Read Byron-4 for Free Online

from the man sitting next to her. Taylor wanted to strip off all her clothes and go out and dive into the nearest snow bank.

    “Go ahead, Ta. Byr is a very good dancer. You know you love to dance.” She turned to glare at Jamie, but he was playing with little Meggie and the little boys of Nick’s and Morgan’s, and didn’t notice her dismay.
    Byron stood and put out his hand. She could either cause a scene and refuse it, or she could just accept it and dance a small dance with him. To be honest, she did love to dance and would have loved to get out on the floor, but she wasn’t sure that she could stand up for that long.
    Standing, she staggered slightly. The room spun around quickly, but righted once, she put her hand in his. Taylor almost missed grabbing the back of her chair because she wasn’t sure which one to pick as three swam in and out of focus for a second or two.
    Before she knew it, she was on the dance floor with Byron’s arms around her waist holding her up.

    ~CHAPTER 4~
    “I don’t feel so well,” Taylor whimpered as she leaned against him. Byron had to agree that she didn’t look so well either. He put his arms around her and pulled her tight against him so that he could whisper in her ear.
    “Are you pregnant, Taylor?” Her body stiffened at his question and she stamped hard onto his foot. When she didn’t apologize, he knew for sure that she did it on purpose. He continued with his queries. “I’ll take that as a no. What’s wrong? You’re a green as that tree over there and about as sweaty as a man baling hay in deep July.”
    “You are such a charmer aren’t you, dick head? I bet women just fall at your feet when you compare them to trees and sweaty men. It’s a small wonder that you’re not married.” He smiled. There wasn’t anything wrong with her wit. His concern shifted when she swayed in his arms and fell against him.
    “Taylor!” And in the next instance, she went limp in his arms.
    Looking at his table where his family was, he nodded to O’Malley and headed to the bathrooms. He wanted to get her out of the room and somewhere he could lay her down. He laid his cheek against her forehead and was amazed at the heat he felt there.
    Christ, she was burning up.
    Cait, right on his heels, followed him into the ladies room and moved two chairs together to lay Taylor across. Thankfully, there was no one in the room and he knelt down beside her.
    “I’ll get Damon. Wet a few cloths and put them over her forehead. Damn it, I knew there was something wrong the moment she sat down. I’ll be right back.” Suddenly, he was alone with her.
    He wanted to cuddle her in his arms and hold her and was amazed at the notion.
    He was neither a cuddlier nor did she strike him as one. He smiled when he thought about how she would tear a strip off his hide in a heartbeat if he were to even suggest such a thing. Byron’s mother and Damon rushed in a minute or two later.
    “What’s wrong? Christ, she’s burning up. Byron, go get my bag from the coat area and I’ll examine her.”
    “No. I’m not leaving her. I’ll have Jamie get it, but I’m staying.” He didn’t look at his mother’s face, but he felt her gaze. Byron didn’t know himself why he needed to stay with her.
    Taylor’s eyes suddenly popped open. Byron let go of the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. She looked right at him and whimpered.
    “Taylor, you have a high grade fever. Can you tell me what else is wrong? Have you been throwing up, chilled? Have you eaten anything today?” Damon asked her as he checked her pulse. He shook his head at Byron when he started to ask. That couldn’t be good.
    “I’m fine. Really, let me up. I don’t know what came over me. I guess it was all the excitement of the day.”
    “Taylor, this is not excitement. You have a fever. I’m thinking some sort of infection is running throughout your system and I can’t treat it if I don’t know what it’s from,” Damon said to