Page 149 of Wild Sanctuary

When she lifts the cloth away, she takes my left hand out of the water and turns it palm up in both of hers and starts in on the knuckles. She has to soak the worst of the blood off.

The third knuckle is the worst, and she does that one slowest of all, her thumb running along the back of my hand the whole time.

When the left is clean, she takes the right and does the same. She’s on the second to last knuckle when I lift her chin with my finger.

“Look at me, baby.”

Her eyes come up to mine, wet at the edges and not blinking.

“I’d do it a hundred more times.”

She doesn’t move. Doesn’t even breathe.

“For you. Without thinkin’. Without flinchin’.” My thumb traces her bottom lip. “Anyone comes for you, Daisy-girl, they go through me first. Every damn time.”

The first tear breaks loose and runs down her cheek, but she doesn’t wipe it away.

“Wyatt.” My name is a bare whisper.

“Say you hear me.”

“I hear you.”

Her hand closes around mine in the water, and her grip is harder than I would have guessed she had left in her.

After a beat, she lifts my battered hand out of the water and slowly presses her lips to the back of it, right over the worst of the cuts. Then she turns it palm up and presses her mouth to the heel of my hand before dropping a third kiss on the inside of my wrist where she can feel my pulse.

Three small kisses. Three vows.

And I can feel every one of them everywhere.

She leans up, her mouth coming to the cut on my cheekbone. She presses it there so carefully, the smallest kiss I have ever been given, and I’ve no doubt it’s the one I’m going to remember the longest.

I turn my face and catch her mouth properly.

I haven’t kissed her since the loft, and neither of us rush it. My wet palm finds the side of her neck, hers finds my jaw, and we kiss in the warmth of the steam without going anywhere with it.

When she pulls back, her forehead settles against mine.

“Hi,” she says.

I huff a small laugh. “Hi, baby.”

“Bed.”

I get out first, wrap a towel around my waist, and hold the second one open for her. Then I dry her where she stands as she dries me, careful to bend at the knees so she can reach.

There’s a soft knock at the door of the room beyond, but instead of getting it, I tuck a towel around Daisy, lift her into my arms, and carry her to the bed, setting her down on the edge of the mattress.

I cross to the door, tightening the towel around my own waist before answering it to June.

“Brought you some turkey sandwiches, and that tea Daisy likes.” She shrugs as I empty her arms. “Best I can do at short notice.”

Leaning over the threshold, I press a kiss to my little sister’s brow, then whisper against it, “Made me so proud today, Junie.”

When I pull back, she’s biting down on her bottom lip, eyes glistening. She clears her throat before murmuring, “Yeah, you too, Wy.” Then, shooting me a watery grin, she turns and speeds back down the hallway, calling over her shoulder, “I’ll be here if you need me.”

I close the door and set the wrapped sandwiches and the thermos on the dresser. Then I bring the first-aid kit back to the bed, and crouch down between Daisy’s knees, where I open the kit in my lap.