I push up onto one elbow, blinking the sleep from my eyes.
Dane is already up.
Outside the shelter, I find him crouched with his back to me. A net is draped across his knee as he works a tear closed with palm cord, his hands moving quickly.
I watch him for a second.
He’s shirtless. The sun has darkened his skin over the years, and there’s an easy strength in the way he moves as he pulls the cord tight and ties it off.
He sets the net aside and reaches for a spear leaning against the frame. That’s when he notices me.
His gaze lifts, meeting mine. “Morning.”
“Morning.”
Dane studies me for a moment. “How are you feeling?”
“Better than yesterday. A lot better. My leg still aches where the snake bit me, but it’s not sharp anymore—just stiff.”
He nods. “Glad to hear it.”
He picks up the spear and gestures toward the lagoon. “About to head out and see what the ocean gives us this morning.”
This is routine for Dane. He goes out most mornings when the tide’s right, checking traps and spearing fish while the water’s still calm.
I stay behind, tend the fire, and gather fruit. That’s how it’s always worked. But today, the idea of watching him disappear down the beach while I sit here alone doesn’t appeal to me.
“I’ll come with you.”
He pauses—not long, but enough.
His eyes flick over me again. “Your leg still needs rest.”
“I’ve been resting for days.”
“That’s the point.”
“I feel fine.”
He watches me for another second, like he’s deciding whether to argue, then his gaze drops to my leg. “Let me have a look.”
He moves in front of me, already focused on the bandage above my ankle.
His hands are warm when he takes my foot and checks the bite. His fingers move over the skin, pressing along the swelling the same way he has every morning since the fever broke.
“Does that hurt?”
“A little.”
He presses higher. “And that?”
“Not really.”
He nods under his breath. “Swelling’s almost gone.”
His grip loosens, but he doesn’t pull away. His hand lingers at my ankle for a second.
Everything about his touch catches me off guard. It’s been a long time since anyone’s taken care of me like this.
