Page 111 of Tame Me

“Thank you.” I accepted his compliment just as he’d taught me.

He smiled, and a sense of knowing crossed between us. Henry pushed a lock of hair behind my ear, and my heart wept at how sweet and tender it was.

My mind flicked to Aunty Ann and her sadness over losing the man she loved because she was too afraid to voice it. I looked into Henry’s beautiful blue eyes. A smile curled on his lips, and I knew he felt the same. “I love you.”

He stiffened.

My stomach twisted at the expression on his face, and I instantly wanted to retract what I’d said.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

A darkness crossed Henry’s eyes, and I wanted to die.

He squeezed his eyes shut, and I knew I’d blown it. I’m a fucking idiot.

“Oh, Jane, I’m so sorry. I should never have let it go this far.”

I pulled back from him. A lump solidified in my throat as I rolled to the side and went to push off the bed.

He grabbed my arm. “Jane, please let me speak.”

I sat rigid, my back to him, my chin dimpling as I fought the tears burning my eyes.

“What we have is beautiful. Special. But you’re confusing lust with love.”

I swallowed loudly. So loudly, I was certain he would’ve heard it.

“You don’t love me, Jane. You don’t know anything about me.”

I flicked a wayward tear away. “That’s not true. I feel you. I feel us. That’s what matters.”

“Not at my age, it doesn’t.”

I spun to look at him. “Your age has never been a problem.”

“Not for sex. No.” He lowered his hand to cover the back of mine and squeezed. “I’m in a different time of my life. I’m about to be a grandfather, for goodness sake. You, Jane, need to be with a man who wants to start a family with you.”

“What if I don’t want a family?” The words were half-hearted because I knew it wasn’t true. I did want children, but even more than that, I wanted a family.

“No. That’s not true.” Henry read my mind. “You’ve mentioned your friend’s kids enough times that I know how much you love children.”

I sucked in a shaky breath. “So, you don’t love me.” My dimpled chin made it nearly impossible to talk.

“Oh, I love you. I love you so much it hurts. Which is why I need to let you go. You need to find a man to spend the rest of your life with. A man who’ll give you a family. A man who you can grow old with.”

“I want to grow old with you.”

“Oh, Jane. You’re just beginning your life.” His voice had a velvet touch. “And I’m not going to get in the way of that.”

A sob released from my throat, and I twisted away from him.

“I never meant to hurt you.” He wriggled behind me and wrapped his arms around my shoulders. “I’m sorry . . . but this is what’s best for you.”

“You are what’s best for me.”

He sighed. “For now, maybe. But what about in ten years’ time, when you’re forty and you haven’t had children? You’ll look back with regret. I won’t do that to you.”

His speech was nearly identical to the one I’d said to Billy. I squeezed my eyes shut, forcing tears to trickle down my cheeks.

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