“We’re almost out, Leo, hold on.” Her face was twisted with worry, and she clutched his hands tighter.
A fiery sensation licked his toes, but his mind was far, far away, still diving deeper, his sister forever just out of reach.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Leo was surroundedby a suffocating warmth.
It’s so damn hot.
A series of coughs racked him as he thrashed, desperate to feel the cool air on his skin.
“More cool water. Open those windows. Where is the doctor?” Saffron’s fear-ridden voice carried as she barked commands.
He closed his eyes. His face was so hot, and his right leg throbbed. He kicked the blankets away, but someone held him and wrapped him up again. He moaned, then coughed until his throat was raw.
“Rest, Leo. It’s not over yet.”
A small hand slipped into his and squeezed. He pulled all the comfort he could from the gesture and did his best to avoid fighting the people who were trying to save his life.
A cool cloth touched his temple. It felt so good against his skin that he moaned.
“I’m here,” Saffron said. She swept his hair away from his forehead. He leaned into her touch, a distraction from pain. As if sensing his need, she ran her fingers through his hair, again and again. At the same time, she kept talking to him, soft words that he clung to without any real understanding.
“You might not have made it if it weren’t for Angelica and Mr. Mayweather following you. My sister was so angry with me.”
“Angelica is still determined to marry the Duke of Canterbury, against my advice.” A deep sigh. “She won’t listen to me. I told Mr. Mayweather to show her how he feels. Maybe he will be able to get through to her.”
Silence, then, for a long time, although Saffron’s hand continued to caress his head.
Later, the embers burning around him transformed into a cold so intense that his teeth chattered, and his fingers prickled. He curled his legs to his body and burrowed deeper into the nest of blankets.
“Leo?”
Footfalls approached, then the bed dipped.
“How are you?” Warm fingers touched his cheek, then she gasped. “You’re freezing!”
She tugged at the blankets. “Leo, please, let me check your leg.”
Grudgingly, he relaxed his grip and let her peel the blankets away from his lower body. When she was done poking and prodding him, she covered him up and then vanished. He strained to hear her voice, wished he could shout for her to come back. She could do whatever she wanted to his leg, if only she stayed. Her touch, her voice, chased away some of the pain.
After what seemed like hours, she returned. This time, he didn’t wait for her to make up her mind. He shot his arm through the blankets and grabbed her hand.
“Stay,” he croaked.
More sniffling. Then he felt her lie beside him on the bed, above the covers. He wanted more, longed to have her sweet warmth pressed against his frozen flesh.
“Leo?” she whispered.
He forced away the fog of pain to focus on her voice. “Yes?”
She peeled away the blankets around his head. He was glad to see her, even if her eyes were puffy, her cheeks flushed. Shetouched their noses together once, gently. The tenderness in her eyes made his heart throb.
He inched his head close enough to press a gentle kiss to her lips, then pulled back. “If I don’t survive this, know that I love you.”
She smiled, even as tears dripped down her nose to dampen the sheets. “I love you too. And you will survive. I won’t let you die.”
“Get under the covers.”
