“I’m sorry,” Archer whispered again. He draped a blanket over Iris’s body, pressed a gentle kiss to the crown of her head, and held her tightly.
“You can hit me if you’re angry,” he said.
At last, Iris turned to face him and struck his chest several times while crying. “This is the first and the last for us!” she shouted hoarsely.
Archer merely nodded, though the nod didn’t look entirely serious. It was as if he only wanted to calm Iris down, as though somewhere inside he believed he might still do it again someday.
“I’m serious!” Iris snapped again, then coughed. Her throat burned and ached.
Archer immediately grabbed a bottle of mineral water and opened it for her. “Drink.”
Iris took the bottle and drank quickly. After a few gulps, she shoved it back at Archer. Without saying anyth
