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My mom’s face popped from around the dining table as the room became completely silent. “Help her,” I begged, clutching tightly to Tenley.
“To the fireplace,” My mom instructed, ushering me over to the roaring flames, and I crashed in front of the mantle. “Don’t let her go. You’re the warmest thing.” She faced the room as whispers floated to my ears. “Everyone upstairs. Now!”
Keaton quickly explained what had happened, loudly, as they slowly filtered out of the main room. Several gasps and murmured questions disappeared with the crowd before silence filled the emptiness around me. I couldn’t stop staring at Tenley who was still shaking violently in my arms.
She had to be okay. She had to be.
“My baby,” Rosemary cried out, falling beside me, and reached for Tenley. She wrapped her arms around Tenley and tried to pull her from my grasp. But I held on tighter.
“Give her to me,” she barked at me. I remained still, holding Tenley close as her shivering began to slow and her heart started to race. It was pushing blood through her body, trying to warm her up.
“Give me my daughter!” she shrieked, but I refused to.
Cassidy’s voice sounded softly near Rosemary, off to my side. “She's the warmest in his arms. Now, come on. Let him—”
“He took her clothes off. He doesn’t have clothes on. That’s so—”
“Warm. Skin to skin contact is the quickest and best way to warm someone up,” Cassidy said, attempting to reassure her again.
“I don’t care,” Rosemary said as a blanket fell over my shoulders and Tenley, cocooning her in.
“I do,” I snarled, finally breaking my silence and Rosemary immediately hushed. “If you want her to live, you’ll back off.” She hesitated for a moment, and then slowly stepped away with Cassidy.
And that is where I stayed. In front of that fireplace, holding Tenley and praying that she would wake up soon, as the frost gently began to melt from the most beautiful eyelashes I’d ever seen. Her cheeks slowly becoming that rosy pink I so adored.
Chapter 21
**TENLEY**
My skin burned. Something blistering hot had encircled me as I blinked, trying to shift in the tomb that was so warm. Scorching hot, but oddly comforting. Painful, but consoling. I was beginning to feel my toes again, even my fingertips were coming back into feeling with excruciating needle pricks.
I fluttered my eyelids, trying to remember what had happened. Trying to figure out where I was. Aching, I cracked them open to find myself staring at a bare chest with dark hair upon it. Strong muscles embraced me tightly, holding me close against a warm body that was familiar. Smelled soothing, like the forest.
Weston. It had to be.
Agonizingly slowly, I turned my head so I could see the face of whomever was holding me tightly. And I found those blue eyes watching me, the very image that had been the last thing I’d seen before being swallowed whole. His shoulders sagged in relief as he moved a hand towards my face and brushed back some hair that was damp.
Neither of us had to speak as I knew he’d been the one to save me again. He was the reason I was still alive.
“Ice skating was fun,” I hoarsely choked out, finally breaking the silence that was bouncing around us.
He chuckled, a tender crooked grin spreading across his lips. I tucked my face against his bare chest once more as he sat back a little farther. Tension and worry fled from his body as he brushed a thumb back and forth across my cheek.
“People told me that muscles are uncomfortable to cuddle with.” I coughed, rocking my head to meet Weston’s curious gaze again. “They were wrong.”
He shook his head and winked. “What do they think? That we are going to flex the entire time?”
It was my turn to giggle. “I guess.”
Our small, hushed, private conversation was interrupted by my mom’s face who appeared above Weston’s shoulders. The blankets that cocooned around both of us were beginning to cause me to sweat, which came as a welcome new sensation.
“Tenley!” she cried out.
“I’m okay, Mom.” I replied and glanced at the man who was tenderly holding me. “Thanks to Weston.”
“And he will put you down.” My father’s voice rose from across the room, causing Weston to stiffen. “Immediately.”
Weston furrowed his brows, confused. It mirrored my own befuddlement. Slowly, he released me from his arms, carefully keeping the blankets wrapped modestly around my shoulders so I could at least spin and face my dad who was in a recliner. He was watching Weston and I with pain in his eyes. There was no one else with me in this room besides my parents, Nancy, and the man who had saved my life.
