Ill Take Forever

sleep.
    His headache was growing worse, a lingering result of the concussion. And probably exacerbated by the jarring of his lunging up the stairs. His ribs now felt like a fiery band encircling his body and breathing became more difficult. Each impact when he forced himself up another step sent shafts of pain everywhere.
    "Are you the nanny?" he asked using the question as an excuse to hold off on a moment on taking another step.
    She tilted her head observing him and Jared felt his interest notch up another click. It wasn't enough that the outside temperature hovered in the high eighties, his own skin seemed to ignite from within. A fever? He drew in another ragged breath.
    Feeling suddenly as gauche as a teenager, he stared up at her, unable to look away—imagining her silky hair tangled in his hands, her tempting lips rosy from his kiss. Maybe that concussion had been more serious that he thought!
    "I'm the temporary nanny." Glancing at the fading bruises on his face, at the plaster that covered his foot and leg to his knee, she looked worried. “Looks like you need a nurse.”
    "I don’t need anyone. You’re here for the baby," he said impatiently, gesturing behind him.
    For the first time, the woman looked beyond him and noticed the cab driver standing at the foot of the stairs. The bundle he carried awkwardly was an infant in a baby carrier—the sole reason for her presence in New Orleans.
    "I'm Jenny Stratford. I'm not a professional nanny, but I know how to take care of babies. Your sister hired me," she said, looking back at him.
    "I assumed as much, since you obviously have the key to my apartment," Jared said. An apartment still ten steps away.
    He could do that. He'd survived worse. He could make ten more steps. He wouldn’t even let himself dwell on the steps inside his two-story home. Once he reached the living room, he could collapse on the sofa.
    "Can I help?" Jenny asked, apparently intent on ignoring his bad attitude.
    Jared rested against the crutches and stared up at her. Unable to resist, he again let his gaze travel again from the pale champagne-blond hair down the slim body. She wore a skimpy sleeveless shirt and those blasted shorts. He wished he could come up with some ideas about how she might help, but he outweighed her by maybe seventy or eighty pounds, and he hadn’t a clue how she could possibly get him up the stairs.
    Shaking his head, he gripped the crutches tighter. "Just what do you propose?"
    She shrugged, a slow smiled starting. "Nothing, I guess. You're almost at the top," she offered encouragingly.
    "I can see that." Again he positioned the crutches and hopped up another step. Again the impact slammed through him with the force of an explosion.
    Not quite. He'd never forget the effects of a true explosion. Or the results.
    "Oh dear," Mrs. Giraux said, watching him with worry in her eyes. Hovering at the top of the stairs, she looked as if she also wanted to help. She was even smaller than Jenny Stratford. For a moment he imagined them both reaching for him, knocking him off balance and all three tumbling to the bottom. If that ever happened, he’d give up and spend the night there.
    "Mrs. G., I'm sure Mr. Montgomery will make it fine. Thanks for letting me know he was here. I'll get him and the baby settled and see you in the morning." Jenny patted the elderly woman on the shoulder and gently turned her toward her door.
    Jared said nothing but appreciated the younger woman's actions in getting rid of his neighbor. At least that made one fewer spectator watching him struggle up the stairs. It’d be too much to hope that Jenny Stratford would also disappear—until he reached the landing.
    He didn't care if it was sheer masculine pride, but he hated her seeing him struggle. Would hate any woman to watch. But something about her...
    Another two minutes and he was down to three remaining steps.
    "I drove down this afternoon, but I didn't expect you before tomorrow," she said, stepping back to the doorway to clear the landing.
    "I sent Patti a cable." Another jump and he'd be there. Level surfaces he could manage. But there was no way he'd be able to climb the stairs inside his apartment. Not tonight. Why he had to have a two-story apartment with no elevator was beyond him. Of course normally he loved it when he was home. Now the mere thought of climbing another seventeen steps was more than he could cope with.
    He'd crash on the sofa tonight and worry about getting up to