Page 33 of Save Me

She sighed, and then she was still.

THE NIGHT SHIFT was making an exit, and the day shift began arriving. A squirrel was scolding them from a nearby tree, and a little fox passed by them on his way to the creek, and Lainie was awake.

“This is embarrassing, but I need to pee.”

He grinned. “Honey, we’ve seen each other stark naked so many times, I can’t believe you’d even utter the word embarrassing.”

She winced as she tried to move. “Well, it’s been a while.”

“Better me than the team coming up to get you down the mountain,” he said. “Give me a sec.”

He tossed their blanket on the pile of deadfall, unzipped the sleeping bag and got up, then began moving aside the limbs to clear their way.

She sat up. “Lord, but I dread walking.”

“You’re not walking. I’m carrying you into the bushes. As for the rest, I’ll close my eyes.”

As soon as he had moved enough brush, he grabbed a roll of toilet paper from his pack.

She stared. “What else do you have in there?”

He grinned. “Enough to get by on, and I know what I’m doing, so hush your worries. Today, we blow this Popsicle stand.” He handed her the toilet paper, then scooped her up in his arms and headed for the bushes. “Okay, I’m going to ease you down on your feet. I know it’s not going to feel good, but those thick socks will help. I’ll turn my back, and you let me know when you’re done, then I’ll go.”

He put her down, then held on to her until she’d steadied herself.

“I’m good, and we’ll both pee in the bushes. This is my bush. You go find your own.”

He was grinning as he walked a couple of yards to comply with her orders, then waited until she called him.

“I’m done.”

She was holding the roll of toilet paper when he turned around. It was the first time he’d seen her standing, and he could tell how beautiful her woman body had become. In two strides, she was in his arms again.

“Your Uber has arrived. Where to, lady?”

She smiled. “First pile of brush on your right, please.”

He kissed her cheek. “The affection is complimentary. There’s no charge for that.”

She was still smiling when he put her back down on the sleeping bag, and then reached into the magic backpack again and pulled out a little bottle of liquid hand cleaner. He squirted some in his hands, then handed it to her.

“Wash up, darlin’. Breakfast coming up. We have beef stew with potatoes and vegetables, or chicken and rice with vegetables.”

“Chicken and rice, please,” she said, as she cleaned her hands.

He glanced at the time, then felt her forehead. It was still too warm, but better than yesterday. He wouldn’t rest easy until he had her in the hands of the medics.

But Lainie saw the worry on his face. “It will be okay, Hunt. You already did the hard part. You found me. Once they start pumping me full of antibiotics, then I will be fine.”

“You better be,” he said, as he opened her food, handed her a spoon and set her drink within reach before choosing beef stew for himself.

Lainie took her first bite, sighing in quiet delight to have food in her belly again. She chewed, swallowed, then licked her spoon.

“You do know that in other circumstances, camping out with you would be a dream. A tent in lieu of dirt. Real food, and a big teddy bear to sleep with. A girl couldn’t ask for more.”

He was almost smiling. “So, I’m your teddy bear now?”

And just like that, Lainie’s teasing ended. “You’re my everything. The next time we sleep together, we will make love.”

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