Anger rushed down the line, and suddenly her eyes snapped open. “Don’t talk about people inserting anything into you.”
“Whoa.” Lizzy breathed as the light in the room blinded her. She blinked several times and turned her head from side to side to make sure she was alone. Then she pushed herself up into a sitting position. Lizzy lifted her hand and rubbed her head, trying to remember the last thing that happened before she blacked out.
“Alice came to see you,” Finn offered. “She told you Cain wouldn’t allow us to see one another.”
“Asswipe,” Lizzy muttered, then brushed the hair from her face. She licked her lips and then cringed. “I need to brush my teeth in the worst way. I mean, like, did they feed me roadkill while I was out of it? And holy crap, why did I fall asleep in my bra? Do you have any idea how uncomfortable that is? It leaves these indentions in my skin that itch and hurt at the same time.”
“You know I can hear you, right?” Finn asked carefully.
“As if I could forget that you’re always present in my head. I can feel you pushing energy into me like a freaking vitamin B drip straight into my veins.” She sighed and then lifted her hands above her head and stretched. Bones popped and cartilage groaned as she manipulated her body this way and that, trying to work out the tightness. Being asleep for two days will apparently make even a nineteen-year-old stiff. Her stomach growled. “And hungry,” she muttered. Her eyes landed on a tray bearing food, which sat on a small table by the door. Lizzy slid to the edge of the bed, stood up, then stumbled when her legs folded like a towel dropped on the bathroom floor. She reached out and grabbed the bed, barely keeping herself upright.
“You’re as wobbly as a newborn cub.” Lizzy felt more of Finn’s energy flow into her.
“Hmm,” she murmured. “Thank you. I really want to see if that food is edible, and I don’t think I can walk those ten steps without a little help from you, wolf.”
“I’ve always got you.”
Lizzy smiled and took a step. When she didn’t crumble, she took another and then another until she reached the table. She pressed her hand to the bread of the sandwich. It didn’t look moldy or feel hard, so perhaps it wasn’t two days old. The cheese on the sandwich was still cold. That was a good sign, right? Lizzy picked it up and crammed it into her mouth. She was thankful that Finn could not see her. Lizzy was sure she looked more like a famished wolf taking down a deer than a starving girl devouring a sandwich. But maybe that wouldn’t bother him. He was a wolf himself, after all.
“It wouldn’t bother me one bit. You don’t need to be embarrassed to eat in front of me.” He was still listening in on her thoughts. “I’ll find you attractive no matter what.”
“Phsst, like I’m worried about you finding me attractive. I’m just worried you’d try to take my food away.” She was totally lying. Ugh. Lizzy never thought she’d actually care if a guy found her attractive. But here she was, stuffing her face and worrying about whether he’d think it was disgusting or hot.
Lizzy shook her head and set down the sandwich before picking up a bottle of water. She took a deep drink and felt the gritty taste in her mouth ease and the dryness in her throat quench. Without even realizing it, she downed the entire bottle. “Holy snap, that was good.”
She took another bite of the sandwich, but then felt a little queasy. Not wanting to risk throwing up, Lizzy put the food down and headed toward the door that led to the bathroom. “You need to tune out now, bud,” she told Finn before imagining walls in her mind shutting him out. Lizzy took care of her bathroom needs and then washed her hands. She looked at herself in the mirror and noticed the pale pallor of her skin. She turned the water back on and flushed her face with the cool water. It felt good. After several more splashes, she dried off with the towel hanging on the rack and then headed back to the bed. Lizzy climbed into the bed and sighed. “Okay, I’m back.”
“What the hell, Liz?” Finn snapped.
“Bathroom privileges are a no-go, wolf.” Her voice was firm. “You can growl all you want. When I go into a bathroom, I will always boot your butt out.” She snickered when he grumbled like an unhappy child. “Talk to me.” She let out a deep breath. She felt as if she’d just run a marathon instead of simply walking about, eating a couple bites, and drinking a bottle of water. What the heck?
“What do you want me to talk about?”
“You.” Lizzy closed her eyes. “Tell me about Finn St. James.”
“I’ve already told you how old I am and what I look like. What more is there?”
Lizzy shook her head. “There’s a ton more. Where were you born?”
“In a territory that you know as Montana.” Lizzy sensed hesitation. He didn’t like talking about his past. “It reminds you of our age difference, despite the fact that I only look like I’m in my mid-twenties.” He said, addressing her thoughts.
“Okay, you’re going to have to get over that hang-up because I only gave you a hard time about it briefly,” she pointed out. “I get it. You were born a long time ago.”
“In 1863,” he corrected.
“Exactly, a butt-frick long time ago.”
“Butt-frick?”
“You won’t understand my dialogue because of your age. You’re going to have to learn to catch on quickly, or this isn’t going to work.”
“You’re lucky you’re cute.” Finn’s rich voice caressed her mind.
“You can’t sweet talk me. Tell me about yourself. Montana territory. A really long time ago. Got it. Continue.”
He hesitated for a moment and then did as she asked. “Our pack was small. And like other packs, we stayed out of human affairs and avoided the states where the war was going on. We lived a quiet life.” Lizzy felt turmoil through their bond. There was something he was ashamed of.
“You don’t have to tell me things you’re not ready to, Finn. It’s okay. I just need you to distract me from this nausea.”
