Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 66962 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66962 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
I couldn’t help but smile when Carlo had to stand on a chair to get the gun.
He turned and glared at me. “Stop making fun of me.”
“I’m appreciating you. I like watching you.”
“You like watching me struggle because I’m short.”
“You’re compact. That can come in handy.” The grin he flashed me made my heart flutter, and that scared the shit out of me.
I was ready to collapse by the time I finished checking around outside the cabin, and I was sure my fever was going up again. I was pushing myself too hard, but doing any less to keep Carlo safe wasn’t an option.
I had to stop when I entered the cabin. I leaned against the door as I locked it, and Carlo rushed over to me. “You should have let me go out there.”
“You don’t know what to look for.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Are you telling me you have experience tracking men in the woods?”
“No, but you could teach me.”
“I will, but this needs to be done immediately.” Carlo was staring at me wide-eyed, and I realized what I’d said. The words had just come out, but I meant them. I was willing to teach him anything I could that would keep him safe, and I would keep doing it for as long as he would stay.
“You really want to teach me?”
“Maybe we can make a trade. You could tell me the recipe for your nonna’s remedy in exchange for skills to survive out here.”
“I’m not sure if I…”
I realized how that sounded. “I don’t expect you to stay, but survival skills are always valuable.”
“No. It’s not that. I mean…”
“Let’s not talk about it now. I need to lie down.”
Carlo reached for my arm. “Let me help you.”
I could have made it to the couch without help, but I let him lead me there anyway. I liked having his arms around me, and I didn’t want to waste anymore opportunities to be with him.
20
CARLO
Grant called Blade a few hours after Blade collapsed on the couch and fell asleep. He jerked awake and reached for his phone. I could barely hear Grant’s scratchy voice. He had to take a break to cough, but eventually he got the point across that they hadn’t found anyone on their perimeter check, and his best guess was that the man who’d been seen was a scout sent to confirm I was here and to check out the terrain.
I was sure he’d seen me. Why had Blade and I been so bold out in the open? Why had I dismissed him hearing something?
Blade shook his head, but I wasn’t sure what he was trying to say.
“What?” I asked when he ended the call.
“This isn’t your fault.”
“How did you know what I was thinking?”
He shrugged. “I just did. Come here.”
He held out his arm, and I settled against him. His skin was cool now. I wondered if his fever was gone, but I didn’t want to get up to check, so I laid there with him. We watched Fast and Furious and laughed at all the ridiculous stunts.
I tucked Blade into bed early. He was still running a low fever, but his eyes were brighter, and he was talking more. Maybe another night of rest would be all he needed to be fever free.
“Do you want me to sleep on the couch?” I asked, keeping my fingers crossed he’d say no.
He shook his head. “No. Here.” The words were mumbled. He was already nearly asleep.
It took me forever to fall asleep next to him. I kept watching him, wishing I could reach out and trace the lines of his muscles. I felt the heat of his body no matter how far away from him I moved. I considered sleeping on the floor so I’d be close to him but not so close my cock refused to go to sleep. Finally, I synced my breathing with his, laid a hand on his back, and drifted off.
He didn’t dream that night, at least not anything intense enough to disturb his sleep. He also didn’t wake himself coughing. These were all good signs.
When I woke, he was watching me. “Hi.”
“Hi.”
“Have you been awake long?” I asked.
“Not too long.”
“You could have woken me up if you needed something.”
“I was enjoying just watching you.”
“Yeah?”
He nodded, and I reached out to feel his forehead. “I think your fever might be gone. Are you hungry?”
He seemed to consider that for a moment. “I am. I’m starving actually.”
I scrambled some of the eggs Jacob had brought over and cut us each a piece of the coffee cake he’d made.
Blade didn’t clean his plate, but he ate well, which was encouraging.
While I cleaned up from breakfast, Blade sat at the table and talked to me. That was about the longest he had been up since I’d found him half delirious on the couch.