Page 227 of His White Moonlight
He started the car and drove to the closest drive-thru to home.
“Can we talk about before?”he asked after I was holding our takeout order.
“Sure.”
“Were you teasing me?”
“That’s a complex question,” I said.
“Why?”
“Technically, I was teasing you, but not to get your hopes up.”
“Why then?”
“So you’d stop kissing me.”
“I feel like I’m a toddler for repeating this, but…why?”
“Because there’s no point.You were getting yourself all worked up for what?The result would be the same.Regardless of my role in the kiss, eventually you’d shift, and I’d potentially be hurt.
“I didn’t think reminding you of what happened to the closet after a hint of acceptance would be effective, so I demonstrated.”
He pulled into the garage and turned off the car.We sat in silence for a few minutes as he digested what I’d said.
“Is there any hope for us, Wrenly?”
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
“I don’t know,”I said honestly.“The way you were before, controlling and not listening, would have been an easy no.But you’re saying the right things now.
“Saying and doing are two different things, though.First, I’ll need to see if you actually do them.Then, I’ll need to figure out if that’s enough to make me want to spend a lifetime with someone whose default is to smother me.”
The truth was brutal, and I saw it in his gaze.But withholding it to spare his feelings would only hurt us more later on.
I noticed the way his hand was shaking as he got out and opened the door for me.He didn’t do anything, though.
We ate dinner together without much conversation; then I went upstairs to watch a movie by myself.It was a rather boring night…until I got ready for bed.When I emerged from my bathroom with my pajamas on, Bennett was already in his spot.Awake.Watching.Waiting.
After what I’d said in the car, I thought he’d go back to his distant self.What did it mean that he was waiting for me?
He watched me watch him.
“This feels like a test,” I said.
He didn’t smile as he patted my empty spot.
“Are you going to pounce once I’m next to you?Because I just brushed my hair when I shouldn’t have, and my arm is aching a little.”
He immediately got out of bed.“I’ll get the ice pack.”
I hated that I liked his consideration so damn much.It softened me toward him, and I couldn’t afford to be soft.I knew what waited for me.
No more cage, Wrenly,I reminded myself.
While he was gone, I hurried into bed and considered hiding his pillow.However, it would most likely encourage him to use me as a substitute rather than stop him from joining me.So, I nudged his pillow to the edge of his side of the bed instead.
He returned a few minutes later with a pain reliever and an ice pack.I took the pain reliever and settled in with the ice pack as he walked around the bed to his side.He didn’t even blink at the space I’d created between our spots.He just got into bed and rolled toward me to use the edge ofmypillow.
