6

                                Stowaway

                               chapter six

                      Aiden's point of view 

I frown as Noah, shuts the door behind him; shaking my head, I have no idea why he called me baby, I look down at the beautiful blonde woman in my arms as I hold the glass of water to her lips.

I whisper to her,

"Come on sweetheart I need you to swallow the pills we need to get your temperature down, If you can't swallow them then we will have to get the lifeguards to take you off the boat and to the nearest hospital, do you understand me?"

She nods her head weakly as her beautiful blue eyes flutter open, she manages to take a gulp of water and swallow the pills.

"Good girl," I say.

"fuck"

I mutter as I realise she's still wearing the wet t-shirt, trying my hardest not to look at her luscious breasts as the thin material clings to her skin.

I find one of Noah's clean shirts, even though I much prefer her wearing mine, I need to get her dry. I try my hardest not to look at her as I take the wet shirt off her body, turning my head as I dry her with a towel before pulling the dry shirt back down. 

Damn, the woman, has a body a man could get lost in for days, there's no way im going to let my brothers see her naked I think to myself as I pull the shirt down to her knees. I then find myself sat in a chair next to the bed, holding her hand.

Leaving me thinking what is this holding hands about I've never felt the need to hold a woman's hand before?

It's just because she ill I tell myself after all shes Austin Rutherfords Fiancee, the gold digger I try to remind myself as I keep hold of her hand my thumb absently running circles over her palm.

Half an hour later and Noah comes back in the room, looking down with a smirk at our hands. He puts the medical kit down on the bed before saying.

"Let's see if this temperature's gone down."

As he places the thermometer in her mouth.

"Thirty-eight, Its stayed down to what it was before, that's good, your baby's going to be fine Aiden."

He laughs as I say,

"what the fuck are you on about"

He turns to look at me with a cheesy grin as he says,

"You called her baby when you were trying yo get her to take the paracetamol."

I frown

"no, I never."

Noah chuckles as he says

"yes you did bro"

I let go of her hand with a sigh as I say

"Well it's not like anything going to happen, is it Noah? shes engaged to Austin Rutherford she's probably just some money-grabbing gold digger" Austin placed his hand on my shoulder as he looks down at her he says.

"Don't be so harsh Aiden she must have been pretty desperate to jump off a boat out in the bay in the middle of the night, Shes bloody lucky she survived."

"Yes, I suppose."

I reply while absently retaking hold of her hand, Noah just shakes his head as he asks me.

" you changed her shirt." 

"Well, I wasn't going to let any of you see her naked."

This earns me a loud laugh off my oldest brother as he says, 

"What about you seeing her naked, I lie.

"I kept my eyes shut."

He laughs louder as he says

"I'm sure you did brother."

He leaves a bottle of fresh water on the side as he makes his way to the door, shouting behind him.

"Make sure she keeps drinking even if you have to wake her."

I don't reply; I'm to busy looking at the beauty lay on the bed and thinking about what Noah just said, why would anyone jump off a boat in the ocean. All my year's training as a Navy seal even I wouldn't attempt something so reckless without the proper equipment, without a wet suit hypothermia would set in pretty quickly.

I sit her up as I try to get a little bit of water in her, she mumbles something that I can't understand as she drinks, then I gently lower her back onto the pillows leaving the cabin door open as I make my way onto the deck, Noah looks up as he sees me coming.

" Did you manage to get her to drink?"

I reply.

"Yes, a little."

I look out to the vast blue ocean at the sunset in the evening sky, deep in thought, Noah looks at me as he says.

"What on your mind,".

I reply

"She should be dead, why would she do that?"

He passes me a beer as he says, 

"I'm sure we will find out soon enough brother, here get that down your neck you look like you need it."

We both sit on the deck, watching the sunset drinking the ice-cold beer.

Soon after Carter and Jack join us, its good to be out in the open with my brothers, it's so rare we all get the time off together these days.

Not long after Carter gets to his feet, saying 

"I'm going to warm mums curry up."

He then heads off to the kitchen as Jack says,

" I'm sure Mum thinks we cant look after ourselves."

Noah says with a grin.

"I'm not complaining I miss mums cooking."

As night begins to fall, we head inside to the large pan of curry Mum provided for us, none of us leaving any.

I sit back full, looking at my watch

"I'd better get some paracetamol and water into our guest."

Jack stands up and says.

"I'll do it, bro."

"No"

I shout out a little louder than I needed to, making Noah chuckle as I stand up and say.

'I'll do it."

Grumbling as I head into the master bedroom, no nobody goes near my girl.

I manage to get her in a sitting position; her eyes flutter open, she jumps back a little in fear when she sees me.

"Its okay nobody's going to hurt you here; I promise your safe here."

She moved her head before she starts coughing. I hold the water to lips.

"Here drink this."

I say quietly she manages to drink most of the cup I then show her the two paracetamol before I place them in her mouth,

"Just paracetamol, you have a fever, and we need to keep it down. She nods at me again I hold her up shes doesn't even have the strength to hold her head up she whispers her voice dry and croaky"

Where's Austin" 

I hate that she says his name as I answer her

"You mean your fiance."

I notice her Shudder as I call him that, that's not the reaction of a loving fiancee or that of a gold digger. So I ask her.

"What's going on sweetie, why were you so desperate to get off that boat?"

But it falls on deaf ears as she struggles to keep awake, I gently lay her down on the pillows listening to her soft breathing.

I guess I'm going to have to wait a little while longer before I get any answers.

I don't know what this girl has been through, but im sure going to get to the bottom of it and if I find out that asshole Austin Rutherford or his arrogant father have laid one finger on her I swear I will kill them both with my bare hands.

The door opens slightly as Noah pops his head in, 

"Im going to bed bro, you need anything?" 

He asks as he picks his kit bag up. 

I reply,

"No im good im just going to stay here for a little while in case she wakes up."

He nods his head but doesn't say anything as he gives me his yeah whatever you say look.

I look down at my sleeping beauty, her hair falling around her like an Angel. As I whisper

"I won't let anyone hurt you, baby."

Im so fucked, I can't even let go of her hand!

I pull the chair back up to the side of the bed before taking hold of her hand again, feeling my eyes getting heavy, I think to myself I'll just stay here for a little while, just in case she wakes up.

She might need me!

I fall asleep with a smile on my face. I've never wanted to be needed before.

 I want you to need me like the air you breathe, I want you to hold me in your loving arms, I want you to need me like I need you!