Page 197 of Fiery Romance

I stumble to my feet.

Sid grabs my upper arm. Anxiety tightens his brow. “Let me take you home, Island.”

“I’m fine.”

But Sid refuses to listen to me. He drives me to my apartment and then I fall into bed, dead to the world.

* * *

“She’s burning up,”a faint voice says.

“I blame the cell phones,” another voice grumbles. “All that radiation…”

“Oh shush. This isn’t radiation. This is heartsickness.”

A moment later, something cold and wet touches my forehead.

“Gran,” I croak, barely able to crack my eyes open. There’s an ache deep in my bones. Down to my very soul. “It hurts. It hurts so much.”

“It’s okay, Island. Granny’s here. I’m here, sweet girl. You just relax and get some rest.”

Her voice coos me back to sleep and I return to the darkness.

Only this time, the darkness doesn’t last long.

I’m on a bed, but it isn’t mine. It’s Clay’s. His fingers are running up and down my face, whispering like a gentle breeze against my heated skin.

“I love you,” Clay whispers in my ear. “I want to spend every day of my life with you, Island.”

He says my name reverently. Hushed. Quiet. Like it’s too delicate to be heard above a certain decibel. His sinful lips nibble my throat and graze the tender skin beneath my ear.

I close my eyes and hold tight to his massive shoulders. “I thought I’d lost you.”

“Lost me? You could never lose me.” He slides his hand down my side. “I belong to you.”

When I open my eyes, I’m not in Clay’s bed or even in Clay’s house. I’m in my bedroom with the ceiling fan creaking above.

Quickly, I sit up and a wet rag flops to my lap. The cold slap of the fabric shakes off the dream.

I want to chase it down.

I want to fling myself against my pillows, close my eyes and go back there, to Clay’s arms. No distance between us. No lies, no pain, no misunderstandings.

No more.

Clay and I are no more.

And it kills me.

Something buzzes on the dresser.

I check my phone and frown when I see an unknown number.

“Hello?” I croak.

“Miss Hayes.”

“Miss Vanderweih.” I gasp.

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