Page 70 of Salvage Him

"Since we moved toDallas."

Hesatback.

“You've been on the road so much. I’ve had a lot of time on my own to realize.” I took a deep breath. "I know what I want my life to look like. Being in Dallas made me realize I wanted itevenmore."

"It's something I can't give you?” He stared down athislap.

"No."

"Why?" He stood up. "I mean, how do you know if you haven't even shared itwithme."

"You remember the night you asked me to marry you?" He narrowed his eyes butnodded.

"You said you would show me the world. I would never want for anything. You would give me my heart’s desire and do everything in your power to make me feel safe." I had memorized hisspeech.

"Yeah, I remember." He didn't hide the annoyance in hisvoice.

"All of that was amazing, and it was what I wanted, but it wasn't what I needed.” I reached forhisarm.

"You never tell me what you need.” Hepulledaway.

"You never ask," I whispered. I looked down at thetable.

Paul stood up andwalkedaway.

Sadness consumed me and covered my heart. The sudden end of something, the loss. It was a crazy feeling because I knew in my heart that ending it was the right thing, but it was an end to something I had relied on forsolong.

Four years was alongtime.

I pushed away from the table and followed him into thelivingroom.

"I'm so sorry,"Isaid.

"For what?" He shrugged his shoulders. "I mean. I tried. You tried. I guessit'sover."

I wiped the tears from my face and stood in frontofhim.

"Why are you crying?" His tone was accusatory. "You askedforthis."

"It still makes me sad. I don't want to hurt you." I bitmylip.

"Well, you know me. I always bounce back." He collapsed on thecouch.

My throat hitched when he reached out to takemyhand.

I sat down nexttohim.

He put his arm around my waist and pulled me to his side. The couch faced the floor-to-ceiling windows, and the view of Central Park spread out in front of us. I rested my head on hischest.

"Is this what you really want?" he asked as he tapped his hand on the couchcushions.

I nodded. His shirt was damp from where mytearsfell.

"Is there someone else?" heasked.

I blinked, happy he couldn't seemyface.

"It has nothing to do with someone or something else." I snuggled up close to him. "It's just a feeling. You don't need me, Paul, and I don't need you. You should be with someone who needs you. It brings out the bestinyou."