Master of his heart (Max and Brielle)

The doctor delivered the news with a tone that brooked no argument. "If you've made up your mind, you need to get the surgery done as soon as possible."

Max couldn't trust the small-town hospital with Brielle's surgery; he was determined to get her back to Beaconsfield.

But Brielle had come here for a different reason-to find Dustin.

Massaging his temples, Max walked back into the hospital room. Brielle was sitting up in bed, her face pale and tired from the journey. Seeing Max seemed to lift her spirits a bit.

Max took her hand and kissed it gently. "Patrick's out looking for Dustin. I'm taking you back to Beaconsfield. Your health is the priority."

To reassure her, he called Patrick for an update.

Patrick's news wasn't great-Dustin and Emma still hadn't returned. They were likely caught up in some trouble and might have to spend the night in town. Patrick felt it would be a waste of time to go after them and risk missing them, so he decided to wait at Emma's place.

Besides, Emma's mother was seriously ill at home, barely able to move. Emma had left food and water within reach before going to sell herbs. Under the bed was a chamber pot Emma emptied every couple of days. Given her mother's condition, Emma wouldn't stay away for more than two days.

Emma sometimes spent nights in the mountains gathering herbs. This time, Dustin had insisted on accompanying her to town despite his injuries, hoping a change of scenery might help his memory. Her electric scooter could carry one more person, so she agreed. Now, both of them and the scooter were stuck at the bottom of a five-meter-deep pit-a wild boar trap made slippery by recent rain.

When Dustin fell, the scooter landed on him. Now he sat quietly to one side, eyes closed. Emma had tried countless ways to climb out, even piling up soil to give herself a boost.

Dustin was shivering with fever. Emma regretted not insisting he stay home. She took off her own clothes to cover him, hoping to keep him warm.

In his delirium, Dustin's eyes fluttered open, memories flooding back to him.

He coughed and pulled Emma into his arms.

She could feel the heat radiating from him. "Rest a bit," she urged. "I'm almost there."

The mound of dirt was over a meter high now. With a little more effort, she could climb out, but getting Dustin out without help would be tough.

Leaning against the pit wall, Dustin's

mind was bombarded with

memories, causing a throbbing pain in his head. Sweat beaded on his forehead and cheeks.

Emma wiped her hands and held him close. "Dustin?"

Even in his weakened state, his face was strikingly handsome. He pulled Emma tight against him. She intended to resist but froze as his burning hands found her waist.

"Cold," Dustin murmured, seeking warmth.

In matters of intimacy, Dustin had a natural gift, and their entwined sweat seemed to soothe him.

Emma blinked, sighed, and stopped resisting.

After a night spent in each other's arms, Emma woke at dawn to find Dustin's fever had broken, though his lips were pale. Resuming her task with the dirt, she finally climbed out of the pit. Scanning the

ove

surroundings, she decided to fetch some water and look for wild berries-Dustin needed something to eat.