Obedience

Emma Hart dodged the cup of water as if it were her sworn enemy.

"Ahem..." Emma started coughing violently, dehydrated and feverish.

This woman... even with a fever, she's still being stubborn!

Getting increasingly frustrated, Damien Sterling pulled Emma into his arms, propping her up. He steadied her chin with his left hand, and with his thumb and forefinger, shaped her mouth into an "O." Slowly, he poured the water into her mouth with his right hand.

Fortunately, Emma silently swallowed the water.

Seeing her finally drink, Damien felt a bit more at ease. He fetched a few cans of non-chilled beer from the first-floor bar—Emma's secret stash. He poured them into a small basin from the bathroom, soaked a towel in the beer, wrung it out until it was damp, and gently wiped down Emma's body.