok?" He asked. "Because I think she's got more than a cold" "I told her to stay in bed but she won't listen to me. She was up most of the night. It's probably just a bad cold" "I hope so" "If you're that worried, get her to see the doctor" "I'm brave, but I'm not that brave" "If anyone can get her to do something its you" "I have my uses" He said, walking off smiling.
Claire was shivering as she tried to get the saddle from the barn. She tried to lift it, but she had no strength. She decided to do something else, but Alex had seen. "Come on, I'm getting you to bed" "No, now if you're not going to help, you can stop bugging me" "I love it when you play hard to get" "Is that what you tell all the girls?" "No, just the feisty stubborn ones who are difficult to get into bed" She frowned at him and rubbed her arms as she was cold. He put his arm around her and tried to walk her out of the barn. "You're boiling" She shook his arm off and headed back in. he followed and she turned to him. "Now if you're going to stick around, you can carry that out for me" "Is that an open invitation?" "Would you use it if I hadn't given it to you?" "You love me too much to turn me down" "Just get the damn saddle" "Go to bed" "No!" "I'll kiss you" "No" "Oh, I get it, you want me don't you, you want me to kiss you" "Oh yeah, because you're the man of my dreams, when you storm in here and start telling me what to do" "I will kiss you" "No you wont" He moved grabbed her arm and pulled her forward quickly while holding her tightly around the waist with the other and straight away kissed her deeply as her body was flush against his. So many thoughts were going through each others heads as the kiss got extremely passionate. When Alex pulled away he looked at her flushed face although he didn't know if it was from the kiss, or because of her fever. "Now, are you going to go to bed?" She wondered what he meant. Realising what he was implying, he added, "And I'll call the doctor" She pushed past him. "I don't need a doctor" "So you'll go to bed" "No, you kissed me, I can't believe you kissed me" "I said I would" "I didn't actually think you would" "You loved it" "I'd love it if you'd pass me the saddle" "Get it your self if you're feeling fine" "Fine!" she moved over and took hold of it with both hands. She was feeling extremely hot and dizzy but she lifted it up. She blinked trying to stop the blurred vision and stop everything spinning, but all went black instead. Alex only just caught her in his arms. He looked at her and kissed her on the forehead. 'At least on good thing came out of today' he thought to himself.
He carried her upstairs and into her room, before calling the doctor. He got a damp cloth and put it on her head as she was burning up. He'd taken her boots off and tried to make her comfortable. She soon started to come too and he smiled at her. She started to blink as her vision came into focus and she realised where she was. "What." she tried to sit up. "Stay put, you're not going anywhere" "What happened?" "I knew I was a good kisser and everything, but I've never made anyone faint before. You really liked it that much hey?" "What?" "You fainted" "I don't fait, and if I did, it wouldn't be because of some feeble kiss you gave me" "It wasn't feeble, it was pretty." He trailed off as the doctor called out. Alex went and got him and waited outside. Tess came up. "Who's Ute out back?" "Doctors" "Doctor?" "Claire fainted" "She fainted? Why didn't you tell me?" "I can look after you know" "You should have told me, is she all right?" "She's feisty enough" "Feisty?" "Never mind" Tess gave him a questioning look but soon forgot it. The doctor walked out. "She's got the flu basically. If you haven't had it, I suggest you stay away. She needs to stay in bed until she's better and she needs plenty of fluids and rest. I'll come back in a week to see how she is. Just make sure she stays in bed please" "We'll try" Tess said, not holding out much hope. The doctor left and Tess went to tell the others. Alex went in and sat on the bed next to Claire who was sitting up. She didn't look very happy and Alex, with a smug smile on his face crossed his arms. "What you so happy about?" She asked him giving him a curious look. "I knew I'd get you into bed one way or another. I'll have to remember a kiss for the next time" "Next time? This is all your fault you know. If you had got the saddle down for me I wouldn't be stuck in here" "Come off it, you got the flu, not an injury" "Are you sure you're ok to be here? The doctor said it's contagious" "Yes. Had it when I was a kid" Claire gave him a questioning look. "At boarding school. One gets it, you all do. Was in bed for two weeks" "I am not staying in bed for that long!" "I'm gonna make sure you stay in this bed until you're better, even if I have to chain you down, and don't think I wont" "Don't worry, I wont put anything past you anymore." "You know you love me" He put his arm around her and Claire had no energy to fight. She was finding it hard to keep her eyes open and when Alex looked down at the woman who had just cuddled up to him, she was fast asleep. Tess walked in and was about to say something, when Alex put his finger to his lips. She stood there and said quietly, "She really must be sick" Alex looked at her confused. "She'd never cuddle up to you like that otherwise" Alex pulled a sarcastic grin before trying to ease the sleeping Claire off of him and walked out. "I actually haven't had the flu" Tess told him. "Well I have so I'm all right to be around her. I'll go and see to the horses. You're best letting her get as much sleep as possible" He then left and for some reason, Tess got a strange feeling. She peeked a look into Claire's room and she was fast asleep with a huge smile on her face.
Claire hardly slept all night. Her fever hadn't gone down, yet she felt so cold and was coughing. She had to get up several times to get some water as her mouth was so dry and with only a couple of hours sleep, she managed to get up the next morning, determined not to let this thing get the better of her. She was watching Blaze as she lent forward against the fence, resting her head on her arms when Alex slowly crawled up behind her. He poked her sides and made her jump. "Hey!" He leaned forward against the fence like Claire was doing. He looked over at Claire and then back at the horse. "You sure you should be up, you look awful" She looked at him and he turned to face her. "Thanks" she said, trying to act hurt. He smiled and carried on looked back at the horse, as did Claire. She sneezed. "You still got a temperature?" He went to move his hand to her head, but she grabbed his hand before he got a chance to. "Go back to bed" he told her. "I've got work to do!" "You're not going to get any work done just standing here, now go to bed" "No!" "We don't need you" "Oh thanks, first of all I'm ugly, now I'm disposable, you really know how to treat a girl" "Hey, I know how to treat a girl. I can show you if you like" "Ah, so that's why you want me in bed" she said playfully, and Alex carried on. "Too right, now come on" he said, nodding his head to the house. "I don't think so Ryan," She said. "If that's the way you want to play it" he went to pick her up again but she moved backwards. "Oh no you don't. Despite the fact that I'm not needed, there is work I have to do" she walked off and Alex didn't follow as Tess was headed in his direction. "Hey" "Hey" "Is Claire ok?" He asked. "Because I think she's got more than a cold" "I told her to stay in bed but she won't listen to me. She was up most of the night. It's probably just a bad cold" "I hope so" "If you're that worried, get her to see the doctor" "I'm brave, but I'm not that brave" "If anyone can get her to do something its you" "I have my uses" He said, walking off smiling.
Claire was shivering as she tried to get the saddle from the barn. She tried to lift it, but she had no strength. She decided to do something else, but Alex had seen. "Come on, I'm getting you to bed" "No, now if you're not going to help, you can stop bugging me" "I love it when you play hard to get" "Is that what you tell all the girls?" "No, just the feisty stubborn ones who are difficult to get into bed" She frowned at him and rubbed her arms as she was cold. He put his arm around her and tried to walk her out of the barn. "You're boiling" She shook his arm off and headed back in. he followed and she turned to him. "Now if you're going to stick around, you can carry that out for me" "Is that an open invitation?" "Would you use it if I hadn't given it to you?" "You love me too much to turn me down" "Just get the damn saddle" "Go to bed" "No!" "I'll kiss you" "No" "Oh, I get it, you want me don't you, you want me to kiss you" "Oh yeah, because you're the man of my dreams, when you storm in here and start telling me what to do" "I will kiss you" "No you wont" He moved grabbed her arm and pulled her forward quickly while holding her tightly around the waist with the other and straight away kissed her deeply as her body was flush against his. So many thoughts were going through each others heads as the kiss got extremely passionate. When Alex pulled away he looked at her flushed face although he didn't know if it was from the kiss, or because of her fever. "Now, are you going to go to bed?" She wondered what he meant. Realising what he was implying, he added, "And I'll call the doctor" She pushed past him. "I don't need a doctor" "So you'll go to bed" "No, you kissed me, I can't believe you kissed me" "I said I would" "I didn't actually think you would" "You loved it" "I'd love it if you'd pass me the saddle" "Get it your self if you're feeling fine" "Fine!" she moved over and took hold of it with both hands. She was feeling extremely hot and dizzy but she lifted it up. She blinked trying to stop the blurred vision and stop everything spinning, but all went black instead. Alex only just caught her in his arms. He looked at her and kissed her on the forehead. 'At least on good thing came out of today' he thought to himself.
He carried her upstairs and into her room, before calling the doctor. He got a damp cloth and put it on her head as she was burning up. He'd taken her boots off and tried to make her comfortable. She soon started to come too and he smiled at her. She started to blink as her vision came into focus and she realised where she was. "What." she tried to sit up. "Stay put, you're not going anywhere" "What happened?" "I knew I was a good kisser and everything, but I've never made anyone faint before. You really liked it that much hey?" "What?" "You fainted" "I don't fait, and if I did, it wouldn't be because of some feeble kiss you gave me" "It wasn't feeble, it was pretty." He trailed off as the doctor called out. Alex went and got him and waited outside. Tess came up. "Who's Ute out back?" "Doctors" "Doctor?" "Claire fainted" "She fainted? Why didn't you tell me?" "I can look after you know" "You should have told me, is she all right?" "She's feisty enough" "Feisty?" "Never mind" Tess gave him a questioning look but soon forgot it. The doctor walked out. "She's got the flu basically. If you haven't had it, I suggest you stay away. She needs to stay in bed until she's better and she needs plenty of fluids and rest. I'll come back in a week to see how she is. Just make sure she stays in bed please" "We'll try" Tess said, not holding out much hope. The doctor left and Tess went to tell the others. Alex went in and sat on the bed next to Claire who was sitting up. She didn't look very happy and Alex, with a smug smile on his face crossed his arms. "What you so happy about?" She asked him giving him a curious look. "I knew I'd get you into bed one way or another. I'll have to remember a kiss for the next time" "Next time? This is all your fault you know. If you had got the saddle down for me I wouldn't be stuck in here" "Come off it, you got the flu, not an injury" "Are you sure you're ok to be here? The doctor said it's contagious" "Yes. Had it when I was a kid" Claire gave him a questioning look. "At boarding school. One gets it, you all do. Was in bed for two weeks" "I am not staying in bed for that long!" "I'm gonna make sure you stay in this bed until you're better, even if I have to chain you down, and don't think I wont" "Don't worry, I wont put anything past you anymore." "You know you love me" He put his arm around her and Claire had no energy to fight. She was finding it hard to keep her eyes open and when Alex looked down at the woman who had just cuddled up to him, she was fast asleep. Tess walked in and was about to say something, when Alex put his finger to his lips. She stood there and said quietly, "She really must be sick" Alex looked at her confused. "She'd never cuddle up to you like that otherwise" Alex pulled a sarcastic grin before trying to ease the sleeping Claire off of him and walked out. "I actually haven't had the flu" Tess told him. "Well I have so I'm all right to be around her. I'll go and see to the horses. You're best letting her get as much sleep as possible" He then left and for some reason, Tess got a strange feeling. She peeked a look into Claire's room and she was fast asleep with a huge smile on her face.