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  “I’m going to sleep on the couch in here. We’re going to be fine.” Another shiver ran down her spine from the cold. “The weather called for rain but the temperatures should warm within a few days.” She stroked his cheek with her fingers. “I hope you’re warm enough. There’s no dryer here so I can’t heat your blankets.”

  She turned away and walked to the suitcase she’d stashed inside the house when she’d brought supplies to care for 880. She nearly froze when she stripped out of her clothes to put on a pair of sweats and a loose sleep shirt. She sat on the couch to stare into the fireplace flames and sighed. There wasn’t a television and she doubted it would have gotten reception anyway.

  The folded blanket wasn’t as thick as the ones she’d given 880 but she curled up on the couch with it, trying to get warm. It didn’t work. She was still really cold. It just got worse as time passed. Her gaze drifted to the hospital bed, worry ate at her over his comfort and she rose to her feet.

  She lifted his blanket a little to feel his bare chest. He was really warm, his skin responded to her cold touch with gooseflesh and she bit her lip. Her feet were chilled even though she stood on carpet while she debated.

  “Oh hell. I want you to get used to my scent. At least I won’t worry about one of us freezing to death.” She rounded his bed to the side where she hadn’t inserted the IV, gently lowered the railing and climbed onto the bed after lifting the covers. “These hospital beds aren’t roomy, are they?”

  She twisted enough to pull up the rail. With the limited space she had it wasn’t easy to tuck the blanket over both of them. He was really large and warm as she snuggled tightly against his side, careful not to disturb him.

  Warmth invaded her where they touched. Her hand lifted to press against the middle of his chest and each breath he took made it rise and fall. He was fine for the time being. Their body heat combined would keep them both warm through the night. Exhaustion settled in.

  This is crazy. She admitted that. Regret lingered over her hasty decision but it was done. Tomorrow she’d worry about what to do next. She just needed some sleep. Each breath he drew rubbed her hand on his chest and she inhaled his scent. Soap and the hair products they used, plus something faintly masculine that wasn’t cologne, teased her nose.

  She was attracted to 880. Guilt ate at her for the way her body hugged his a little tighter than necessary. The idea of him healthy and awake, lying in bed with her, made her stomach flutter. That reaction shamed her. Noticing that a patient was good-looking was unavoidable since she had good vision but the way she enjoyed being so close to him was flat-out wrong. She knew that yet couldn’t stop feeling that way.

  Chapter Three

  Confusion gripped 880 as he became aware of things slowly. Something pressed closer to his right side, a light weight rested on his chest and he tried to sniff to identify the source. His body didn’t obey his command. He couldn’t see since his eyes wouldn’t open or it was pitch dark. Alarm struck next when he tried to lift his hand to his face. It remained unresponsive, as though it wasn’t attached to his body any longer.

  He concentrated on the weight resting over his chest that seemed familiar for some reason but he couldn’t figure out why. He took several deep breaths, each one helped him learn the shape against him as he judged it by feel. He figured out it was a hand lying on his chest and part of an arm. Joy filled him suddenly, a sense of relief that 46 touched him.

  She was well but that elation faded as something sinister tugged at his memory. He tried to remember what caused that bad emotion but his mind fogged. He must be drugged. They’d paralyzed his body again, which meant he must have fought the technicians. He hated them. He tried to growl to demonstrate his protest but failed.

  Fear came next. What had they done to him? The arm sprawled over his chest and the warmth pressed against his side assured him he lived and 46 remained close. Things couldn’t be too bad if she hadn’t been taken from him. The technicians did that often to punish him and he worried every time that she’d never be returned.

  He couldn’t remember what he’d done to draw their anger. His mind blanked. It alarmed him more. How badly have they damaged me? What drugs are they testing this time? He couldn’t move, speak, or even use his nose to assist him, to put clues together to determine his situation by scent.

  Trapped inside my own body. It terrified him and he hated the helplessness that nearly drew him to panic. It was the worst thing they could do to him. He pushed emotions back, focused on his breathing, and was able to finally hold his breath for a few seconds. It was something. He’d just have to fight past whatever new test drug they’d forced into his body. He’d done it before and he wouldn’t allow them to win. 46 needed his protection. He meant to keep his promise to do anything to prevent the technicians from harming her again.

  The hand on his chest moved, languidly stroking his skin as her body pressed tighter against his. She seemed to stretch. Something wasn’t right but he just couldn’t figure out what. Her fingers dug into his muscles a tiny bit, a soft sigh sounded, and hair tickled the top of his shoulder when she adjusted next to him.

  “You made it.”

  The female’s voice was soft, unknown, and if he could have, he’d have jerked away from her. She had slept curled against his side with her hand on his chest. Where is 46? Who is this female? Why has she been put in my living space?

  Gentle fingers slid up his chest to his neck, pressed along his artery and paused. The pressure eased and the mattress under them shifted just slightly as she changed position. Metal scraped, her heat withdrew from his side and a draft of chilly air took her place. A blanket settled down and she pressed them tightly against his skin. A light caress breezed over his cheek.

  “Your pulse is steady. I was so worried you wouldn’t do well off the machines but you seem to be doing fine. Now I need to give you a sponge bath. I’ll change your bag before I reinsert the feeding tube. I’m sorry but I need to do it until you’re well enough to eat on your own. I should have reestablished it last night but I figured you had suffered enough trauma being moved.”

  Confusion filled him and nothing she said made sense. He struggled to move, to open his eyes, but was unable to do so.

  “I’ll be right back. I’m going to take a quick shower while the coffeemaker does its magic.” The caress on his cheek stopped and he felt a slight tug on his hair as she seemed to manipulate it. “I’m a bear without coffee. That’s a secret. Most people don’t want to hear that I’m addicted to caffeine but it’s the only way I survived my residency. They really put you through the wringer.” The blanket moved by his chin, tucked tighter, and she petted his chest through the layers of covering. “I’ll hurry. I’m just in the other room, okay? The only bathroom is down here. I’ll even leave the door open. I know you aren’t going to wake that quickly but I can always hope.”

  She stopped touching him but he heard movement not too far away. Water ran. A package rustled. He wished he had a keener sense of smell but his nose didn’t seem to work right. Silence followed until louder water came on, something squeaked and then clicked. The water noise became slightly muffled.

  880 struggled to regain use of his body. He was alone, according to the unknown female, and her words made enough sense that he worried she was a technician. Why would one of them sleep at my side? What game are they playing? Is it another of their twisted games to see how I react? He could feel the weight of something on his wrists and ankles, more aware of his body as time passed. They’d restrained him flat by his limbs. He needed to gain control fast.

  The water stopped too soon. He hadn’t made headway with his body, but he’d moved his tongue. It was sluggish but he’d been able to feel the roof of his mouth. One pinky finger twitched. The drug was slowly wearing off. His body would shake the effects of it but it would take time, something he wasn’t sure he had to spare. She said she wanted to hook him to a machine. The squeak sounded again and she sighed softly while rustling around.