His Every Word by Kelly Favor Page A

asked him.
    He coughed. “Not too bad.”
    “It sounds kind of…like there’s a bit of stuff in there.”
    He shrugged and coughed again. “I’ve been feeling up and down all day. Maybe I just need some more drugs so I can go to sleep.”
    She watched him anxiously.
    After about fifteen minutes, the nurse came back with Dr. Forrest in tow. The older man walked into the room slowly, gingerly, and it was obvious his leg was bothering him. “Kallie, good to see you,” he said.
    “Hi, Doctor Forrest.”
    “I hear that Hunter has a bit of a fever,” he said, approaching Hunter’s bed and starting to examine him, feeling his jawline, looking at his eyes and ears. “Stick out your tongue.” He checked his throat.
    Next, he took his stethoscope and asked Hunter to take a series of breaths while he listened to his lungs. After doing that, he assessed Hunter’s dressing over his wound, and seemed to be looking for signs of infection.
    When he was finished, Dr. Forrest smiled at Kallie reassuringly. “I think he had a slight fever and it’s breaking now,” he said.
    “Are you sure?”
    “I think so. His temperature is mild, and the way he’s sweating makes me believe that the fever is actually breaking right now. Do you have any chills, Hunter?”
    Hunter shook his head. “No, I’m feeling kind of hot, actually.”
    “What about his lungs?” Kallie asked. “His breathing sounds clogged or something.”
    “I didn’t hear anything problematic just now,” Dr. Forrest said. “I think more than anything, he needs rest. He appears lucid and very aware of his surroundings. I think he’s continuing to make a strong recovery, and we’ll of course continue to watch him closely.”
    Kallie nodded and tried to smile. She wanted to be relieved, and yet something inside her continued to protest.
    Maybe I’m just not used to seeing someone recover from such a major injury, she thought. Hunter’s been through hell, and I shouldn’t expect him to look like a golden god just yet.
    Dr. Forrest spoke in private to the nurse, and they pushed some more medicine through Hunter’s IV.
    After they left, Hunter was calm, his breathing more relaxed, and some of the high color had gone from his cheeks.
    “You’ve saved me,” he said to Kallie out of nowhere.
    “I think you have it the wrong way around,” she said.
    “No,” he shook his head. “You saved me because you showed me what real love is. I’ve never felt anything like it before.” He turned his head to her and smiled. “My beautiful Kallie.”
    She felt a wave of strong emotion surge through her. “I just want you to heal,”
    she said.
    “I’m already doing better. Talking to you today was the best medicine.”
    “I hope so.”
    “It’s true. I feel like nothing can touch me now.” His eyelids drooped slightly.
    “I’m going to sit here with you for awhile,” Kallie said.
    “No.” Hunter’s eyes were hardly open, but his voice was firm. “You need to deal with the business now. Check on Bryson and Max Weisman and everything else.”
    “The movie can wait until tomorrow, at least. I want to be here with you.”
    “Kallie, listen to me. The movie can’t wait. We have people who depend on us.
    I’m going to sleep now—there’s nothing left for you to do here.”
    “I’m worried about you.”
    He sighed. His eyes closed. “Nothing to worry about, beautiful. Nothing at all.”
    “Hunter, I love you so much.”
    He smiled, but his eyes didn’t open. Soon, he was snoring softly.
    After some time, Kallie realized that he wasn’t going to wake up anytime soon.
    He looked peaceful and some of her concern had dissipated. She got on her cell and called Bryson, just a Hunter had asked her to.
    “Kallie?” Bryson’s voice, deep and warm, immediately soothed her frayed nerves.
    “I got your voicemail. I’m sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner,” she said.
    “You’ve got to be kidding me. You’ve just been through an absolute