She''d skied like this plenty of times before and never once caught a cold.


    Hull quickly swept her up in his arms and carried her back to their room. He tucked her under theforter, cocooning her in warmth. Susanna''s face was burning with fever now, cheeks turning a rosy red.


    "You''re not feeling well?” Hull asked, concern creasing his brow.


    "My head hurts," she murmured. The wind outside had left her temples pounding.


    Hull sighed. "I shouldn''t have let you go out there." He never would have guessed she was as delicate as if she were made of ss.


    Shivering, Susanna buried herself in the nket, leaving only her small, pale face peeking out. Under Hull''s gentle reproach, she gazed up at him with wide, woeful eyes. He couldn''t help but reach over and ruffle her hair, a rare softness in his touch.


    He turned away and called the front desk, asking for anything they had for colds.


    It wasn''t long before a staff member delivered a small packet of dissolvable medicine. Hull mixed it quickly in a mug of warm water and hurried to her side, only to find her cheeks flushed even brighter.


    "Come on, sit up and drink your medicine."


    Susanna blinked blearily, looking up at Hull with the helplessness of a small animal. "I''m cold," she whined softly.


    The sight tugged at something deep inside him. Hull sat down on the bed and pulled her-nkets and all-into his arms, letting her lean against his chest for warmth.


    “Shh, it''s all right. Take your medicine first." His tone was gentle, something he hadn''t known he was capable of.


    Hull had never expected to find himself in a moment like this. The memories of family and warmth had gone up in mes the night his home was destroyed, erased in the terrible ze that imed everything. Since then, his world had been all darkness, surviving in the shadows among vermin and ghosts of the past.


    Never, not once, had he imagined someone might one day need him like this— might rely on him to care for them.


    Susanna took a tiny sip of the medicine and gagged. "Ugh... That''s disgusting!" The concoction was truly foul. After that first taste, she stubbornly refused to swallow another drop. But her fever was climbing-she needed to take it.


    Hull coaxed her patiently. "Come on, take your medicine. You have to.”


    Susanna wrinkled her nose and turned her face away. "No. It''s too bitter." The bitter, menthol scent made her retch a little.


    She wriggled restlessly in hisp, and Hull''s expression darkened. He set the cup aside and tightened his arms gently around her.


    "Stop moving," he growled, voice turning rough and low.


    If she kept it up, he really might lose control.


    The deep, chastising tone made Susanna freeze, stunned by this rare note of steel. She peeked up at him—tearful, fever-bright eyes brimming with silentint.


    Hull''s walls were starting to crumble, a strange protective instinct overriding his usual detachment.


    "You have to take your medicine, sweetheart. Please."


    Hull was hardly the type to coddle anyone, let alone know how tofort a girl But for Susanna, found himself putting all the gentleness he had into his voice, trying his best.


    It was a battle that dragged on-sip by grudging sip-until, finally, Susanna managed to finish the cup. What should have taken a minute stretched into half an hour each mouthf drama. If it had been anyone else, Hull would have lost his patience long ago-probably barked at them to get it over with and walked away.


    But he wasn''t incapable of gentleness. He''d just never found someone worth giving it to before Now even when she made a fuss, hefound himself wanting to coax her through it-no matter how long it took.


    When thest drop was gone, Susanna whimpered, "It''s so bitter. I want an orange."


    She looked up at him, voice small and pleading.


    "An orange?” Hull repeated, almost amused despite himself.