Chapter 135: Just Can't Stay

Dane

"Okay, I'm okay," she said eventually, wiping her face and his chest with a little laugh. "I better stop before I drown you."

"It's fine," he said softly. He always felt protective towards her, but in that moment she felt like the most breakable, precious gem and it was up to him to keep her from falling. He stroked her hair away from her face. 

She blew out a breath and rolled away far enough to reach a tissue from the box on the night table. The cold spot on his chest felt like an ice cube until she'd blown her nose and turned back to bury herself in it. "I'm just so glad you're here," she said on a breath. "Tell me what happened after I ran? What did you find out? What have you been doing? What did you tell everyone about where I was?"