Page 39 of Take My Kiss
Colton’s voice echoes from somewhere in the room, but my eyes are too heavy to open and look for him.
“Yeah, her fever broke last night, but she’s pale and hasn’t eaten since this mornin’.” He pauses, and I realize he’s talking to someone on the phone. “Of course I’ve tried to wake her, but she only does long enough to get some water and meds down her throat.” A longer pause. “The sheriff did? Oh, good. Yeah, keep me updated. How’s Madd?” He chuckles. “Go figure.”
“Colt?” My voice cracks, and I quickly cough to clear it.
“Wilder, she’s up. I’ll text you later. Yeah, got it. Bye.”
“Hey.” His voice comes closer, and the bed dips with his weight. “How ya feelin’?”
“Better,” I say, although the exhaustion is overwhelming. “What time is it?”
“Almost six.”
My head’s too foggy to comprehend. “A.M. or P.M.?”
“P.M.”
“Is it Monday?”
“No, it’s Tuesday.”
My eyes flash open, quickly finding his gaze on me. “Tuesday?Wasn’t it just Sunday?”
“You slept through most of yesterday and today.”
I manage to push myself up, in disbelief that I’ve been out of it for two days. “Where’re the kids? What have they been doin’? Are they okay?”
“Oh, we took full advantage,” he quips, handing me more water. “We went skydivin’, cliff jumpin’, zip linin’, and then Warren put them on some trick horses so they could stand while ridin’ up the mountain trails. Pretty good at it, too. I think Sam has a hidden talent.”
“I might be sick, and probably look like hell, but you’re still not funny.”
His lips stretch wide in amusement. “Glad to see the flu didn’t affect your sense of humor.”
“Colt,” I warn, not in the mood with my head being underwater. “My kids?”
“Sorry,” he says, then tilts his head toward the bed where Lily’s sleeping with Benny. It’s a bit early for her to be down for the night.
“How long has she been in here?” I ask, feeling her body heat against mine.
“Most of the day. She got sick early yesterday and wanted to sleep with you, but I’ve been checkin’ on her regularly. She was awake and had some lunch, then wanted to nap with you.”
“Aww, poor baby. I feel awful that I wasn’t conscious to help out. Is Sam okay?”
“He’s been hangin’ out with Bodie and Bellamy. They brought him to the goat farm, and Posey gave him a tour. She showed him how to do goat yoga, then he begged to bring one home.”
I chuckle at that. Of course he did.
“Wait.” I meet his gaze, noticing the bags under his eyes. “You’ve been takin’ care of everythin’ for two days? Have you slept?”
He scratches his cheek, and I follow the movement as he brushes his hand along his jaw. “Not much. Been tryin’ to keep y’all hydrated and medicated. Aunt JoJo made chicken noodle soup, and I managed to get you and Lily to eat some. Mom helped me clean and disinfect everythin’, so hopefully no one else catches it. I thought I was, but it was just a case of a rough night’s sleep.”
“Shit, Colt. I’m sorry. You’re not used to dealin’ with a sick partner or kid, and I shouldn’t have taken advantage.” She pulls off the covers, exposing her bare legs. “Where’re my pants?”
“You got hot and yanked ’em off. Tried takin’ off your shirt too, but I managed to talk you into keepin’ it on.” He swallows hard, his eyes lowering down my chest. “For my benefit, mostly.”
“Oh God. How much did I embarrass myself?”
He stands, putting space between us. “Maybe you should take a shower, and I’ll warm you up some soup.”
