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“Yes,” he breathed.“It was.”The simple agreement made her glance at him.There was a quiet joy in his face as he stared at the view, but there was also a tinge of sadness and pain in his eyes that made her stomach dip alarmingly.
“You really love being here, but this place also makes you sad,” she observed quietly.“Why is that, Zach?”
He immediately stiffened.His arm started to drop but she grasped it and held on.
“Talk to me, Zach.Please.I can’t help you if you don’t let me in.”
His jaw tightened.“Did it occur to you that I don’t need your help?I told you from the start, there’s nothing important enough to impact what happens between us.”
“But this is important, don’t you see?I can’t see your pain and just ignore it.Just as I can’t ignore the fact that even though you didn’t want to get on The Indigo Lounge plane, you went ahead and joined the trip anyway.Call me presumptuous, but I think you did that because of me?—”
“Yes, I did.”
She turned fully in his arms.“But why?What happened?The Indigo Lounge is one of the most successful business ventures of this decade, and yet you’ve had very little to do with it since its inception.”
“I employ highly paid and highly motivated people?—”
“Don’t give me the company line, Zach.I’m not stupid.There’s something about this place that has a hold on you, same as with The Indigo Lounge.You don’t have to tell me, but please don’t deny that it impacts what’s happening between us.”
“And what do you think is happening between us?”
“You give and expect me to take without giving back.I’m not wired that way.I need to know that I can give you something worthy in return.”
“You do.”
She sighed.“I’m not talking about sex, Zach.”
“Neither am I.”His eyes darkened in the fading light.She held her breath and waited.“Being with you… it helps me,” he stated quietly.
Her heart leapt.“Helps you… with what?”
“It just helps, Bethany.Can’t we leave it at that?”he whispered fiercely.
She started to shake her head and caught sight of Philip, sitting behind the wheel, his face averted from them, trying to be discreet.But there was no doubt the driver had witnessed their argument.
A glance at Zach told her he knew it too, but there was no hint of embarrassment on his face.It made her wonder just how well Philip knew his boss and how many times he’d had to avert his gaze like this.“I know next to nothing about you, Zach.That has to change.”
Grey eyes narrowed.“Is that an ultimatum?”
“It’s a simple truth.The sex is great.But I need more.Much more, or this won’t work for either of us in the long run.”She stopped and swallowed.“Or maybe there won’t be a long run for us.”
“Bethany…”
“I’m not demanding.Hell, I was the girlfriend who was so trusting and oblivious to what her boyfriend was up to that he had to spell it out, remember?But today you called me brave.You helped me to take hold of my fear and crush it.All I’m asking is that you think about doing the same.”
“And if I don’t?”
It took a surprising amount of effort just to shrug.“I can’t answer that.I’m not an expert on relationships.But I know I won’t be content to live in a vacuum forever.”
He remained silent for a very long time.Then he nodded.“Understood.”
They travelled back home in silence.But all through the journey, his arms surrounded her, with her head tucked under his chin.The furtive glances she cast his way showed his face shadowed with myriad expressions she couldn’t decipher.
Whatever demons Zach Savage possessed were raging full force.And although it hurt to think she’d been the one to bring them out in the open, she was glad he wasn’t brushing them away.His chest lifted and fell in a jagged shudder as they drove through the gates of his house.
Her fingers fisted in his shirt as she felt his pain.Lacing his fingers through hers, he led them into the house but stopped in the large foyer.
“I need to make some calls.I’ve neglected a few things since we’ve been here.I’ll catch up with you in a few hours?”