His voice was low, guttural and unwavering.
The anger slipped away as fast as it came, as if it had been all that was holding me up.
“I don’t understand,” I whispered. “Why do you resist?”
Silence gripped the air, feeding it to the flames and leaving us to choke on the smoke until finally—“I have been keeping something from you.”
His voice was oddly calm. I crossed my arms against my chest.
“What are you talking about?”
Blake was rigid and barely breathing. What was making him so uncomfortable? He almost looked—I paused, realization striking hard as I recognized the burdensome feeling I still carried.
“Is this guilt? You’ve kept something from me and you feel guilty about it?” I asked, a tone of incredulity invading my words.
Blake was motionless and every second that passed stirred more dread within me. I had no idea what he was hiding but I was sure of one thing: it changed nothing.
I moved toward him, hating this distance, but stopped short a few paces away.
“Would it make me walk away from you right now?” I asked, unsure how far to press him.
I didn’t want him to shut down.
Blake stared into the fire. “It should.”
I took another step. “Then I don’t want to know. At least not tonight.”
Blake stood unmoving for so long that my heart started pounding as I waited for him to do something—anything.
Finally, he turned, his tall frame silhouetted by the firelight, leaving the rest of him in shadow. He neared me, his fingers tracing the line of my jaw, sending a searing fire through me that burned a trail in its wake.
“You would let me have you, knowing I am keeping something from you that you will hate me for?” he murmured.
His presence surrounded me.
It was illogical. It was careless, even dangerous. But Blake took responsibility far beyond what he should have. Whatever he’d done, I wasn’t convinced it would make me hate him. But if it did?
I didn’t want to know. Not now. Not when this yearning was consuming me. Not when I had the chance to stifle this need. My attraction to him was only part of it. Everything within me felt in balance when I was near him and the closer I was, the more complete I became.
I wanted to be close to him, no matter the cost, even if it was the truth.
I rested my trembling hand against his chest.
“Answer the question. Why me?” Blake asked, his voice low.
A breath escaped my lips.
Why did it sound like there was a hint of disbelief in his tone? Did he not know? I searched his eyes, unsure what I was looking for, when I felt it—turmoil.
It struck like an arrow to my heart. I touched his face, the trembling worse now. I cursed my nerves for taking over, willing my everi to still my traitorous limb.
“I’ve never felt safer with anyone than I do when I’m with you,” I whispered.
Blake’s expression faltered, his brow pinched as he watched me.
“But it is a lie, Anna,” he said.
I smiled.
