Oh, that gentle, gentle voice.
"But humor me on this, please."
That gentleness of his is making it so much harder to not lose my mind.
Don't speak.
I find myself frantically saying these words over and over as we step inside the elevator.
Don't think.
The elevator doors open to his penthouse, and Kaz steps out first.
"Katherine?"
Just don't.
And for one crazy moment, I'm so, so tempted to just slam my hand on the Close button, get myself to the lobby, and then run.
I'll just run and run and run until there's no way for the truth to catch up, and I can learn to pretend I never knew the truth—
I think he was pressured.
"Is something wrong?"
And that's when I feel it.
His fingers curling around my wrist, and the warmth and gentleness of his touch sweet and familiar, and I think...that's what breaks me. That he's warm and gentle like always, but this time, oh God—
This time, I can no longer be selfish.
Can no longer let myself be an idiot forever.
And so the moment he touches me—
The moment he turns me around to face him, the words come tumbling out—
"W-When did you fall in love with me, Dr. Collington?"
It shocks the both of us when I end up calling him that, and I can see his gaze narrowing, his genius mind starting to put things together—
"Katherine."
And there you go.
His voice. No longer gentle. No longer...composed. His voice is hoarse, and that's when things stop falling apart, and things start coming to an end, and I just...I can't bear it.
I'm yanking my wrist out of his hold, and I'm backing away from him because I need space, I need distance—
"I...l-leapt to the wrong conclusion, didn't I?"
Now that I'm about to set both of us free with the truth.
"That's why this whole time, you...you looked as if you've been hiding something from me."
Dr. Collington, he's still gorgeous.
"Because the truth is—"
