Baited by Love novel · Chapter 9 of 24

Chapter 9: It's Fine

Otto was waiting in the hall of Harlow Hall in his socks, holding a meat thermometer.

"I couldn't find the normal one," he said. "This one says he's between rare and medium rare."

"That is not a number," I said.

"It's a vibe."

Inside, the room was dark except for the lamp on Lars's desk.

He was in bed with his glasses on, propped against the wall.

A chemistry textbook lay open on his knees and a blanket hung around his shoulders.

His face was pale and his eyes were very bright.

"Go home," he said.

"No."

"I'm fine."

"You're reading the same page you were reading at four."

"That's not a symptom. That's thoroughness."

I crossed the room and put the back of my hand against his forehead.

I should have asked first.

I had checked a dozen handsome foreheads in my life, for good reasons, and it had never felt like this.

His skin was hot enough to feel through my wrist.

He went very still.

"You have a fever," I said.

"I have a mild one."

"It's a hundred and two, or a medium rare."

"Otto, I'm going to kill you," said Lars, to the ceiling.

Otto had already backed toward the door.

"I'm going to the pharmacy," he said. "It closes in twenty minutes. I will be gone a long time. I will walk slowly."

"The pharmacy is across the hall," Lars said.

Keep reading free with an account. Start Baited by Love from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.