Jack frowned. He pulled up his cuff and turned his arm over to reveal fingernail imprints on his forearm, several of them had torn the skin. ‘It’s a scratch.’
Ruth caught his gaze, her heart thudding with fear as she thought of Darren and how quickly he had turned. ‘A scratch from Mike.’
Chapter 13
Inside the cells of the landship, Ruth put a drip in Mike’s arm, watching the unconscious man as sweat beaded on his body and dribbled down his face. She’d already jabbed Jack with the antiviral and cleaned his wound. Jack sat in the corner of the cell watching, his face set in a grim mask. He wasn’t a man to show fear.
Anxiety filled Ruth making her mouth dry and her stomach queasy. All her professional persona she’d developed as a doctor left her when it came to Jack. Like Vassar, she couldn’t bear the horror of watching him suffer and change. She’d lose it. She cared about him. Couldn’t imagine surviving on the base without him by her side.
She busied herself with trying to get Mike’s temperature down by placing an icepack on his pulse points. Why had Mike’s condition gone backward? Was the virus hiding in an organ somewhere in his body and flooding his bloodstream? She examined Mike’s eyes again trying to find any evidence of broken capillaries. Nothing. She took his pulse and blood pressure. Both slightly elevated but not enough to signal a turn. If Mike hadn’t turned yet, did that decrease Jack’s chances of getting infected? She wasn’t sure. There hadn’t been enough time to read all the research or what there was of it when she’d had access to the Net.
Mike groaned.
Jack stood and strode over. ‘Careful, Ruth, not too close.’
‘He’s still with us. I know every pain groan there is. Trust me. Besides, I just checked his eyes.’
Mike stirred, his head moving from side to side. His eyelids opened and he looked around him before focusing on Ruth. ‘I’m not dead.’
‘Unless meeting us is your idea of heaven,’ Jack said with a smile. ‘Welcome back, mate.’
Ruth sat on the chair next to Mike, wiping away his perspiration. Only Jack could keep his head enough to still find humour with Mike when most would have put a gun to their own. ‘You’re still here. You had a fit in the Mess hall. Vassar thought you were turning.’
‘Yeah, I remember that much.’ Mike closed his eyes and his lips curved down. ‘And here I am in the cells, strapped to a bed.’
Jack patted Mike’s shoulder. ‘Just until we can be sure you’re not going to turn. We have to keep the others safe.’
‘Mike, I’m going to take more blood and send it down to Lea to examine. I need to see what’s going on inside.’ Ruth turned to Jack. ‘I need some from you too, Jack.’
‘Surely it won’t show up so early?’ Jack said.
‘This one floods the system. That’s why people turn so quickly. Some people in hospital turned after an hour. Other people with strong immune systems like Mike put up a fight, but we could still see the virus in their blood.’ Oh, Jack, please don’t catch this. Ruth took blood from both men. Something made her pick up Mike’s hand and examine his fingernails. They were trimmed and clean. ‘Mike, your fingernails look like you’ve had a manicure.’
Mike’s eyes flickered open. ‘Vassar told me I stank so I took a shower. Washed my hair. Shaved for dinner too. Cut my nails. Didn’t know when I’d get a chance to shower again. Gets hot in here when the roller door’s closed.’
A slight thrum of elation resonated in Ruth’s chest. Mike hadn’t turned and his nails were clean. Darren had turned because a rotting braindead had scratched him and passed on the virus. ‘I’m going to deliver these bloods to Lea, plus I need to head to the hospital and check on my patients but I’ll be back tomorrow morning. Jack ordered you cuffed to the bed but I can release you and just lock your cell door.’
‘Thanks, Ruth. Might want to sit up later. Just now all I want to do is sleep. Massive headache.’
‘I’ll give you something for it.’ Ruth undid the rest of the cuffs setting him free and dug some strong painkillers out of her medical bag for him. She watched as Mike took the medicine and the glass of water she offered him and swallowed the tablets. Mike was still fighting the virus. Surely Jack had a chance?
Hope. She had to hang on to it because she couldn’t imagine her life on the base without Jack in it. The thought was crazy because they hardly knew each other, but she wanted more. Needed more. She was going to do everything in her power to make sure she had it.
***
Jack looked at his watch again. How long did he have until he turned? It was an unpredictable virus. He’d seen one man turn within an hour. Most had eight hours of consciousness, got time to say goodbye, if they were lucky. No one lasted longer than three days. He wouldn’t put Ruth at risk.
Jack pulled into his driveway. ‘Ruth, I want you to pack your things. Throw them in a bag and I’ll drive you back to the main base. It’ll be safe for you there.’
‘No.’
Damn it. He knew this was going to be hard. ‘This is not the time to be obstinate. Let’s not end this on a fight.’ He turned to her seeing the determination in her eyes and the firm set of her chin. Why’d he have to fall for a stubborn redhead?
Ruth opened the door, got out and strode up the pathway to the front door with him hot on her heels. ‘We’re not ending. I’m not leaving you. You need me more than you ever have.’
Jack opened up the house so she could go through. He really wasn’t in the mood to carry her kicking and screaming over his shoulder down to the main base. Instead, he followed her into the bedroom watching as she kicked off her shoes and wriggled out of her dress. She was wearing see-through black underwear and a matching bra that defined her breasts. He felt his cock stir, though he tried to ignore it. He couldn’t afford the distraction right now. What he needed was Ruth safe. ‘Let’s not argue about this. The base can’t do without a doctor. Get packing.’
Ruth slid out of her underwear, flipped back the doona cover and top sheet, climbed onto the bed and grabbed hold of a handcuff. ‘Your turn to be restrained.’
Holy hell, she knew how to manipulate him.
Damn it, he was hard at just the thought.
Ruth gathered her breasts in each of her hands and pushed them upwards. ‘Come on, Jack. I’m waiting to play.’
‘This isn’t a game. I don’t know how long I’ve got.’
‘When you thought I might turn you were only too happy to restrain me. Care to have a taste of your own medicine?’
‘Ruth, I’ve been scratched.’
‘While you’re talking you’re safe. With both hands cuffed you’re not going anywhere.’
Her red hair fell over her shoulder in curls, contrasting against her creamy skin. He knew how good it felt to be inside her hot, lithe body. He felt well, more than well. The only fever he had was in his cock, which was burning. ‘You win,’ he growled.
‘Knew I would,’ she crowed.
He ripped off his clothes leaving them in a pile on the floor and lay on the bed, arms outstretched. When Ruth straddled him and clicked the cuffs into place, he’d never seen anything so sexy. Her pussy was gleaming pink inside and he longed to slide his tongue into her. ‘Climb on my face.’
‘It’s Dr Ruth to you and you’re the patient so you don’t get to direct treatment.’
‘Is that right? So just how do you plan to make me feel better?’
Ruth just smiled, rose to her knees, positioned herself above him and took hold of his cock. She slid slowly onto him squeezing and loosening her muscles so that she sheathed him.
‘We both know this could be goodbye so I’m going to go out on a limb and say, I could fall in love with you, Jack.’
He could see it in her eyes, feel it in the way she moved over him, taking everything he had to give. ‘I think I loved you the moment I saw you. Hell maybe it’s just lust. I don’t know. I just want to be with you. I knew you’d fight me every step of the way.’
‘Take this as surr
ender. My style.’ She planted her hands on his chest, pinched his nipples and moved over him, sliding up and down until his balls tightened and the intensity grew.
She was his, every part of her, her mind, her body, her soul. If he survived the scratch, he wouldn’t make the mistake of neglecting her like he did with his wife. No. He’d do everything to love, protect and keep her happy.
He adored her.
Jack stared at Ruth through half-lidded eyes, as she writhed over him, gasping and moaning. Her face was flushed and her red hair swung from side to side. He rolled his hips thrusting up into her until his movements became jerky. ‘Ruth, I can’t hold back.’
She arched her back and moaned, gripping him, milking him so that he lost it, joining her, the intensity exploding in his balls, his cock, his brain.
Afterwards she lay over him, her breath fanning his neck. More than anything, he wanted to live. Ruth was everything he wanted in life.
Sometime later his doorbell rang. Jack jerked awake wondering what time it was but unable to see his watch with his wrists cuffed.
‘Stay there, I’ll get it.’ Ruth took his key and threw on a gown. She walked down the hallway, switched on the hall light and answered the door.
He heard a squeal, which he attributed to Lea. Hell, was that her running down the hallway? He looked down. He was naked and semi-erect again.
Lea burst into the room, hotly followed by Ruth and Armstrong. ‘Jack, you’re clear. I did the bloods straight away. Mike’s clear too. I have no idea why he had that fit.’ She stopped and put her hand to her mouth.’ Are you cuffed?’
‘It was all Ruth’s idea in case I turned. Jeez, Ruth, can you at least pull the sheet up? Lea looks like she’s going to faint.’
‘Impressive display, Captain,’ Armstrong said, saluting before bursting into laughter.
‘Ruth! Some privacy would be nice,’ Jack said.
Lea turned to Ruth. ‘Sue said you were kinky. I didn’t believe her.’
Ruth smiled as her gaze moved over him. ‘Things aren’t the same now, are they, Lea? We need a big, hot man to look after us. Besides, Jack started this but I know just how I’m going to end it.’
Thanks for reading Base. I hope you enjoyed it.
If you’d like to know more about me, my books, or to connect with me online, you can visit my webpage cathleenross.com, follow me on Twitter @cathleenross, or like my Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/cathleen.ross.3?ref=ts
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If you liked this book, here are my other books Love, Lust and Lies, Ruby’s Fantasy and Secret Confessions Sydney Housewives—Nella.
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ISBN: 9780857992802
Title: Base
Copyright © 2015 by Cathleen Ross
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