Page 126 of Forced Into Your Arms
I held her stare.
The room got quieter, or maybe I simply stopped hearing everything else.
Milan shifted slightly on the couch. “I haven’t been with anybody since Evan.”
“I know. You told me he was the only man you were with for ten years.”
“That doesn’t mean I didn’t do anything after.”
“Nah. But the way you looked at me told me.”
She let out a nervous laugh. “That obvious?”
“To me.”
Milan looked toward the windows, and I gave her time to decide what she wanted to say next.
“I’ve been thinking about that kiss,” she admitted.
“Me too.”
Her eyes came back to mine. “You have?”
“Every gotdamn day.” Something in her face changed. The fear was still there, but it wasn’t about the picture anymore. I moved closer, but not enough to touch her. “You scared?”
“A little.”
“Of me?”
“No.” She shook her head. “Of myself...”
“What that mean?”
“It means I spent ten years thinking I knew what love was supposed to feel like. I trusted somebody completely, and he made me look stupid. Now I’m here with you, and everything feels like it’s moving fast even though part of me doesn’t want it to slow down.”
I let her words settle before replying. “You don’t owe me nothing because you staying here.”
“I know.”
“You ain’t gotta do anything you don’t wanna do.”
“I know that too.”
“Then what you scared of?”
Milan looked at me for several seconds before saying, “Wanting you this much.”
That answer went straight through me.
I had spent the last few weeks trying not to push her, giving her space every time she needed it and pretending I wasn’t losing patience with how much I wanted her. Hearing her admit she felt the same made keeping my distance harder than it had been all night.
Still, I didn’t move.
“This ain’t the picture talking?” I asked.
Her eyebrows pulled together as a confused look washed over her face. “What?”
“You had a bad night. You scared. I’m not about to take advantage of that.”
