Page 117 of Until the Stars Fall

I had been cured of my childhood infatuation.

But how would I get over the cure, especially when he held me so tenderly and touched me like he might feel more than mere obligation toward me?

Reluctantly, I freed my hand from between us and rested it atop Connor’s. As tears threatened to surface, I closed my eyes and retreated slightly, whispering, “We shouldn’t complicate this, Wolfie.”

CHAPTER 57

Connor

I froze beside Lieke, not knowing whether to roll away from her or argue that it was too late to avoid complications.

Stars, what the fuck was I doing?

Lieke was right. I’d been the one to insist on maintaining boundaries, and I’d nearly barreled through them tonight. Had I misunderstood her question? Her movements? Was I simply hearing what I wanted to hear from her?

Clearing my throat, I started to pull my hand away, but she curled her fingers around mine and shook her head. My head spun. What did this woman want from me? What didIwant?

“Don’t leave,” Lieke whispered into my chest, and my heart splintered as I realized she didn’t want me, but she needed me all the same.

“You were right though,” I said. “I shouldn’t have—”

“It’s okay,” she muttered, removing her hand from mine and tucking it between us. Her voice was barely audible when she asked, “Can you just hold me?”

Drawing in a calming breath, I dropped my lips to her forehead and kissed her gently before saying, “Of course I can. Can’t have you freezing to death. Mrs. Bishop would have my head if I let that happen.”

Light laughter was her only response as she nestled her face into my chest, taking care to keep space between our hips. Slowly, I dropped my hand to her back and nudged her to me. She turned her head, but before she could protest or mock me, I sighed. “You can’t ride your horse with frozen legs. Let me keep you warm. Unless you can’t control yourself, Sapphire.”

“I can if you can,” she murmured.

Those words cycled around in my mind for hours after she’d drifted off in my arms.

Could I control myself with her? Did I want to?

What I wanted didn’t matter though.

I had to.

We packed up our camp in silence and set off again. The trail soon became wide enough that we were able to ride beside each other.

“Can I ask you something?” she said, peering inquisitively at me.

My mind whisked me back to her question last night, and I hoped she wasn’t about to broach the topic of what had nearly happened—what washappening—between us. I only hummed in response, urging her to continue. When I didn’t respond, she returned her attention to the path ahead, staring at Evan’s back.

“When someone finds their mate, are they forced to be together? I mean, do they have any say in the matter?”

I flinched slightly. This might not have been the question I was dreading, but it made me uneasy all the same. What was she really wanting to know? What difference did the answer make? Was she hoping to find her own mate someday?

Pushing past my discomfort, I asked, “Why the obsession with mates?”

She merely shrugged, answering casually, “Why not? It’s fascinating.”

“No,” I said, and I cringed at the obvious sadness in my tone. “They don’t have to choose each other, but…”

Images of my parents interrupted my thoughts, and I remained silent for a long while as I recalled all the happy moments they had shared—and how her death had shattered my father’s heart and spirit.

“But what?” Lieke asked, and I blinked away the memories.

“Once the bond is set, it’s nearly impossible to resist. To be away from one’s mate is said to be anguish. I believe it’s why my father is so angry, like the rage protects him from the agony of losing my mother.”

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