Page 16 of The Lunatics

“I’ll think about it,” I said. “A clean break might be better, though. No offense, but my pack wouldn’t exactly welcome you with open arms.”

“None taken. I’m used to it.”

“And I know you’re not a believer, but I expected nothing less than this from the bond. I was raised around people who had to navigate similar situations. To me, moving down to Boston is part of the test the Goddess set for me.”

“Then I’m glad you’re able to find some measure of comfort in it,” he said. “I hope you know that I don’t in any way expect you to abandon your life or give up on your dreams. Despite whatever discomfort your packmates might present to me, we can always come back here to visit. And when the bond allows us some modicum offreedom, you’d be able to nip up here whenever you wanted, if not move back permanently.”

“Thank you.” This was all so civilized. It gave me hope that if we remained logical, we could get through this with minimal pain or discomfort.

“My mother is good friends with several women who sit on the boards of the local Ivy League colleges,” he said. “A word from her could see you admitted to any one of them. My family would cover your tuition, of course, in thanks for your sacrifice.”

The sheer privilege of such an offer…

“Michael, that’s—” The first words that sprang to my mind were those of denial, but I’d be an idiot not to at least consider it. My grades were good. Good enough that I might be able to get in on my own. But there was no way in hell I’d be able to pay for it. “Thank you.”

He nodded.

“Your life might not be over, either,” I said. “You’re sure your fiancée will want to end things?”

“Yes. And there will be no trouble from her quarter.”

I frowned. “You say that like you expect trouble from another quarter.”

He shifted in the chair but froze when the legs wobbled ominously beneath his weight.

I pushed myself sideways and made room for him next to me. “Just come sit over here. That thing can’t be trusted.”

He looked like he was willing to risk it.

“Don’t be a prude. I’m not going to grope you.”

He looked scandalized by the thought, and I struggled not to laugh.

He must have felt it through the bond, because his eyes narrowed as he stood. “Are you making fun of me?”

“More like teasing you. Blame my parents. Tonight was themost serious I’ve ever seen them. I was raised in a house of constant ridicule and practical jokes.”

He came over and sat on the edge of the mattress. The bedframe complained beneath our combined weight, but it was built of sturdier stuff than the chair, and it held.

Michael’s back was to me as he leaned over and untied his shoes. Without thought, I reached out to touch him, stopping my fingers a hair’s breadth away when I realized what I’d almost done.

The stupid frigging bond again.

He stilled, whether because he heard me move or sensed me there, I couldn’t tell. I pulled my hand quickly away, and after a moment, he slipped his shoes off and settled back on the bed, our legs stretched out side by side. The mattress sagged slightly, leaning us toward each other until our shoulders touched. I sucked in a breath and braced myself for the same shock that happened when he’d grabbed my arm, but it didn’t come.

“It must only be skin to skin,” he said, his thoughts aligned with my own.

“That part of the bond is a little more foreign to me. I could never bring myself to ask my parents about it.”

He looked over at me and laid his hand down on his thigh, palm up. I met his gaze from inches away, and he raised one aristocratic brow in challenge. “Might as well get used to it now. We can’t be jumping five feet in the air every time we accidentally brush by each other.”

“Good point,” I said, looking back to his hand. I took a deep breath and wound my fingers through his.

Lightning sparked between us, setting my blood on fire. The small space in the back of my mind where he’d taken up residence swelled, and his scent became overpowering. Our pulses pounded together through our wrists, perfectly in tune. It made me want to crawl out of my skin.

“This is only making things worse,” I said. “Everything is amplified.”

“Perhaps it will get better if we persist.”