He sat behind me with his arms around me so he braced me up while he steered a very noisy four-wheeler through a forest of snow-covered pines. It had been a long time since I’d been snuggled up to a guy. Maybe. I should know that. Didn’t matter. I was happy, if a little woozy, right here between his thighs. Ha! My laugh sounded like a creaky floorboard. Sore throat. I touched my neck and remembered my hand.

He’d wrapped my hand in a scarf. I was supposed to keep hold of it so I’d stop bleeding. Hurt, though. Couldn’t remember how I’d cut it. He’d said it was a clean cut, at least. Maybe glass then?

“You still awake?”

I nodded and realized I leaned against him. He didn’t seem to care so I didn’t either. I was supposed to stay awake. There was a cut on my forehead. It was the reason for my headache, and he worried I might have a concussion. Stay awake.

Really hard to do since there was just snow and trees. A warm body to lean against. Pine and snow and darkness.

“Hey!”

I jerked and smacked at him. Bastard poked my ribs.

“Stay. Awake.”

“Trying,” I whispered, but I could barely hear myself.

“Do. There is no try.”

Weirdo.

I flinched when he suddenly wasn’t in front of me anymore and I was sliding sideways. I’d fallen asleep—passed out?—and missed arriving at a log cabin. I tried to look it over and nearly went down.

“Easy. Just lean on me.”

We got me up again, but my legs felt like jelly. Going up the stairs was tricky. He was turning out to be too short.

“Christ, you’re heavy.”

“No.” I wasn’t heavy. He was a pipsqueak.

He didn’t lock his door because he kicked it open. We stumbled across the threshold.

It was so warm, but I started shivering. Everything was gold and the firelight made his stubble sparkle. I smiled. Then he suddenly pushed me onto a bed. Little bastard.

“I need to get you warmed up as fast as I can. I don’t know if it’s hypothermia or shock that’s got you trembling, but warmth should help both.” He started unzipping my coat.

I frowned. Hey now, that’s warm and—

When I finished blinking, I found him scowling at me and tapping roughly at my cheeks. A little harder and that would be a smack.

“Dude, you have got to stay awake. You could have a concussion, and all I know about that is it’s fucking bad if you sleep or faint.” He got in my face. “Stay the hell awake.”

I nodded. Why was I so cold? I wrapped my arms around myself and discovered I wore only a t-shirt and boxer briefs. No wonder I was so damn cold. Probably ought to kick him, but my jeans were caught on my ankles and he was taking off my boots. Whatever.

“There,” he said and stood. He huffed a breath and swiped a hand over his face. “Hottest piece of ass I’ve ever had in my bed and he’s half dead from a goddamn plane crash.”

Yep, I knew I was hot stuff. Had to be in top shape. I hadn’t had a lot of appreciation for that in a long time, though. Most men couldn’t get past the… The…

A sudden surge of nausea swept over me. He must have seen it coming because he snatched me into a sitting position, bent over my knees. Again, nothing came up at all. Why did that keep happening?

“Take it easy, honey,” he whispered and sort of cuddled me for a second. He could’ve done it longer—that would’ve been nice—but he leaned me back onto the bed instead. “You’re all right. Just lay back. I’ll get your legs and tuck you in.”

I leaned back, letting him guide me and closed my eyes.

When I opened them again, he leaned over me, wiping my face with a warm, damp cloth. Soothing. Something soft and squishy was in my hand. When I flexed it, I realized he had bandaged it. Why? Oh, the cut. When he noticed I was looking at him, he smiled. He was getting handsome.

“I give up trying to make you stay awake. Hopefully, your body knows what it’s doing. You keep waking up on your own, so maybe it’s okay.” He gulped nervously. “I wish to hell my cell was working.”

He leaned back, and I watched him throw the wet cloth away. Probably into a sink since that sounded like silverware and dishes clattering around. And, oh hey, he was under the covers with me.

“Don’t get any ideas. It’s just to get you warm.”

I frowned on principle. He felt nice with his muscles and hairy chest, but still, I didn’t even know his name. I was warmer, though, and not shivering anymore. He could stay.

Then he lifted a square of gauze with tape all around the sides and aimed it at my head. Right, that cut on my forehead. He was careful about settling it in place and gently pressing it down.

“Good nurse,” I whispered hoarsely.

He grunted. “Maybe we can play doctor properly tomorrow.”

“Ravish.” I think I managed a wink.

He chuckled. “Soon as you feel up to it.”

He was a good man. “Thanks.”

I got a real, pleased smile before he laid his head down beside mine.