toward him, ca

H

lifted to her face, brushing along her cheek before he pulled her closer. When their

ut I real

lower, cutting

der his breath. "I found that lit

tried to explain. "M

uch shifted, making her l

n how it end

. I know!" Her hand gripped his shoulder as she shift

ing, her hands slid along his arms, tightening around him. One side felt rougher benea

espond. Her focus stayed elsewhere, lost

ll right after. The only sound left was his uneven breathing. He caught her wrists and

ed closer, and the reaction it

rushing along her neck while he murmure

y. A slight nod followed, and he shifted

after a moment, "f

lding onto you like that." A small laugh

, he turned his

with a quiet laugh. "

me all c

one who keeps

e here," she respon

beneath. If there had been light, he might

d to the bathroom, clean up, ch

gainst the uneven skin marked by the flames. The contact mad

ss creeping into his voice. "If the fire

ck to my room. You'd be m

ve been easier, that much was true

e on you, and that's enough reason. Sl

to argue. He stood up and

lled just as he

mm

ath too. Yo

you once

de and closed the door behind him.

nse to her. At times, he seemed controlled, almost distant, and then suddenly, he would shift into someone else en

r would. Even so, she had let him get close to her without holding anything back.

intimidating... and when he gets

own Maximo's body as he stood ben

. "But that was because she was caught up in the moment." Or may

That had happened not long after Jade left him. Her words had stayed with him, cutting deeper than anything else. She

e way. She hadn't pulled away, even afte

t. And I'll make sure she's rewarded for that

ver held back, something that had never been fully satisfied before. What he had with Jade had never been en

o. From the bedroom, Carolina caught it, and h

of sadness followed. If he still wanted her, then why had

ly open, and the space beside her was empty. Maximo was gone. She pushed herself up and pulled the sheets

him wasn't an option. With care, she got to her feet, slipped into her nightgown, and ma

nto something solid. Looking up, she

u not to w

e the bathroom,

our shower?" he aske

depe

narrowed

at, Ca

d hadn't improved, but

shower you're pla

lifted her and thrown her over his shou

elf to stay focused. He had things to deal with, and l

d, settling her into the tub without even brushing his lips against her ski

ng with you

e replied, he

arely meant nothing at all. Still, he didn't push it. He wasn't in the mood to argue, and he

ld be brought up. Once she had changed-after he briefly stepped out to get

" she said to hersel

coffee along with two small boxes. She

an't

rested neatly, set with a delicate stone. The second box revealed a bracele

n her thoughts shifted to the day before, to th

slowly

llage. It had stayed with her. Teaching had always been something she wanted, and now there was a chance

he already knew how Maximo was. Stubborn, unyielding. Pushing against him would only drain her, and nothing would come from it.

d in her mind. Bastian

she had struggled to build connections. Women kept their distance, and men only brough

it won't be