The luxury of drifting slowly awake was something he had forfeited years before. He had had to perfect the ability to sleep quickly and lightly and to awake just as quickly, ready to function. It was a habit he looked forward to breaking without really believing he ever would.He saw from the slant of the sun that it was still early, but he shifted his gaze to check the mantel clock nonetheless. Just past seven. The four hours' rest had done all it needed to do.Turning his head, he looked down at Jessica. The pale blue smudges under her eyes made him frown. Though by his calculations she had slept nearly eight hours, the smudges were deeper than they had been the day before.Today he'd make certain she rested more--if he had to slip a sleeping pill into her coffee. And ate something--if he had to force-feed her. He could all but feel the pounds slipping off her.Though he barely shifted the mattress as he moved away from her, her hand tightened on his arm. Her eyes flew open. "Get some more sleep," he ordered, touching his lips to hers."What time is it?" Her voice was husky and thick, but her hand stayed firm on his arm."Early."Jessica relaxed, muscle by muscle, but didn't release him.
