Unease tightened his gut. He didn't like this. What if she truly needed help?
"Breanna, if you don't answer, I'm coming after you."
Still nothing. He gave her another count of ten and then strode into the trees toward where she'd disappeared.
The copse provided little shade, not nearly enough to combat the day's heat. He turned on his heel, looking in all directions. She wasn't beneath the trees.
Then where had she gone?
He wandered out the other side, seeing only sky and grass and what seemed to be endless plain. No Breanna.
Except...
He took a step closer. Was that her boot, sticking out from behind a singular boulder rising from the ground?
It was. Why hadn't she answered him?
She must be lying down, if he couldn't see the top of her hat above the rock. Was she injured?
"Breanna—"
He couldn't stand it. It didn’t matter that she'd asked him to wait. He rounded the rock, praying he wasn’t about to intrude on a private moment. But if that were the case, then why hadn’t she answered?
What he found stopped him cold. She was on the ground, her body convulsing.
"Breanna!" He dropped to his knees at her side. He didn't know whether to reach for her or not.
He caught sight of the stick between her teeth. Like she'd known this attack was coming and had prepared as best she could.
The way her body was spasming, he was afraid to move her.
He took off his hat and shaded her face from the worst of the sun.
"It's all right. I'm here."
He smoothed back her hair from her forehead and saw the tracks left by her tears slipping down the sides of her face.
"It's all right," he repeated.
It's all right.
Breanna heard his words, but she wouldn't believe in them. How could she, when he'd seen her at her weakest?
She couldn't seem to stem the flow of tears that had started when he'd called out,If you don't answer, I'm coming after you.
She hated this sickness that caused her body not to be her own. Hated it.
The seizure slowly began to fade, and she was left with muscles worn weak from their ordeal. She closed her eyes. She couldn't bear to see whatever expression would be on Adam's face. She turned her head and let the stick fall from her lips.
Even her jaw ached as she closed her lips. She left her head turned. She couldn't bear to look at him.
She felt a tickle at her wrist, and then his hand clasped hers, his hold warm and tender.
More tears seeped from her closed eyes.
"Am I meant to be scared off now?" he asked quietly.
She felt him shift beside her, felt him looming above her.
