Mason Bennett sat up, pulled out the needle, and tossed it aside.
He lifted the blanket, got out of bed, and gently picked up Bella Green.
Before he could steady himself, Mason felt a blur in his vision, lost his balance, and fell onto the soft bed with the girl in his arms.
The man reacted quickly, reversing their positions to protect Bella underneath him.
Her frail body pressed against him as if weightless, and the faint fragrance at his nose made Mason pause.
This little commotion gradually brought Bella Green to wakefulness, her sweet dreams interrupted. The girl frowned, mumbling something incoherent.
She opened her sleepy eyes, looking at the extraordinarily handsome face in front of her, and furrowed her brows.
"Mason Bennett."
That hoarse voice carried a soft sweetness, which inexplicably tightened Mason's throat, his gaze on Bella's eyes deepening.
"Hmm?"
Bella pouted, looking aggrieved: "Why is your bed so hard?"
