Page 134 of When The Night Falls

‘You’d regret it,’ he said self-assuredly. God, he really knew how to stir my temper. ‘If you give me a kiss, I’ll share.’

‘That’s blackmail.’

He snorted. ‘It isn’t. It’s bargaining.’

I folded my arms and realised suddenly that I didn’t have to stay here. I could sleep in Jason’s bed, or on the sofa.

I had crawled halfway over William’s large body when he suddenly freed his arms and wrapped them around me. ‘Where are you going?’

‘Out!’

‘Why?’

‘To sleep on the sofa!’

‘Don’t be ridiculous. Here.’ He rearranged the duvet so that it covered us both, hooked his strong arms around me, and pulled me toward his warm, naked chest.

Divided, I lay rigid against him, paralysed by my confusion. Part of me wanted to leave, another wanted to remain in exactly the same place.

‘Cara,’ he cooed and nuzzled his face in the crook of my neck. ‘Just sleep. You can kill me in the morning.’

‘I intend to.’

‘Then you should make good use of my heat while you still can,’ he said smugly and wrapped his leg over mine.

How had it come to this? This was not how I had anticipated my night would end.

‘You’re a bloody headache, but I do adore you,’ he purred and kissed the slope of my neck.

‘If I’m a headache, you’re a tumour.’

He shook with mirth. ‘That’s an original way of saying you can’t take your mind off me. I’m happy to know it’s mutual.’

I moaned. He had an unmatched ability to twist my words.

He squeezed me against him. ‘Drunk out of your mind, and still, you maintain your bravado. I take my hat off to you.’

Silence ensued. I was nearly asleep when he propped himself on his elbow beside me and leaned over my figure. As light as a feather, his fingers tucked my hair behind my ear. Then he lowered his lips to my cheek. He left a prolonged kiss there.

‘I’m not going to hurt you, Cara. You’ve nothing to be afraid of. If you give me a chance, I’ll take good care of you, I promise.’

Affection set my heart ablaze. I pressed my lips together, and it took some time until I was calm enough to reply.

‘I don’t want you to take care of me. I want to take care of myself.’

He hesitated. ‘Cara, I...This fear of commitment, it’s so extreme. Has someone hurt you? Is that why you’re like this? Please be honest – help me understand.’

I sighed. ‘No. You know I’ve never been in a relationship. They scare me.’

‘Why?’

‘The ownership,’ I said. ‘I can’t stand the idea of it. I want to be free. I want to be free to do exactly what I want, when I want, without having to show consideration to anybody else.’

He fell silent for some time. ‘I’ll wait for you, then.’

My chest throbbed. ‘What?’

‘I’ll wait till you’re ready. I can’t give you up – I just can’t.’

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