Page 95 of The Unlikely Pair

But I’m all right because Toby is here, and he’s warming me. I’m vaguely aware he’s stripped out of his clothes and is holding me from behind, pressed against me as he moves his hands over my skin briskly like he’s trying to reinvigorate my whole body.

The fire is starting to provide some warmth, and it feels like the flames are flickering against my skin.

The world slowly comes back into sharper focus.

My shivering dies until it’s less frenetic as Toby’s hands continue their ministrations, rubbing gentle circles on my chest, arms, and back. The sensation is grounding, a tangible reminder that I’m here, that I’m alive, that I’m safe.

“I think there’s a gas burner over there. I’m going to try to boil some water, get something warm into you, all right?” Toby says.

I nod, not trusting my voice to function properly. Toby presses a gentle kiss to the back of my neck before he unwrapshimself from around me, leaving me cocooned in the quilt’s warmth.

I close my eyes, focusing on the crackling of the fire, the slowly abating chill in my bones. My body feels heavy and languid as the warmth slowly seeps back into my limbs.

“Here, Harry.” Suddenly, Toby is right next to me, gently holding a mug to my mouth. “Take little sips, all right? Don’t overdo it.” His voice is soft.

I follow his instructions, taking small sips of hot liquid from a mug. It has a malty, chocolatey taste.

Once I’ve swallowed, the warmth radiates from my stomach, spreading through my body. I take another sip. Then another. It’s a gradual process, but I can feel the cold relinquishing its grip on me.

Toby’s working on my feet, massaging them vigorously, and pain shoots through them as the blood circulates again. Then he does the same to my hands, his palms moving briskly as he rubs warmth back into my flesh.

We huddle together as Toby continues to rub my arms and legs. I close my eyes, surrendering myself to the sensation.

“You need to stay awake for a bit longer, Harry,” Toby says, his voice gentle. “I know you’re tired, but we need to make sure you’re fully warmed up before you sleep.”

I nod, forcing my eyes open, trying to focus on Toby’s face. He looks exhausted, his hair disheveled and his eyes shadowed, but there’s a determined set to his jaw. For a second, it reminds me of the stubbornness in his face when he used to debate me in the Commons Chamber.

Today, Toby’s stubbornness definitely worked in my favor.

He reaches for the mug again, holding it to my lips. “Drink a little more. It’ll help warm you from the inside.”

I take a few more sips, the hot liquid soothing my raw throat.

I still can’t place the unfamiliar taste. “What is this?” I manage to ask.

“I’m not sure. It looked like some sort of hot chocolate. There were sachets of it in a tin on the counter. I decided you could be the test subject to see if it was poisonous.”

I huff out a laugh. Toby sets the mug aside and pulls me closer, rubbing my back, my shoulders, my chest.

“Your color is looking better,” he murmurs, his fingers brushing my cheek.

There’s still a deep chill inside me, but the room is warming from the heat of the fire. The quilt is a snug, heavy weight around my shoulders, the fire casting a soft, flickering glow over the room. Toby’s proximity is comforting, his touch soothing.

I lean into his touch, wanting more. It feels like something has fundamentally changed inside me. That Toby has not only thawed my body but melted another part of me as well.

But I don’t have the energy to examine that now.

I feel myself starting to drift, the exhaustion tugging at my eyelids, but Toby’s body pulling away from me snaps me back from the brink of sleep.

“Now that you’re warm enough, I should probably investigate what other culinary delights we have, see if I can cook you a gourmet meal.”

“I await with bated breath,” I say.

I miss the feel of Toby against me immediately as he gets up and starts puttering around the cabin looking in cupboards, taking an inventory of what the cabin holds.

“Harry, look!” Toby calls, holding up a battered tin bowl. “There’s a whole set of dishes here. Plates, bowls, even a couple of forks and spoons.” He sets the mug down, moving on to the next cupboard. “And over here, we’ve got…blankets! Thick, warm blankets.

“Oh, the wonders never cease!” Toby gasps, holding up a bar of soap like a precious gem. “We can finally bid farewell to our new forest fragrance. Oh, and toothbrushes too! Now we can argue with minty fresh breath.”