How bad it hurt me.
No idea."
His eyes squeezed shut and his head bowed.
"I wasn't thinking clearly.
I thought I was doing the right thing - " "Fuck that.
Fuck your damn chivalry or whatever the hell you think that was.
Don't do it again."
My voice took on an edge.
"I'm telling you right now and I mean it like I've never meant anything before - you ever give me my keys back again, we're done.
There's no coming back from that.
Do you understand?" "I do, yes.
I'm not sure you do."
My breath left me in a shaky exhalation.
I approached him.
"Give me your hand."
His left hand stayed on the doorjamb, but his right lowered and extended toward me.
"I never gave you the key to my place; you just took it."
I cupped his hand between both of mine, placing my gift in his palm.
"I'm giving it to you now."
Stepping back, I released him, watching as he looked down at the gleaming monogrammed fob with my apartment key on it.
It was the best way I could think of to show him that it belonged to him and that it was given freely.
His hand fisted, closing tightly around my gift.
After a long minute, he looked up at me and I saw the tears that wet his face.
"No," I whispered, my heart breaking further.
I cupped his face in my hands, my thumbs brushing over his cheekbones.
"Please .
don't."
Gideon caught me up, his lips pressing to mine.
"I don't know how to walk away."
"Shh."