She supressed a sinful shiver at the memories his words ignited.
‘Yet when I want to give you the same pleasure, you stop me. Because in your book, that would mean letting me be in control. Opening yourself up to me.’
‘You’re overthinking this,’ he warned.
‘Is it that you haven’t forgiven me, Zeke?’ She forced herself to ask the question even though she feared the answer he might give. ‘For cutting off your leg? Or for saving your life when no one could save the lives of your buddies?’
It hung there between them, like an axe just waiting to fall. And then Zeke steeled himself, shutting her out as he always had.
‘You don’t know what you’re talking about.’
The words were too harsh, too brutal.
‘Or maybe you still don’t quite trust me.’ She refused to cry. Even though it nearly killed her. ‘You’re okay with being with me as long as you’re running things. Like the other week. But you don’t trust me enough to do the same.’
‘It isn’t that simple,’ he gritted out.
‘No, you’re right. It isn’t,’ Tia agreed. ‘It’s not about intimacy, is it? It’s about control. As long as
you have it over me, that’s okay. But not the other way around.’
She wanted to hear him deny it. Longed to. Even as she knew he couldn’t.
‘You’re right.’ He dipped his head eventually, without a trace of remorse.
Tia watched as he calmly adjusted his trousers, her entire body shaking as though from the inside out.
But whatever else they might or might not have wanted to say to each other, it was curtailed by the sound of the announcer on the PA system. Introducing the mayor and beginning the speeches.
‘I have to go,’ he ground out, smoothing down his suit and stepping past her to the door. ‘And so do you.’
The irony of it wasn’t lost on Tia.
‘I can’t.’
‘You’re my guest. You have to,’ he commanded sharply.
‘I can’t. People will see me. They’ll know.’
His look was both impatient and regretful.
‘They won’t see anything, Tia. You look...as stunning as ever.’
She shook her head but he snatched up her arm. Not rough enough that it hurt, but firm enough that she couldn’t break free.
‘The timing is bad, I’ll agree. But...this wasn’t meant to happen. We will talk about it though.’
She baulked. If she felt this embarrassed, and ashamed, and angry now, how would she feel when the numbing shock had worn off?
‘I don’t want to talk about it.’
‘Well, clearly we need to,’ Zeke countered. ‘But not now. Later. Tomorrow. We’ll go for a walk, show Seth those locks, just like I promised.’
Before she could find another objection, he tugged her to him, ran a hand through her tousled hair as though to smooth it, and propelled her out of the room.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
HOW THE HELL had he let this happen?