I woke to sunlight streaming through the high warehouse windows and Gabe’s steady breathing beneath my ear. We'd eventually moved to the small cot in the corner of the medical room, neither of us willing to be separated even for the drive home. I'd fallen asleep curled against his uninjured side, his arm wrapped protectively around me.
Now, in the harsh morning light, I could see the full extent of what last night had cost him. The bandage on his shoulder was stark white against his olive skin, and bruises I hadn't noticed before colored his ribs and jaw. But he was alive. We were both alive.
"Stop staring," he murmured, his eyes still closed. "I can feel you worrying."
"I'm not worrying. I'm... appreciating."
One eye cracked open, a hint of amusement in the dark depths. "Appreciating?
