“E-e-xcuse me,” I muttered, pushing myself to my feet. “I don’t feel well.”
I vaguely remembered stumbling from the restaurant, pausing in the hallway outside and planting my hand against the wall to steady myself. I tried to suck in slow, deep breaths to slow the spinning in my head, but nothing worked. Black dots danced in my vision and I couldn’t focus my eyes.
I felt a hand on my shoulder. “Savannah?” Rhys asked.
“I-I think I’m going to—” I couldn’t fight the darkness any longer as my legs collapsed beneath me.
I never felt the arms that caught me before I hit the floor.
A small weightsettled on my chest, followed by a deep purr. I wanted to reach up and stroke Satchel’s back, but my arms didn’t cooperate. Something cool and damp swept across my forehead and down my cheek. I tried to turn my face away from it, but the slightly rough fabric followed me.
I moaned and twisted my head the other way.
“Wake up for me, Savannah,” Rhys commanded, his voice low and hoarse.
I groaned again, finally able to lift a hand and push the cold cloth away. “I’m awake,” I whispered.
“I need you to open your eyes.”
“Don’t wanna,” I complained.
“It’s important, Savannah,” he insisted.
“Fine.” With a sigh, I forced my eyelids open and stared up at his face. “See? I’m awake. Now let me go back to sleep.”
A ghost of a smile pulled at his mouth. “I can’t let you do that.”
“Why not?” I asked grumpily.
“Because you fainted outside The Driskill Grill and I had to carry you to the car. I nearly took you straight to the hospital, but I called Ava first to find the closest one and she told me that you would be fine. That sometimes you did this when you had to deal with crowds.” His stare held a hint of reproach.
“I thought it would be okay,” I told him. “I haven’t gone out in a while, so I forgot how overwhelming it can be. Then I asked you that stupid question that upset you and I didn’t take the time to mentally prepare myself.”
He leaned back and sighed. “I wasn’t upset, Savannah.”
I raised my eyebrows and stared at him. “Oh, really?”
Rhys shook his head. “Stop trying to distract me.”
“Distract you?”
“You’re being sweet and, what’s the word? Cute. You’re being cute.”
“I’m not being cute,” I argued, still lying on my back but now scowling at him. “I’m a grown woman. Only children and animals are cute.”
I could tell he was biting back a smile, but he managed it. “Whatever you say.”
I grunted at him. “This is a ridiculous discussion anyway.” I started to push myself up into a sitting position, but his hands came to my shoulders. “I want to sit up,” I stated.
“I know, but you should probably wait a few minutes and give yourself time to settle. You went down hard and fast at the restaurant.”
“I need caffeine and sugar,” I said. “If you’ll help me up, I’ll make myself a cup of tea with whiskey and honey.”
“How about this? You lie here, tell me where everything is, and you can sit up when it’s ready.”
“Is that a request or an order?” I asked.
“Take it as you like it.”
