“You should rest,” I say again, quieter this time.
“I am,” she murmurs.
I huff a breath.
“That’s not resting.”
She tilts her head just enough to look at me.
“Feels like it.”
God.
She has no idea what she does to me.
Or maybe she does.
And that’s worse.
I study her for a second—really study her.
The strength.
The control.
The fire she carries like it’s part of her bones.
And underneath all of it—
Something softer.
Something she doesn’t let anyone see.
Except…
She’s letting me.
“Why me?” I ask before I can stop myself.
Her brow furrows slightly. “What?”
“This,” I say, gesturing between us. “You don’t do this. Not like this.”
She watches me for a long second.
Like she’s deciding how much to give.
How much to risk.
“You followed me into a kill zone without hesitation,” she says quietly.
“That’s your reasoning?”
“It’s part of it.”
I shake my head slightly. “That’s not enough.”
“No,” she agrees softly. “It’s not.”
