Page 149 of Sin City Lights

She gripped his forearm, wishing he would look at her. “You’ve been different. In bed and out of it. Why?”

He sucked in a deep breath and blew it out slowly.“I’ve been thinking about things.”

“What things?”

“The way I…” He paused, eyes searching as if trying to find the proper words.

He dragged a hand over his face.“Do you remember the first time?”

Did he think she could ever forget?

She nodded.

“I immobilized you and didn’t even let you touch me.”

“And?”

“And then I did some things that, in retrospect, don’t seem…right.”

She swallowed back a bubble of hysterical laughter. Was he serious?

“I grabbed and kissed you in the hallway at the Mile High. I cornered you in your apartment, backing you into that countertop. Twice.”

She tipped her head and gave him a little smile.“I remember something else that happened on that countertop.”

He didn’t seem to catch her stab at humor.“I ripped your—” He shook his head, jaw tensing with a hard swallow.

The panties. She’d taken that as his inability to control his desire for her.

Now, he was second-guessing everything.

He lowered his head.“I’ve been trying to be considerate.”

“Considerate?”

“Yes.” His voice was soft.

She shook her head in bewilderment.“You haven’t figured it out yet, have you?”

He raised his eyes to hers then, and she could clearly see the struggle in their blue depths.

“Every single thing you did, you did with my consent. From the very beginning. Remember?”

He nodded, his face somber, but he wasn’t entirely buying it; she could tell.

“Iwantedyour advances. Iwantedyou to do those things. If Ihadn’t, I would have said something. Or, I would have stopped you. Don’t treat me as if I’m made of glass, Adam. I didn’t break then, and I won’t break now.”

“Of course you didn’t. You’re one of the strongest people I’ve ever known. I just thought I had to be more—”

“I don’twantconsiderate, Adam! I want…”

I want you to love me.

The thought came out of nowhere, shocking her speechless.

Tears threatened, and she squeezed her eyes shut. No way would she humiliate herself and say that to him.

He caught her chin and tipped her face to meet his gaze. His eyes burned with an intensity she hadn’t seen in way too long.“Tell me what you were about to say.”

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