Page 139 of Come to Me

"Okay." I hold up my hands. "You tell me."

Tears roll down her cheeks. She hugs her knees into her chest. "You really did give up on me, didn't you?"

"Of course not."

I reach for her. This time, she doesn't push me away. I rub her shoulders. Brush her hair back behind her ears. Her eyes are still on the floor. Her nails are still digging into her shins.

"Then why don't you... why do you want to break up with me?"

"I don't."

"But you are anyway?"

My heart sinks. I love Alyssa. I want to be with her.

But, whatever she needs, I'm not giving it to her. She's not happy. She's distant, she's angry, she's miserable.

And I'm not getting what I need either. Not if I'm thinking like this.

She meets my gaze. Her eyes are red and filled with tears.

"I'm not going to be another person who drags you down," I say.

She shakes her head, squeezing her knees tighter. "You're not."

"You're crying."

"We're going through a rough patch. It will get better."

"How?"

She looks back at the floor. Damn. I was hoping she had the secret answer. The one little thing that would make all this easier.

I wrap my hands around her wrists and pry them off her shins. She lowers her knees, shifting into me so that I can wrap my arms around her.

The feel of her body against mine is still magic.

I bite my tongue. This hurts so fucking bad, but I can't fight it. She deserves better than settling. We deserve better.

I have to be strong for both of us.

Even though it hurts so fucking bad.

She presses her palms against my back.

I can't drag this out. It will only hurt her more.

And it's killing me.

"You never answered the question," I murmur.

She still doesn't answer it. She just rests her head against my chest, hugging me tighter.

"I love you," she says in a low voice.

"But you don't want to marry me." The words are acid in my throat. But it's the truth. It's the only possible conclusion.

"I do... I... don't know."