His question stuns me. "Really?"
"Really, really. Who in your life would you say you love?"
"I don't know...Lou, Iris, my parents."
His hands skim down my arms slowly, causing my skin to pebble. When they reach the seat of the chair where my wrists are bound, he grabs it and tugs me closer to him.
"Do you love Fia?"
"What—" What is with these questions?
"Do you love Fia?" he asks more assertively.
"I don't know. I haven't thought about it."
"Well, think about it. Or better yet,don'tthink about it. What's your gut instinct telling you? Do you care about her?”
"Of course I do."
“Do you feel happier when you're around her?"
"I guess so."
"Would you do anything to protect her?"
"Yes?"
"So do you love her?"
"Yeah, sure, I love her." Fia and I have said those three words to each other as we leave the house or head to bed, but they didn't carry enough weight for me to think much of it. Things between Fia and me have always been casual.
"Good." He runs his hands up my thighs again, this time staying on the inside and stopping mere inches away from my center that aches for his touch. "Do you love her like you loved Harlen or like you love Iris?"
I blow out air through my nose, annoyed with his questions already. "Neither. Or...both, I guess?"
"So, you are capable of loving someone other than friends and family?"
"It's different."
"I know. But just because you love her differently than you love others doesn't make it any less valid."
"Sure."
"Then why aren't you letting yourself feel that for me?"
The air feels thick when I pause to think about it. Seconds tick by, and my heart is racing in double time.
“Where’s my reward for the last question?”
He gives me a single nod before leaning forward and brushing the hair off my shoulder. He sucks hard on the sensitive skin at the base of my neck, and I can’t help the moan that escapes my lips.
"Come on, Blake, it's not that hard of a question,” he mutters against my skin.
"It is!" I recoil at my own outburst.
That has him leaning away from me, exactly when Idon’twant him to.
I look up at the ceiling as if I can see if I just woke Clover up or not. "It's different," I whisper this time.
