I was moved again back between sheets, head on pillow and before the covers fully settled on me, I was asleep.
* * * * *
I woke up when I felt something cool, too cool, hit my neck.
“No,” I rasped.
“You’re burnin’ up, baby.”
I wasn’t burning up. I was cold, so cold I was trembling, full on human earthquake.
“So cold.” The words scraped through my throat and I winced.
The cool left my neck and was pressed to my forehead.
“Nina, do you have travel insurance?”
I tried to focus but couldn’t and asked, “What?”
“This doesn’t break soon, I gotta get you to the hospital.”
I stayed silent mainly because I was trying to concentrate on getting warm. I pulled the covers closer around me and snuggled into them.
“Nina, listen to me, do you have travel insurance?”
“Wallet,” I told him, “purse.”
“Okay, honey, rest.”
I nodded and pulled the covers closer but I couldn’t get warm enough.
“I need another blanket.”
“Honey.”
“Please.”
The cool cloth stayed at my forehead but I felt strong fingers curl around my neck then they drifted down to my shoulder.
Then I heard the word “Fuck,” said softly and the covers were drawn away.
“No!” I cried, it was weak but it was a cry.
“Hang tight, baby.”
The bed moved and I fell back as substantial weight came in behind me.
Then his body was the length of my back, fitting itself into the curve of mine. I nestled backwards, deeper into his solid warmth as the tremors kept quaking my frame. His arm came around me, his hand found mine and the fingers of both my hands curled around his, hard, tight, holding on.
“So cold, Max.”
“Beat it back, Duchess.”
I nodded against the pillow and said, “I’ll try.”
It took awhile, the trembling keeping me awake, him holding me tight, his body pressed to mine.
What felt like hours later, when the tremors started to slide away, I called softly, “Max?”