Page 20 of Mayhem and Minnie

But I soon realize my mistake. Her arms are flawless. Her green veins are visible through her almost translucent skin, but there’s not one mark on her arms.

A wave of shame hits me at my assumption.

Yet that quickly vanishes as I feel the warmth of her skin.

The waitress was right. She is hot. Too damn hot.

Pulling the sleeves back down, I lean over the table and place my hand over her forehead to check the temperature.

She’s running a fever. A very high fever.

“Fucking hell, Minnie. Why didn’t you say you were burning this badly? We should go to a hospital.”

She grabs my hand as I try to wrench it away and keeps it in place.

Slowly, she shakes her head.

“It’s not a fever,” she whispers. “It’s my normal body temperature.”

“The fuck you say? No one’s body temperature is this hot.”

“Mine is. Please… No hospital.”

More questions swim through my mind.

Is she ill? Is she contagious?

I just touched her. I breathed in her air. What if she has some disease and she passed it to me?

“I’m not sick,” she murmurs as if reading my thoughts. “I’ve always been this way.”

“Is that why you’re not dressed properly?” I frown.

She gives me a nod and a small smile. A genuine smile.

“I’m always hot.”

And I’m never hot enough.

Fuck.

These thoughts are dangerous.

“Fine. If you say so,” I grumble. “But if you get sick later on, remember I offered.”

“Okay.” She releases a soft giggle.

My body tenses.

She’s almost…beautiful?

For fuck’s sake. My mind is going to mush if that’s what I’m thinking about right now.

“You shouldn’t sleep outside anymore. There are shelters for women. I can get you in contact with a few.”

“No.”

“No?”

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