Page 65 of Wintertime Heat (Holiday 1)

Some I could make out and some I couldn’t.

I swear at some point, I heard the mention of bears and glass slippers.

I must be losing my mind.

I struggled and a part of me was so tired of trying to stay afloat, whispering that it would be so much easier to just let go.

No.

I wasn’t ready to give up!

I had too much to live for.

My eyes shot open and I gasped.

The ceiling was white and my eyes quickly took in the room.

I was in a hospital.

Why was no one here?

The slash of pain in my abdomen at the slight movement had me crying out, my voice hoarse.

The sound of the door scraping open had me looking up.

A hiss and suddenly Steven’s face was right in front of me, relief in his eyes, “Abby! You’re awake!”

I groan, “It hurts.”

“Your stitches are still healing,” He tells me, his fingers moving over my face, tracing each feature, his eyes wondering and so happy that I could swear he was seconds away from crying.

“Water,” I whisper, my parched throat begging for relief.

“Of course!” He

leans over, grabs a glass and a straw which lay next to him. “Take small sips.”

I obey him, my lips clenching the plastic straw and taking tiny sips. When I am done, he releases my head, which he had been holding and settles me back on to the pillow before putting the glass back.

“How many days has it been?” I ask, weakly.

“Five,” His voice was rough. “You’ve been in a coma for five days, Abby. I was losing my mind.”

Five days?

“Where’s Aaron? Is he okay?” I was struggling with the words, but I didn’t know if he could tell that.

“I sent him home with Jarvis, but he doesn’t stay there for long. He keeps insisting on bringing his story books over and reading them to you.”

I give him a faint smile, “I’m glad he’s okay.”

He gives me a strange look, before lowering his forehead to mine, his voice thick, “If you had not woken up, I don’t know what I would have done.”

My eyes burn with tears and I lift my uninjured arm, letting my fingers settle in his hair, “But I woke up. And that’s what matters.”

When he takes a deep shuddering breath, the hot air against my lips, I try to smile, “I’m fine now.”

“You risked your own life to save Aaron’s. When I saw the blood all over your coat, and the way you held Aaron to you, this fierce look in your eyes, I thought I would never manage to reach you in time. One of the reasons you bled out so much was because of the way you held Aaron to prevent him from seeing what was happening. I want to say thank you, but I want to yell at you for putting yourself in danger.”

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