Page 37

Chapter Thirty-Six

Shantal

‘I ’m sorry—’

‘I want to do something about it.’

I cut him off so quickly he’s almost stunned. Darien is not at all the kind of man to stand in silence and shock, but he’s here in front of me, open-mouthed at the raw honesty that seems to have emerged from my previously undecided heart.

The confession is automatic, the way everything is with Darien. I don’t even have to try. Around him, there is possibility. There is a chance of regaining the security I have lost over the last year. Maybe there is even a chance of my heart letting someone in again.

‘Me, too,’ he says, still slightly dumbfounded.

‘What if I said I shouldn’t want to do something about it?’

‘Probably same. One hand doesn’t quite work right, you know; it wouldn’t be fair to you.’

I bite my lip to hold in my amusement.

‘And …’ I exhale a breath full of raw emotion. ‘What if I said I should want to?’

‘Then definitely same.’

In that moment, every barrier between us dissipates. Darien turns to me, moving his hand to tuck an errant curl behind my ear. His touch is warm and careful yet intoxicating.

‘Let’s do something about it,’ I murmur, letting my eyes close as my cheek falls against his palm.

After weeks – months – of suppression, Darien’s fingers gently tilt my chin upward. His hand travels to my neck, while both of mine pull him close to me.

He kisses me slowly, and at first, he’s tentative. He tastes like coffee, lips soft against mine. I’ve never felt my soul explode the way it does now, bursting with all these feelings that I have the sudden need to act on. That innocent kiss grows into something more frenzied; his touch is full of the same abandon as his driving. His tongue parts my lips perfectly, and he groans slightly against my mouth as his hand moves to my back, his grip firm yet tender. I turn my head as if beckoning him, and he obliges, brushing his lips across my jaw. I can’t help the quiet whimper that escapes me when he finds that perfect spot on the side of my neck that sends a tingle down my spine.

Every touch of his fingers sends part of the wall around my heart crumbling to oblivion. I almost protest when he pulls away with a nervous laugh. ‘Well, shit.’

‘Shit,’ I agree, biting back my smile. I’ve not smiled like this in ages; I’ve not been touched like this in ages.

He exhales, presses his forehead to mine. His eyes glitter as they meet mine in a gesture more intimate than any physical contact.

‘I think I can go ahead and dump out the rest of my coffee.’ He smiles goofily, innocently. ‘You made me feel like I just downed five Monsters.’

I can’t help but giggle quietly. I’ve never met a man so vulnerable and yet resilient, mature and yet na?ve. He sees no evil in anyone, not even in me, not even in the fact that – as right as this moment feels – I am still standing at a crossroads.