Chapter 6
The Weight of Your Body Against Mine
The mist in the Virginia woods was nothing like the stuff of fairy tales; it was a damp shroud that clung to the skin, making every breath a struggle. For Esperanza, the world had narrowed down to two things: the dull thud of her own heart and the searing heat of Silas Thorne’s body leaning against her shoulder.
Every step was a battle against gravity and against the pain of a man who, by all medical logic, should have been unconscious. But Silas was not a logical man. He was a force of nature contained in a vessel of strained muscle and scars.
"You’re... trembling," Silas whispered. His breath brushed against Esperanza’s ear, sending an electric jolt through her that made her falter for a second.
"It’s the cold," she lied, though sh
