《rekindled(英文版)》第59章

into　a　billowing　drift。　Head　bowed；　panting　with　exhaustion；　she　fought
hysteria　and　swayed　in　the　gusting　wind。
〃Mitch　。。。　Mitch　。。　。　please　help　me　。。　。〃　she　whimpered。
〃Annie！〃
Mirage　or　reality；　she　didn"t　care。　When　a　large　form　knelt　before　her；
she　fell　against　it；　aware　only　of　the　support　it　offered；　the　warmth　it
held。
He　lifted　her　from　the　snow。　〃Hold　on；　Annie。　It"s　not　far　to　the
house。〃
〃Mitch？〃　she　cried　against　his　jacket　as　she　shielded　her　face　from　the
driving　snow。
〃It"s　me；　honey。　Quiet　now。　Save　your　strength。〃
The　light　from　the　house　filtered　through　the　snowy　darkness　like　a
beacon。　Once　inside；　he　kicked　the　door　shut　with　his　boot　and　gently
lowered　her　feet　to　the　floor；　only　to　catch　her　up　again　when　her　knees
buckled。　Without　a　word；　he　carried　her　to　the　downstairs　bedroom。
Depositing　her　on　the　edge　of　the　bed；　he　began　to　quickly　remove　her
wet　clothing。　He　paused　once　to　throw　off　his　own　jacket　and　pull　back
the　bed"s　quilt；　then　returned　to　undress　her。　Anne　didn"t　protest。
Chilled　to　the　bone；　she　trembled　uncontrollably。
〃Lift　your　arms；　like　a　good　girl；〃　he　said　softly　and；　one　at　a　time；
drew　the　sleeves　of　her　heavy　sweater　off　and　pulled　it　over　her　head。
〃I　thought　I　was　lost；　Mitch。　I　walked　for　so　long　and　I　couldn"t　find
the　house。〃
〃Shhh。　You"re　safe　now。〃
She　clutched　at　his　shoulders　for　support　when　he　knelt　to　pull　off　her
boots；　then　her　socks。　〃Lie　down；　honey。　Your　jeans　are　drenched。〃　With
infinite　tenderness　he　eased　her　back　and　pulled　them　off；　tugging
impatiently　only　when　the　sodden　denim　resisted　his　hands。
〃I　feel　so　sick；〃　she　said　in　a　hoarse　whisper；　throwing　an　arm　over　her
forehead。
In　an　instant　he　was　bending　over　her。　〃I　know；　Annie。　But　you"ll　be
fine　now。　I　just　have　to　warm　you　up。　Okay？〃　She　didn"t　answer；　not　even
to　protest　when　he　drew　off　her　cold；　drenched　panties。　He　tucked　the
lower　half　of　her　body　under　the　weight　of　the　quilt　before　turning　to
remove　her　turtleneck　and　bra。　With　the　covers　bunched　around　her
shoulders；　he　crossed　the　room　to　his　suitcase；　pulled　out　a　clean
cotton　shirt；　and　returned　to　the　bed。
Sitting　beside　her；　he　pressed　cool　lips　to　her　burning　forehead。
〃You"ll　be　fine；〃　he　repeated　and　quickly　dressed　her　in　the　shirt；　then
covered　her　up　again。　Anne　sneezed。　〃You　shouldn"t　have　taken　off　my
sweater。〃
〃Forget　modesty。　You　were　soaked　to　the　skin　and　freezing。〃
〃That　sweater。。　。〃…a　fit　of　coughing　interrupted　her；　but　she　managed　to
catch　her　breath…〃I　wore　it　for　you。　Did　you　notice？〃
His　lips　twitched。　〃I　did　notice；　Annie。　It　was　pink。〃　He　brushed　a
strand　of　hair　from　her　forehead。　〃Thank　you。〃　With　the　back　of　his
hand；　he　felt　her　forehead；　then　her　cheeks。　〃I"m　going　to　heat　up　some
soup　for　you。〃
She　shook　her　head。　〃No。　I　can"t　eat。　Just　stay　here　with　me　for　a　few
minutes。〃
He　drew　her；　quilts　and　all；　into　his　arms　and　rubbed　her　all　over　to
warm　her　up。
〃I　was　so　frightened；〃　she　whispered。　〃It　was　cold　and　wet。　And　dark。〃
〃You　should　have　known　I"d　e　looking　for　you。〃
〃I　wasn"t　sure　you　were　here。　There　were　no　tire　tracks…〃　She　broke　off；
coughing　again。
He　waited　until　she　quieted。　〃I　arrived　before　the　storm　began。　Snow　can
be　pretty　dramatic　up　here。　It　should　be　beautiful　e　morning。〃
The　thought　of　wandering　through　the　snow　with　Mitch　was　a　lovely　one。
She　smiled　then　sneezed。
〃I"ll　get　that　soup　now。〃
〃No。　Really；　I"m　not　hungry。〃
〃You　need　something　warm　inside。〃
〃I　don"t　think　I　can　keep　it　down。〃
〃You　will。〃　He　set　her　down。　〃Just　rest。　I"ll　be　back。〃
She　rolled　to　her　side　and　tucked　up　her　knees。　The　warmth　of　the　bed
burned；　still　she　felt　chilled。　Turning　over；　she　huddled　in　a　ball　and
dozed。　She　woke　up　when　Mitch　returned　with　a　bowl　of　steaming　broth。　He
helped　her　sit；　and　he　fed　her　himself　When　she　couldn"t　take　in　another
drop；　he　let　her　sleep。
She　awoke　an　hour　later　feeling　even　worse。　Mitch　was　bathing　her　face
and　neck　with　a　damp　cloth。　〃That"s　quite　some　cold；〃　he　muttered。
〃It　just　hung　on。　I　thought　it"d　be　better　by　now。〃
〃Why　did　you　leave　New　York　in　the　first　place？　You　should　have　stayed
in　bed。〃
He　was　annoyed　with　her。　She　thought　that　was　unfair。　〃It　wasn"t　snowing
at　home；〃　she　argued。　〃I　had　no　idea　I"d　run　into　this　mess；　or　that　it
would　get　so　bad　so　fast。〃
〃Forget　the　weather。　You　should　have　been　in　bed　anyway；　with　a　cold
like　this。〃
〃Good　God；　Mitch；　I　can"t　put　my　life　on　hold　every　time　I　get　a　cold。〃
〃Yeah；　well　if　you　don"t　take　better　care　of　yourself；　you　may　put　your
life　on　permanent　hold。　Colds　can　turn　into　pneumonia；　and　people　die
from　pneumonia。〃
She　teared　up。　〃I　just　wanted　to　be　here　with　you。〃　She　turned　onto　her
side；　away　from　his　glower；　and　pulled　the　covers　up　around　her　ears。
She　was　startled　when　Mitch　lifted　her；　covers　and　all；　and　held　her
tightly。　From　time　to　time　he　dipped　his　head；　touching　his　lips　to　her
hair；　her　brow；　or　her　eyes。　His　voice　was　softer　when　he　finally　spoke。
〃Don"t　think　I　didn"t　want　to　see　you　as　much。　I　did。　But　we　could　have
e　next　week。〃
〃Someone　else　may　be　here　next　week。〃
〃No　one　will　be　here。〃
〃How　do　you　know？〃　she　cried　with　a　touch　of　indignance。
Looking　suddenly　resigned；　he　shifted　her　in　his　arms　and　ran　a　hand
back　through　his　hair。　〃Because　this　is　my　house。　Miles　Cooper　works　for
me。　He　rents　it　out　when　I"m　not　planning　to　be　here。〃
The　puzzle　piece　fell　into　place。　Hoarsely；　she　said；　〃Oh；　my。　It
figures；　I　guess。　Helps　explain　the　original　mix…up。　And　why　you　prefer
this　bed。　It"s　yours。〃
〃There　won"t　be　any　more　mix…ups；　Annie。　I"ve　taken　the　house　off
Miles"s　rental　list。　From　now　on　we"ll　be　the　only　ones　who　use　it。〃
Before　Anne　could　grasp　the　full　implication　of　that；　a　new　shudder
shook　her。　She　burrowed　against　him；　seeking　warmth　for　her　extremities。
Gently；　he　laid　her　down　and　disappeared。　He　returned　moments　later　and
lifted　her　head。　〃Aspirin；〃　he　explained　before　she　could　ask。　〃Open
your　mouth。〃
She　was　a　docile　patient；　too　weak　to　protest　his　pampering；　too　pleased
by　i