Page 54 of Fourth Point Of Contact

“What the fuck,” he muttered, wincing slightly as he tried to sit up.

“I have medicine. I need you to take it.” I held the cup out to him and shoved the medicine into his hand.

“Are you trying to kill me?” he muttered slowly.

“If I was going to do that, I would have left you for the bear.”

Sighing, he took the medicine and fumbled it into his mouth, then took a sip of the water as I held it to his lips. Exhausted, he laid back and his eyes did a slow blink that scared the shit out of me.

“Stay awake with me for a while.”

“Tired,” he muttered.

“But—I’m scared,” I said, desperate to keep him awake. “I need a strong man to keep me safe.”

He snorted at that, though it was more like a low scoff. “You don’t need anyone.”

“Sure I do. Every woman needs a man.”

“Yeah?” His eyes slowly opened and he did his best to stare at me. “Why?”

“Because… nights get cold.”

“I hate cold feet. Fish feet,” he mumbled.

“Then I need someone to hold me.”

The sigh he let out seemed to take all the effort he had. “No more holding.”

“Why? Afraid of letting anyone close?” I asked, taking a rag and wiping down his forehead. I’d have to get some cold water on this.

“Close. Don’t need close.”

I didn’t want to leave and miss anything he might say, but I also really needed a cold rag. “Stay with me, okay? I’m just getting the rag wet.”

He nodded slightly as I hurried into the kitchen and ran the faucet. It was hardly cold water, but it was cooler than the water from the pot. I dug out another pot and filled it with cool water, then returned just as he was drifting off again.

I pressed the rag to his forehead, then wiped along his neck, trying to cool him down. “Patrick, stay with me.”

“‘M here,” he mumbled.

“So, why don’t you get close? Did you have your heart broken?”

“Think so…”

“You think so? Is this because of the woman you fell in love with?”

“She never loved me. Never looked at me. Not like that.”

“Well, any woman would be crazy not to look at you.”

His lips twitched as his eyes drifted shut. “Cuz of my big dick.”

“That too,” I laughed.

His fingers brushed my arm as I rinsed the rag and pressed it to his burning skin again. Slowly, they skimmed up my arm before taking my hand in his and squeezing gently. I had a feeling that was all the energy he had.

“How’s the pain?”

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