“You’re affected?—”
“I know.”
“You’re compromised?—”
“Iknow, Kaelion.”
We both go silent. He studies my features, my expression…like he can figure out where the artificial attraction begins and ends.
I wish I knew myself.
But I don’t. All I know is that I want him to keep touching me.
“It doesn’t have to mean anything,” I offer. “I’m not…it’s not like that. I just need to get off and?—”
He frowns. I’m making this worse.
“Unfortunately, this already means something,” he starts. “Lyn, I?—”
His comm chimes, and he looks down at his wrist. He closes his eyes and his lips press into a thin line.
“I have to go,” he says. “I’m due to pick up Solvi.”
Right. His daughter, whoshouldbe his priority right now.
“I’m sorry,” I say as he rolls his shoulders. “This isn’t…I feel like I said all the wrong things?—”
“You did, but only because I’vedonethe wrong thing,” he says. He makes for his office, glancing back at me only once. “Take the electrodes off and spend the afternoon reviewing the data. We can learn something from this, at the very least.”
I nod, stunned silent.
The door to his office hisses open. He disappears inside just long enough to grab his satchel. When he emerges, he doesn’t look at me—not fully—but he pauses at the door.
“I will…be in touch,” he says, voice tight. “After dinner, maybe.”
“Okay,” I murmur. “Yeah. Sure.”
And then he’s gone.
I stay frozen in place for a moment, staring at the space where he was standing—like if I look long enough, he’ll reappear. Like I can rewind this whole sequence back to the part where I was still making stupid jokes and he was pretending not to be hard.
But we can’t go back. Not now. Not after that fucking obscene display…and not now that Iknowhe’s into it too.
Something is happening between us. Something irreversible.
And at this point…I’m not sure I want to erase it all, even if I could.
CHAPTER 17
KAELION
I sitat my kitchen table…and I amparalyzed.
Solvi and I got noodles again, then we returned to the apartment. She went to her room to draw—and promptly fell fast asleep. I just tucked her in, settled the house…and even got a break from Flicker, who’s been sleeping in Solvi’s room each night.
And I need to talk to Lyn.
I told her I would reach out—Ishouldreach out, because she’s undergoing a bizarre neurological event. I need to make sure she’s alright, at the very least. I need to ensure she’s not experiencing any pain, disorientation, emotional instability…
