As he slipped from her, she toppled to the side to face him, eyes still closed, panting slowly. She shivered as his heat left her fevered flesh, and his hand passed a hairsbreadth from her skin. There was nothing that bled on her back, though a few of the deeper scratches did part heal. At his invitation, her eyes opened, and fluttered, lids half closed as she gazed at him, eyes glazed with exhaustion and tears. She stared at him as a starving man would a buffet, her hand trembling within his larger one. She squeezed his hand back lightly, never wanting to let go.<br/><br/>Her tongue flicked out over her dry lips a he spoke again, half formed sentences. At that moment she hated how he burned like that. She wanted closeness so badly. It felt as if there was a hook in her chest, attached to him. Whenever he strayed too far, she hurt. Right now, she was already too far. She nodded to him, silently, not sure that if she vocalized any sense would come of it. Her thoughts were scrambled, what luck did her words have?<br/><br/>Her eyes closed with his, and she gasped, as emotions, an image of her plastered against the backdrop of closed eyes, and her hand tensed in his, squeezing hard in his grip. Her eyes prickled anew, and her body begged for his at her back, holding and protecting her. Buts he knew that was more dangerous than keeping her distance. She remembered two nights ago. The cold shock of water, the fevered unconsciousness. Her eyes opened s his lips found her fingers, and she stared at him, emotions swirling through her, how she yearned for his closeness, how much she wanted him, how she would want him forever, good, bad, and anything in between.<br/><br/>Her breathing slowly returned to normal, sweat still a sheen across her body, his heat keeping her from getting cold after release. Her eyes gazed into his, as she tried to send back to him, everything in her heart, the indescribable feeling of joy he gave her, how she could not ever imagine him far from her. Slowly, her eyes focused, and her heart slowed, and she managed to offer him a small smile, fighting the urge to curl up within the curve of his body, knowing if she did, he would hurt the same, wanting her, knowing he would be harming her. She squeezed his hand softly. "Go cool down, Roe," Her voice was gentle, and her yes honest. "I'll follow. Tell me when you're okay..." She knew he would go to the shower. She wouldn't be far behind. She couldn't stand being that far away from him, not now.