clung to her naked body, wanting to be as close to her as possible. Wanting to be inside her.
His hands swept over every curve, starting with her waist, her hips. Diversify your affection. Don’t spend all your time in one place. But a second later his hands were on her breasts, and then his mouth was on her breasts, and it seemed as though the whole world revolved around her breasts. She moaned in his ear as his lips traveled up her neck, and when he added his teeth and tongue, her next moan nearly ruined him. Everything was intense, ideal, not because the woman on top of him was beautiful and naked, but because she was Leila. And he was in love with her.
I love her. He knew this already, had known for days, yet he hadn’t told her. Are you mad? Her hands worked their way down his stomach, then latched on to his hard cock, stroking in a way that made him groan. Focus. You love her. Right, he loved her, and it wouldn’t be long before he was making love to her, and what was the point if she didn’t know?
“Leila, I need you to know, all I want is you,” he said. “I don’t want The Savior. I’ve never wanted The Savior. I just want you. I…”
Love you. But the words never came, because Leila had gone still. Silent.
Oh God, what did I do?
“Leila?”
A second later, her eyes filled with tears.
His stomach dropped. “No no no, wait, what happened?”
Rolling off him, she curled beneath one of the white sheets and cried into her hands. He nestled close to her, madly scanning her body. “Was it something I said? If it’s what I said, I take it back.”
A sob escaped her hands. “God, you don’t understand.”
“You’re right, I don’t understand. I’m very, very confused.”
“You have me utterly terrified.”
“No, that’s not what I wanted.” His thoughts became frantic. “Please, I hate to see you cry.”
Leila rolled onto her back, her face red and wet. “Nothing’s changed. We’ve made up, but the problem’s still there. Nothing’s fixed.”
“Then we’ll fix it.” He hesitated. “How do we fix it?”
“I have to tell you everything.”
“All right then, tell me.”
Leila stared up at him, then burst into tears.
“Leila!”
“Everything will change, and you’ll never forgive me.”
“Why would you say that?”
She took in a few gasping breaths. “I haven’t been forthcoming with you…”
“About what?” he said. “Oh my God, are you betrothed?”
“No, it’s bigger than that.”
“Bigger? Are you married?”
“Tobias, no.”
“Is there someone else? Please tell me there’s no one else, I’d die.”
“There’s no one else. There’s only you.”
“Then tell me what it is.”
She said nothing, biting her lip just to keep it still.
Tobias leaned in closer. “Does it have to do with Brontes?”
She nodded, her hands trembling, her power and will breaking down. More tears spilled down her cheeks, and she rolled to her side, burrowing into her pillow.
“Leila darling, don’t turn away from me.”
He pulled her close, and her arms wound around his body, clinging to him.
“You don’t have to say anything right now,” he whispered.
“But I need to,” she choked out. “Before anything else happens between us, I need to. It wouldn’t be right.”
“Then nothing has to happen. I’ll wait for as long as you need.”
Her gaze floated up to his. “You’re not leaving?”
He shook his head, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “I want to know everything, but I won’t force you. You’ll tell me when you’re good and ready. And until then, I’ll be right here.”
Leila curled up against his chest, releasing herself into his embrace. It wasn’t long before the shaking subsided, and soon her breathing slowed, the rise and fall of her chest keeping time with his. The tears only stopped once sleep came, and though she had left him without answers, he drifted away with ease.
***
Tobias awoke slowly, undisturbed by the elements. His eyes opened, and a fresh breath filled his lungs.
He was lying in Leila’s bed, rested. Happy.
Where’s Leila? He glanced around anxiously, feeling silly once he found her lying on her side a short distance away. A single white sheet draped her hips, leaving him with her dark hair, her naked back. He nestled beside her, dropping soft kisses along her neck.
“I was sleeping, you know,” she said.
“Oh good, you’re awake.”
Chuckling, Leila rolled onto her back and smiled up at him. Gorgeous. His stare flitted from her amber eyes to her full lips, her wild hair, then down to places he had only