He leaned over me, and his luminous eyes held mine. “I’ll be back soon. Don’t be afraid.”

“I’m not.”

He ducked in and touched his lips to my forehead. No one was more surprised than I, though I heard Jared gasp quietly. My mouth hung open as Ian wheeled and nearly sprinted from the room.

I heard Doc pull a breath in through his teeth, like a backward whistle. “Well,” he said.

They both stared at me for a long moment. I was so tired and sore, I barely cared what they were thinking.