Page 55 of The Aries Alliance
As I released the tears that were in me, War brushed his hands over my cheeks, forcing me to meet his hazel eyes.
“What is it?”
His closeness touched the corner of my soul.
Lots of words filled my head as I tried to pull myself together. I closed my eyes to make sense of everything, wanting to take a chance at expressing what I felt without a filter.
“I’ve been taught to hold my feelings in and not be so expressive. People said that vulnerability made me weak and overemotional. I always filtered my real feelings because I never wanted to let others down. You”—I pointed around me—“all of this makes me realize I want softness and care. I don’t want to be strong for everybody twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.”
“And that’s okay.”
I bit the tip of my fingernail.
“You’ve seen multiple sides of my personality. Do you expect me to remain polite and agreeable all the time?” I spoke the words quickly before I could censor myself, awaiting his response with bated breath.
When War leaned closer, his heady scent filled my nose again.
“You’ve spent too much time constraining yourself for people who don’t appreciate who you are. I like when you’re honest, even brutally so. I’m not fragile. If who you are is direct and bold, I’m fine with that. I can handle your fireandempathize with you as you throw that heat.”
I couldn’t help but blush as he continued.
“It has to be difficult hiding who you were created to be. One of the gifts I want to give you as a friend is for you to be one hundred percent yourself. I accept you for who you are, no matter how much the world pushes against that or tries to change you. You can always be free around me, Scarlett.”
“You sure about that?”
“Always.”
I exhaled the breath I didn’t know I held in.
“Then I want you to do the same. Deal?” I held my pinky out.
War received it with his.
“Deal.” He pulled me toward him, and I smiled, showing all my teeth.
When he licked his lips, I raised myself on my toes.
“If you start this, I’m gonna finish it.” War bent down to peck my lips.
“You better.” I smiled, feeling as light as a bird.
As we parted and began our dinner prep, I stole quick glances at War. I pulled out plates and flatware, wondering what was going through his head about what I shared with him. Each time he caught me looking at him, he smiled, stopping what he was doing to embrace and kiss me like a porcelain doll. I’d wrap myself in him, resting my hands on his bare back and absorbing his strength.
I finally sat in the high chair at my kitchen counter, watching War as he removed the paper cartons of food and plates from the bag.
“They forgot the soy sauce. Do you have any?”
“Up there.” I pointed to the cabinet.
My eyes wandered to War’s torso as he raised his arm and searched for the condiment. When he frowned and didn’t pull out anything, I asked, “Do you want me to get it?”
“No. Just sit there and look pretty.” He winked at me, drawing my attention to his long lashes beneath mischievous eyes.
Instead of squirming, I received his admiration.
He moved several bottles and finally found the soy sauce and placed it on the counter, then walked to my kitchen sink to wash his hands. As he dried them with a paper towel, he looked me up and down again.
War plated our food before pouring glasses of water and red wine for each of us at the table I had set. We finally blessed the food and settled into the wooden seats of my high-top kitchen counter to eat.
