Copyright © SHERRI L. KING, 2005.

All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.

Two days until Christmas

Terra awoke with a start as her lights came on. Daylight was already growing outside and snowbirds were twittering outside the windows. Unbelievably, considering how uncomfortable her pallet had been, she had slept the whole night through without once waking.

She glanced at the couch and gasped as memories of the night before bombarded her. Letting out a sigh of relief to see that the man was still breathing, she approached him on quiet feet. First things first, she needed to check and see if he was still all right. She looked him over--determined not to lower the blanket to see his glorious nudity as she so longed to do. His hair had dried to soft, brown waves, interspersed with bright gold strands. But for the gauze on his head, there was no way to tell he'd been through so much in the past twenty-four hours. He was, simply put, lovely.

Curiosity got the better of her, despite her resolve. She shifted silently and lifted the blanket. Afraid that he might have suffered frostbite--something she hadn't thought to look for the night before--she examined him closely, growing breathless at the sight of his sleeping member. She checked his toes and legs, trying to ignore that most masculine part of him, and realized with a start that something was different.

His bruise was gone.

The big, black and green bruise that had marred his right leg was no more.

Terra stared in fascination at the smooth, unblemished flesh of his leg. How had he healed so fast? She knew she hadn't imagined the