Tynan sat on the edge of the bed, placing his elbows on his knees. He raked his hair, and not for the first time, I got lost in the way he made me feel, like I could look at him forever. Everything about him was alluring, captivating and so familiar. Finally his dark eyes moved to my face.
“How do you feel?” I asked. He only shook his head. “What’s on your mind?” I pressed my back against the door.
“I’m not any good at this,” he said after a long pause.
The sound of his voice was a warm, soothing embrace for my frayed nerves. My shoulders relaxed, but then the meaning of his words penetrated my exhausted mind.
“What are you saying?”
“I’m not good at talking about my feelings.”
I nodded, meeting his gaze. For a moment I got distracted by his endlessly beautiful eyes, the turn of his jaw, the voice that sent shivers down my spine. He did not even need to try. My body, my mind, my soul, found him irresistible no matter what he did.
“Just tell me what you’re thinking.”
“I can’t believe that you risked yourself to save me.” He exhaled.
There was so much behind that simple sentence: pain, anxiety, frustration, fear.
“Nothing bad happened.”
“This is not a game.”
“I know.”
“No woman has ever addressed the heads of multiple clans. They could have executed you on the spot for being disrespectful.” His eyes locked on mine.
“Everything turned?—”
“You’re not listening! I can’t...” He raked his hair.
Slowly, I walked toward the bed, stopping right beside him. My thigh grazed the side of his knee. Tynan lifted his head, his stunning umber eyes met mine, and there was so much he left unsaid in them. Love, fear, and vulnerability. Suddenly, all my concerns lost their value. All the countless hours I spent going through numerous scenarios, trying to find a way to save him, just disappeared.
What is for you, will not go by you.
The answer was right in front of me, clear and simple. Tynan belonged to me; every inch of his skin, his muscles, his bones. There was no love that could compare to this one, and finally our future did not scare me any longer. In this new knowledge, I found freedom and peace. I carefully touched his cheek, brushing my fingertips against the light stubble on his skin. His jaw worked, and his eyes burned into mine with a new, rough, powerful feeling. The force of our connection coursed through my veins, bonding us on every possible level.
“I’m sorry I made you worry,” I whispered.
I ran my fingers through his hair, pulling on it slightly. In the bright morning light, it appeared almost auburn. Only then I realized that his breathing calmed, the lines of his eyebrows softened. He was watching me intently.
“Can you promise me to never do that again?” Tynan continued.
I bit my lip, avoiding his gaze. The truth was, I would do exactly that as many times as I had to.
He did not move, did not say a word, but somehow I felt that he already knew my answer.
“Would you like to bathe and get some food?” I asked.
I could feel him closing up, creating a barrier between us, but I was too fatigued to continue fighting him. Now that both of us were safe, I could no longer ignore the sleepless nights and the deep, overwhelming pressure that my body experienced for days on end. I simply had no energy left. There was nothing more I could give.
“I’m going to call my maid.” I stepped away.
“No need.” He got up, towering over me.
I looked up at him, basking in his calm, authoritative presence, his power, his strength. I could give up control. I did not have to be strong, unbreakable.
When the door behind him closed, I dropped in the chair too exhausted to feel anything.
