“Why the hell are you naked?” Elliot called.
“Why the hell do youthinkI’m naked?” she retorted.
“Danielle,” I whispered.
“What? I’ve been puking my guts out and miserable, and my brother starts getting all brotherly. It’s frickin’ annoying.” Dani frowned. “Elliot, I’m fine. I have not been kidnapped, I’m not being held against my will, and Austin’s only partially a mad-man.”
“I’ll wait in the other room,” Elliot said.
“Good choice, brother of mine,” she called.
“You’re feeling better,” I observed.
Dani nodded, pulling the sheet around her. “Why’s my brother here?”
“He came to talk.”
“I’ll get dressed, then.”
I shook my head. “You need to rest.”
“I feel great,” she said, and promptly began coughing.
“Babe.”
“I’m telling you, I feel great. It’s all good, honey.”
“Probably a burst of energy before the crash.”
“Then let me use this burst of energy to see my brother.”
I smiled. “You’re making it really hard for me to take care of you.”
Dani rolled her eyes. “Word of warning, I’m theworstpatient on earth. Best to learn that now.”
“I’ll find you something warm and you can get dressed.” I rose to my feet. “One of the recruits dropped off a few things—”
“What kinds of things?”
I smiled. “Meds and soup.”
Dani looked disappointed. “Oh.”
“Expecting something else?”
“I was just dreaming about cheesecake. No big deal.”
I laughed. “You were dreaming of cheesecake?”
She licked her lips. “I was eating it off of you.”
“Fuck, baby,” I whispered, sitting on the bed again. “You can’t say shit like that.”
Dani giggled. “Why not?”
“One, you’re sick as a dog, and two, your brother’s here.” I grinned. “Wait until you’re well and I can do something about it.”
“But watching you squirm’s kind of fun for me. Especially right now.”
