Page 74 of Can't Fight the Moonlight

"Are you just worrying about me? Or also yourself?"

"Both. I have to admit you've turned my very well-controlled life upside down. I've been off-balance since the first moment we met. You have gotten under my skin in a way that no one else has."

She liked that. "It goes both ways, you know. I wasn't expecting anything like this." She licked her lips, choosing her next words carefully. "I realized tonight that I didn't want to miss out on something great just because it had an end date. Patty said that life is made up of moments, and she didn't regret falling for Noah, because the time they'd spent together had woken her back up. He'd made her feel alive again. I started thinking that you kind of woke me up, too. I didn't want to miss our moment. We have some time before Sunday. We should enjoy it."

"That sounds good to me," he said with a warm smile.

"I'm glad. So, are you a snuggler, or are you counting the seconds right now as to when you can make a quick exit?"

"If I'd had to answer that question yesterday, I'd have said I'm not a snuggler, as you call it. But right now, I have no intention of letting you go any time soon. This feels too good."

"Agreed, and I'm okay with that."

"You better be, because it's happening."

Even though she liked to be in charge as much as Justin did, it was nice to have him call the shots. She'd felt so overwhelmed with decisions lately that not having to make one more felt great. "Good," she said. "I like to snuggle. I also like to talk."

"That's no surprise. You've been talking since we met. But since we're in bed together, are we going to talk dirty?" he asked with a hopeful expression.

She laughed. "Maybe later, but I was thinking maybe we talk…secrets." She could feel him stiffen, and she almost regretted her suggestion, but then her curiosity took over. And she remembered Patty telling her to push a little. "You shut down every time I get close to your personal life. What don't I know about you, Justin?"

"A lot."

"Can you tell me anything?" Silence followed her question, and she could see the conflict in his gaze. "When we were talking earlier about your friend who died, the one who inspired your company, I got the feeling there was more to that story."

"I don't talk about Sean."

"Sean? Wait? Isn't that your brother?" she asked in confusion. "Was he the inspiration for the company?" More facts slid into place. "Sean is dead?"

He let out a breath. "Yes."

She had not been expecting anything as tragic as the loss of a sibling. "I'm sorry. I didn't know. Marie and Ben never said anything about your brother or his death."

"No. They just told you there were tensions in the family."

"That was really an understatement, wasn't it?"

"Big-time. But that's the way my family is. They like to sweep things under the rug."

"I'm surprised you let them. You're very direct."

"Now I am—probably because of the way I grew up." He paused, his gaze reflective, as he stroked her arm.

"You don't have to talk if you don't want to."

"I want to tell you about Sean, Lizzie. I just don't know where to start. Or if I should start. I've been holding him behind a big wall, a dam, you might say. If I pull a brick out, the whole thing might collapse. It's a huge risk."

She was touched by his emotional words. They hadn't come easy for him. She was beginning to understand why he'd built a robot company. He'd surrounded himself with objects that could never die, never cause him pain, and he could never hurt them. There was more than pain in his eyes; there was also guilt. She wanted to know so much more, but it had to be on Justin's terms. She didn't want to push him into revealing something he wasn't ready to share.

"We don't have to do this, Justin. You don't have to say anything. You don't owe me your confidences. I just want to know you as much as I can. But that's because I'm rather fascinated by you."

His expression lightened. "Even though I'm leaving?"

"I've accepted that your departure is going to sting no matter what else we say or do, but I'm not going to regret being with you. I know that."

"Good." He paused once more, then said, "Let's see how far I can get." He drew in a breath and blew it out. "I told you that Sean was my half brother, my mom's son."

"Yes. And he was a lot older than you, but you were close."

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