opportunity that has presented itself.
As I pondered how I felt about that, Lucas leaned forward and rested his forehead against mine. “Oh Issy. Why must you complicate everything?”
“I‘m not complicating anything! And before I met you, I had a very uncomplicated relationship with members of the opposite sex,” I whispered.
He pulled back and looked me in the eye. “You said that you didn’t have relationships with the opposite sex. You only had one night stands!”
I held his gaze. “Exactly - that’s why it was uncomplicated! You’re the one who is trying to complicate things.” Something was skirting at the edge of my memory but I still couldn’t grasp it.
He sighed and then took my hands in his. “Believe me, Issy, I’ve tried not to. I have tried to put all thoughts of you from my mind. To pretend that we haven’t shared one incredible night. To tell myself that I would be happy without you in my life. But I can’t fool myself and, to be honest, I don’t want to anymore. There is something between us whether we like it or not.”
“We can’t deny that there is sexual chemistry between us. Desires that we both thought would be exorcised when we spent the night together but-”
“But they weren’t and I don’t think that we could exorcise them, no matter how hard we tried. I have never responded to a woman in the way that I do to you. I have never wanted anyone as much and …”
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
“And?”
“I’ve never needed anyone before. Not for anything - ever!” He spoke softly and turned away as he spoke.
I gasped. “What? You think you need me?”
He swung back around to face me. His eyes sought mine and I was shocked to see pain in his expression. Mr Control Freak had gone again, replaced by Mr Uncomfortably Vulnerable. His usually hooded eyes burned into mine conveying his inner torment and I knew then that he did actually think that he needed me. When he spoke, his voice was laced with emotion.
“No, Issy. I know that I need you. I can’t stop thinking about you. I can’t concentrate. I can’t sleep. Watching you run from me … I felt helpless ... and for the first time in my life, I felt total despair. This just isn’t like me, Issy. I have avoided relationships because I like total control of all things in my life. But now, I find myself wanting a relationship with you more than anything in my life. And I find that I have no control over my feelings for you and, of course, I have no control over your feelings for me.”
Without warning, I felt an almost overwhelming desire to comfort him. To throw my arms around him and tell him that everything would be okay. Where was the powerful alpha male who oozed confidence and sexuality? Wait – this is what happened a few minutes ago … he shows his vulnerable side, says he feels miserable and you want to make it all better!
He looked at me closely, as if trying to figure out what I was thinking. “Issy, believe me – I didn’t plan any of this. I’ve told myself over and over to keep my distance, that it will only end in disaster but I can’t help myself. Isn’t it ironic that the one woman that I am willing to break all of my rules for, and let into my life, doesn’t want the slightest to do with me? Is your heart really made of stone? You bring me to my knees and you don’t bat an eyelid. I laid my heart out for you and you stamped all over it and walked away without a care.”
“That’s not fair. I thought we had laid out the ground rules for that night. If I had seen that coming, I would have kept my distance but remember, you did all the running. And I took no pleasure in seeing you like that. By the time I got home I felt a complete bitch,” I said, looking down at my hands. “I do enjoy your company and I wish
As I pondered how I felt about that, Lucas leaned forward and rested his forehead against mine. “Oh Issy. Why must you complicate everything?”
“I‘m not complicating anything! And before I met you, I had a very uncomplicated relationship with members of the opposite sex,” I whispered.
He pulled back and looked me in the eye. “You said that you didn’t have relationships with the opposite sex. You only had one night stands!”
I held his gaze. “Exactly - that’s why it was uncomplicated! You’re the one who is trying to complicate things.” Something was skirting at the edge of my memory but I still couldn’t grasp it.
He sighed and then took my hands in his. “Believe me, Issy, I’ve tried not to. I have tried to put all thoughts of you from my mind. To pretend that we haven’t shared one incredible night. To tell myself that I would be happy without you in my life. But I can’t fool myself and, to be honest, I don’t want to anymore. There is something between us whether we like it or not.”
“We can’t deny that there is sexual chemistry between us. Desires that we both thought would be exorcised when we spent the night together but-”
“But they weren’t and I don’t think that we could exorcise them, no matter how hard we tried. I have never responded to a woman in the way that I do to you. I have never wanted anyone as much and …”
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
“And?”
“I’ve never needed anyone before. Not for anything - ever!” He spoke softly and turned away as he spoke.
I gasped. “What? You think you need me?”
He swung back around to face me. His eyes sought mine and I was shocked to see pain in his expression. Mr Control Freak had gone again, replaced by Mr Uncomfortably Vulnerable. His usually hooded eyes burned into mine conveying his inner torment and I knew then that he did actually think that he needed me. When he spoke, his voice was laced with emotion.
“No, Issy. I know that I need you. I can’t stop thinking about you. I can’t concentrate. I can’t sleep. Watching you run from me … I felt helpless ... and for the first time in my life, I felt total despair. This just isn’t like me, Issy. I have avoided relationships because I like total control of all things in my life. But now, I find myself wanting a relationship with you more than anything in my life. And I find that I have no control over my feelings for you and, of course, I have no control over your feelings for me.”
Without warning, I felt an almost overwhelming desire to comfort him. To throw my arms around him and tell him that everything would be okay. Where was the powerful alpha male who oozed confidence and sexuality? Wait – this is what happened a few minutes ago … he shows his vulnerable side, says he feels miserable and you want to make it all better!
He looked at me closely, as if trying to figure out what I was thinking. “Issy, believe me – I didn’t plan any of this. I’ve told myself over and over to keep my distance, that it will only end in disaster but I can’t help myself. Isn’t it ironic that the one woman that I am willing to break all of my rules for, and let into my life, doesn’t want the slightest to do with me? Is your heart really made of stone? You bring me to my knees and you don’t bat an eyelid. I laid my heart out for you and you stamped all over it and walked away without a care.”
“That’s not fair. I thought we had laid out the ground rules for that night. If I had seen that coming, I would have kept my distance but remember, you did all the running. And I took no pleasure in seeing you like that. By the time I got home I felt a complete bitch,” I said, looking down at my hands. “I do enjoy your company and I wish
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