Page 8 of In A Faraway Land

She was still shaking so hard that the fabric vibrated around her. Her stomach cramped. “MaybeI’m getting the flu.”

He settled his arm on the bed between them again, palm up. “The flu is rare in the summer.”

“You can catch influenza at any time.”

He turned his hand over. “Let me feel your forehead.”

“You don’t need to. I’m fine.”

“Flicka, I can see that you’re about ready to crawl out of your skin over there, and it’s driving me crazy. I’ve always been able to hold you before, tolet the shakes subside while you’re in my arms.”

At the thought of him oranyonetouching her skin, which was the first step to holding her down and hurting her, her knees curled inward toward her stomach. “I just can’t right now.”

“Please.” His fingers stretched open and his lips were parted as he watched her. His gray eyes were open and vulnerable, almost silvery in the dim room, lit by theLas Vegas lights sliding around the window curtains.

Flicka struggled with freeing her arm from where the sheet wrapped her, and she pushed her hand over the sheet to rest on his palm.

His hand didn’t move under hers. His fingers were still outstretched, not grabbing her.

“Good,” he said.

They lay on the bed like that for a few minutes, and then his fingers relaxed, curling up. He looselyheld her hand.

Not scary. Not hateful. Not a threat.

Something in Flicka broke.

She curled farther, drawn to the warmth that radiated from his hand and down her arm. Hot wetness crawled down her face, and sobs cramped her chest.

She pressed her forehead against his knuckles, feeling the hardness of his hand against her skin. Stupid gasps flopped in her mouth.

“Shhh,”he said, stroking hisother hand over her hair. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for everything. I should have gone back to Pierre’s room with you. I won’t ever let him touch you again, no matter what I have to do.”

He shifted, moving closer to her, but slowly and not too close.

Flicka tugged his hand toward her sternum, cradling his fist next to her chest.

Dieter moved closer so that he curled around her, and they lay neareach other, not talking, until she slept.