Page 60 of Shadow Bound

“I know,” I say softly. “Just pretend for now that everything is okay,”that there isn’t a stopwatch on whatever this is between us, “and go to sleep, Ransom.”

“One day you’re going to crawl into my arms and I’m not going to let you go,” Ransom warns.

“You’re wrong.” My heart hurts when I respond. “We’ll both have to let go.”

He sighs. “Tink…”

Placing my hand over the one that rests on my side, I squeeze it tightly. “Just go to sleep, Ransom.”

* * *

The soundof loud chewing wakes me up. Cracking my eyes open, I find Winslow standing over us, a bowl of cereal in one hand, a silver spoon in another. “I want to say I’m surprised, but I’m not.” She waves the piece of cutlery at us. “I saw this coming from a mile away.”

Ransom rolls onto his back, bringing me with him so my head rests on his peck. “Good morning, Winnie.”

“Mornin’,” she chirps. “While it might appear as if I’m running a bed and breakfast, I’m not. I won’t be bringing you lovebirds breakfast in bed on a cute tray. I also don’t cook, but I do however have cereal and milk waiting on the kitchen counter. Go wild.”

Pulling away from Ransom, I sit up, stretching my back. My body freezes when I feel Ransom’s hand slip under my shirt and run up my spine, his fingertips tracing my vertebrae. Heat pools in my core at his soft touch.

“Sounds good, thanks,” he tells her, yawning.

She turns to leave, but pauses at the door. “Oh and Isabeau? I could use your help with something. Do you mind meeting me out back in an hour?”

I slide my gaze to Ransom, who’s busy drawing circles on my back now. “I don’t know… I’ll have to ask mysupervisor.”

“Are you just going to be right outside?” he asks Winslow, but his eyes are pinned on me. The pain in my stomach is momentarily replaced by a fluttering feeling.

“Yup, you’ll be able to see us from the house.”

“Then that’s fine.”

I resist the impulse to roll my eyes. “Oh, I’m just so relieved you approve. What ever would I do if you didn’t?” I mock dramatic sincerity, even going as far as to clutch my chest.

His eyes heat as he looks up at me, but he stays quiet.

“Okay, sweet, I’ll see you outside Izzy.”

I wince at the nickname. “Can you—” I clear my throat. “Do you mind not calling me that? It’s what Alexandre called me and…”

Her two-toned eyes widen, and she blanches a little. “Shit, I’m sorry, I should have known.”

I brush off her apology. “How would you know? You barely met him.”

Winslow’s hand tightens on the spoon she holds, and she nods her head in a jerking movement. “Right. Yeah, you’re right. I won’t do it again.”

“Thank you.”

She slips out the door, closing it softly behind her.

Ransom’s finger traces over the thin lace of my thong at my hip, making shivers shoot across my body. I want to lean into his touch, but last night was a mistake. The space we’d put between us was obliterated when I had my moment of weakness and crawled into his arms.You need to be stronger than this. Steeling myself, I pull myself off the floor.

“It’s always one step forward, one step back with you,” he comments from his spot on the floor.

“Ransom…” I sigh. “We need to stop this before we can’t go back, before we’re too far gone. We’re already pushing it with what happened in the truck.”

I’m turned away from him, but I hear the rustling of blankets moving. “I saw the look on your face after it happened. You think it was a mistake and you regret it.” His hands grab my hips, his fingertips digging into my skin.

Not ready to look at him, I squeeze my eyes shut and try to stay still. “You don’t?”

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