My chest tightens with warmth. “Well, damn. When did you become a sweet softy?”
“Never.”
I laugh and guide his hand over my breast. His fingers instinctively curl, squeezing gently through the lace, and I hum in approval.
“Mmhmm. Keep telling yourself that, lover boy.”
“You know,” he murmurs, tweaking my nipple lightly, “I think I’m gonna like having you here.”
“I should hope so. You’re kinda stuck with me.”
“Good. Now sleep.”
“You’re so bossy.”
“Deal with it.Sleep. Now.”
I kiss him softly, savoring the spark that always flares between us, before settling against him. The light clicks off, and wrapped in his arms, I feel completely at ease.
I love this place, and for the first time since landing in the States, I can actually picture a future here. If I ever wanted to settle down somewhere…
Ligonier might just be it.
***
A heat so intense it feels almost violent devours me, searing through every inch of my body. I gasp as my eyes snap open, desperate for air, for something cool to drown out the blaze consuming me from the inside out.
I jerk away from Mercs, my skin slick with sweat as I shove back the covers with a groan. I have no idea what time it is, but the darkness in the room tells me it’s still the middle of the night, only a thin ribbon of moonlight slipping through the gap in the curtains.
Mercs shifts beside me with a sleepy grunt, rolling over and blinking up at me. “You okay?”
I sit upright and start fanning myself with both hands, shaking my head as I swipe at my brow and blow out a strained breath. “Is it hot in here?” I ask, my voice edged with irritation and confusion.
He rolls onto his side and squints at me. “Uhh… no. It’s actually freezing.” Sitting up, he reaches out and presses his palm to my forehead as though checking for a fever, then pulls back with a frown. “You’re dripping with sweat.”
“I know. It’s freaking boiling,” I snap, swinging my legs off the bed and standing. I pace the room, tugging the lace of my nightgown away from my body to fan my overheated skin, trying to draw in deeper breaths that don’t feel like they’re scalding my lungs.
Mercs gets up immediately and crosses to the window, pushing it open. The moment a cool breeze slips into the room, I release a long breath of relief.
“Oh, praise Gaia…” I murmur, stepping into the stream of night air and closing my eyes as it washes over me.
Mercs watches me carefully, suspicion and worry tightening his expression. “Do you think you’re getting sick?” he asks, coming closer and running his hand slowly up and down my arm, as if assessing me for signs I can’t see.
I wrinkle my nose and shake my head. “I don’t think so. I don’t have a sore throat or anything. It just felt like this wave of heat rolled over me out of nowhere. It was intense… like it swallowed me whole. But I’m starting to cool down now.” I inhale deeply, focusing on the chill brushing across my skin.
He swallows, and I notice goose bumps rising along his arms and chest. I blink at him, frowning. “Are you cold?”
A weak smile tugs at his mouth. “It’s the middle of the night, in fall, and I’m standing here in briefs. Yeah, it’s a little chilly, baby. You’ve gotta admit, though… a hot flash like that is strange.”
Tilting my head, I chew on my bottom lip as unease settles in my stomach. “It’s probably something to do with my recovery,” I say, though I’m not entirely convinced. “I’ll call the specialist tomorrow, I’m sure it’s nothing. Go on… get back into bed. I’ll come back when I’m cool enough. I don’t want you catching something because of me.”
His face tightens. “I’m not leaving you standing here alone, Eff.”
I roll my eyes gently, trying to ease the tension. “I’m literally five feet away from you. I can cool down by the window, and you can warm up under the covers.Please… I’ll just end up worrying about you if you stand here freezing.”
He exhales slowly, clearly unhappy with the compromise, but leans in to kiss my temple before heading back to the bed. He climbs under the covers but doesn’t lie down, instead propping himself up and watching me as if I might suddenly collapse.
I stand at the window, letting the cool night air sweep across my skin until the lingering heat fades into something manageable. The breeze brushes the fine hairs on my arms, grounding me, calming the frantic pulse that had overtaken me moments ago.
