Page 52 of Highball and Chain

“Shanna?” He turned me to face him. “What’s wrong?”

The complete one-eighty from growled lust to tenderness surprised me. I stared into his eyes dumbstruck. Who am I kidding? Sex or no sex. I’m in too deep to escape this in one piece.

“I’m moving too fast, and you’re tired.” Enzo embraced me. “Forgive me.”

Another chunk fell off the wall around my heart. “It’s not that.”

“Talk to me.” He lifted my chin. I don’t know what he saw in my expression, but he drew a deep breath. “I’ve given you no reason to believe me, but I meant what I said. I’m in this with you.”

“Careful, Marchionni. That sounds dangerously close to an actual relationship.” I’d gone for snark, but my quivering voice belied my efforts.

“A little danger doesn’t scare me.” He pulled back the duvet. “Let’s get some sleep.”

I settled between the softest sheets ever in the history of sheets, but I had a better chance of contracting Ebola mid-flight than falling asleep. His habit of answering questions without answering not only drove me nuts, it left me confused.

I knew two things for certain. One, I wanted to spend more time with him, and two, walking away now would hurt. Walking away later would be worse, but didn’t some philosopher once say it was better to love and have your heart pulverized than never to have loved at all?

Either way, I have to take the leap before I can fly…or splatter on the pavement.

“When you said you wanted me to stay with you until things were settled with the Lazios…what did you have in mind?”

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