Lauren’s whole body shook, but she looked up at him. She’d been quiet while Zach followed Travis’s orders. “Can you help me a little?”
Positioning himself at her side, he bent to cradle her in his arms. “I’m with you all the way.”
In the bathroom, he seated her on the closed toilet and started the water. When he turned around, the blanket was pooled around her, and she was convulsing.
He picked her up and tried to carefully lower her into the shallow water. As soon as her feet hit the water, a gasp tore from her chest.
“Are you okay? Did I hurt you? What’s wrong?” he asked as he scanned her body for more injuries.
“It burns,” she sobbed.
“It’s too hot.” Zach fumbled the knobs, trying to figure out how to fix the temperature.
“No. I’m just so cold.” The shaking turned into sobs. “I really don’t know why I’m crying.”
“If you don’t know, I sure don’t. I would ask if you need a hug, but we’re in no position to be snuggling.”
Lauren laughed as she wiped at her eyes. “I’m sorry you’re having to do all this.”
Zach stood, watching her as she cried. Unable to stop it. He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned his back against the wall. “I would do anything for you.”
That was the kicker—the thing that made her different from any other person in the world. He would walk through hell. He would bleed himself dry. He would give his life to save hers. He knew it without a single doubt, and the thought of losing her was enough to break him.
33
Lauren
Once she was in the water, Zach went to start a fire. Showing Zach just how stupid she was had heat blooming in her cheeks. Her body temperature was almost back to normal.
Embarrassment was the least of her problems. If Zach hadn’t come when he had, she’d be frozen to the ground. At best, she could have gotten frostbite. At worst, she could be dead.
Then there was the secret—the reason she’d been there in the first place. Zach was going to be furious when he found out. She’d promised to stop looking for Anthony, but there hadn’t been a day when she’d skipped checking every online forum she had access to.
She’d promised no secrets. He would never trust her after this.
There were three raps at the door followed by Zach’s muffledvoice. “Can I come in?”
Lauren sat up in the water, wrapping her arms around her and pulling her knees up. The heavy clothes weighed her down. “Yes.”
The door opened, and Zach stepped into the small bathroom looking everywhere except at her. His chin stayed tucked to his chest as he leaned his back against the counter. “You ready to get dressed?”
The water lapped against the sides of the tub as she braced herself to stand. “Yes.”
Zach grabbed a towel and held it in front of her. Her hands didn’t shake as she took it and wrapped it around her, but she almost lost her balance before she remembered her sore ankle.
Once the towel was secured around her middle, Zach lifted her from the tub and set her gently on the rug. “Let me know when you’re ready for a lift to your room.”
Right. She didn’t exactly want to send him on an errand to get her pajamas and underwear. She could take care of that herself if he could just get her close enough.
He tilted his head toward the door. “I’ll be out here. Shout if you need me.”
Lauren nodded, unsure if she could trust her voice if she spoke. Everything hurt as she strained to pull her sweater off before plopping it in the tub. Then, she struggled to pull the jeans off but it was as if they’d shrunk three sizes. The strength left in her arms was weaker than a baby flailing about learning how to graba rattle.
Sitting on the edge of the tub she switched tactics and tried to pull one leg off at the hem. It didn’t budge. They were glued on. “Get off!”
Another sob escaped, and she pulled the towel tight around her middle. Maybe she’d cut them off. “Zach?”
She’d barely finished saying his name when his concerned face appeared through the door.
