Page 56 of Flare
She looked up at him, surprise flashing in her eyes at his vehemence.
“No one should make you feel that way,” he continued, his voice low and serious.“Especially not your fucking mate.”
His bear pushed against his consciousness, wanting to comfort her, wanting to find Andrew and tear him apart for hurting her. Ward breathed deeply, fighting for control when he wanted to punch Andrew’s face in.
Emily toyed with her straw, swirling it through the ice cubes in her lemonade.“The worst part is, I didn’t even realize how bad it had gotten. I kept telling myself that if I tried hard enough, he’d go back to being the sweet guy I fell in love with.” She sighed.“My dad died when I was in kindergarten, and my mom never remarried. I haven’t exactly had any role models for what a healthy relationship should look like.”
Ward thought about his parents. Even after thirty years of marriage, they still looked at each other like love-struck teenagers.
“My parents have always treated each other like best friends who fell in love,” he said, smiling.“They don’t always agree—believe me, they can get into some pretty heated arguments—but they always respect each other, even when they’re mad. They listen to each other.” He reached out, almost touching Emily’s hand before thinking better of it and drawing back.“That’s what a good relationship between mates should be. A partnership.”
Emily nodded, watching the aborted movement of his hand with an expression he couldn’t read.
“You don’t have to be perfect, Emily,” Ward said softly.“Just keep being kind and open-minded.” He met her gaze, his bearpushing him to say more.“I hope… I hope I never make you feel you have to be perfect.”
“You don’t.” The corner of her mouth lifted in a half-smile.“With you, I don’t feel like I have to be anyone but myself.” She took another bite of her sandwich, chewing thoughtfully.“It’s nice. Scary, but nice.”
“Why scary?” Ward asked, confused.
“Because it matters more,” she said simply.“Being myself with someone who actually sees me… that matters in a way that being perfect for Andrew never did.”
The words hung between them, heavy with meaning.
Ward’s bear surged to the surface, urging him to claim her lips, to show her exactly how much she mattered to him. He leaned in slightly, drawn by an invisible force, by the softness in her eyes, by the faint scent of lilac lemonade on her breath.
Then he remembered how vulnerable she was right now, not just physically but emotionally.Don’t take advantage of her when she’s vulnerable.
Ward forced himself to lean back, clearing his throat.“Emily, I—”
She blinked, and he saw the flicker of hurt cross her face before she covered it with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. She gathered up her napkin and sandwich wrapper.“I should probably get back to the festival. Maggie warned me about the afternoon rush.”
Ward cursed himself silently. He’d been trying to do the right thing, to not pressure her when she was trusting him to protect her, not seduce her. But he’d ended up hurting her instead.
“I’ll walk you back,” he said, standing quickly.“Just let me wash up.”
He crossed to the utility sink in the corner and rinsed his hands, watching from the corner of his eye as Emily collected their trash and placed it in the bin. Her shoulders were tense; her movements were brisk and efficient.
As they stepped outside into the autumn sunshine, Ward gently touched her elbow.“Emily?”
She looked up at him, squinting slightly against the light.
“I’m sorry if I—”
“Don’t apologize,” she interrupted.“You did nothing wrong.” She hesitated, then added softly,“You make me feel safe, Ward. After everything with Andrew, that’s… that’s more important than you know.”
His bear rumbled with pleasure at her words, and Ward allowed himself a small smile. He might have mis-stepped, but he hadn’t ruined everything. And right now, making Emily feel safe mattered most.
She’d told him she needed time. He’d give her all the time she needed.
“Come on,” he said, heading to the workshop door.“Let’s get you back to Maggie before she sends out a search party.”
Emily smiled, a genuine smile this time, and fell into step beside him. Their hands occasionally brushed as they walked, and each time, Ward felt that jolt of connection.
∞∞∞
Two hours later
“Hey, Em, we’ve got a line forming for coffee,” Violet called as Emily emerged from Cinnamon + Sugar with a fresh tray of lavender shortbread cookies.“Mind manning the register while I brew?”
