Cruel Empathy ✓

Chapter 22

***Anna***

Anna awoke with her head on Rye's chest and her arm sprawled across him. He was breathing steady breaths indicating he was still asleep. She tried to glance up at his face without moving too much to wake him.

He looked so peaceful. His face was so soft in his sleep. His body felt good to her, hard and strong. She felt so feminine next to him.

She had the strongest urge to explore him with her touch. She bit it back. She'll be leaving soon and she didn't want to make it worse for him. Their sleeping arrangement was already complicating things enough. She wondered what would go through his head when he woke up and found her this way.

With that thought, Rye stirred and his arm tightened against her, hugging her even more firmly to him. His eyes opened and he tilted his head down to study her. He had a small content smile on his face and the sadness from yesterday was completely gone from his eyes.

"Hi," she whispered.

"Hi," he echoed. She liked it when he used her words.

They stared at each other without saying anything. Anna started to tingle all over. Without thinking she blurted, "I want to touch you." Rye stiffened and his eyes heated. "I mean...can I touch you without it leading to anything?" Anna felt her cheeks burning, and she wanted to crawl into a hole and hide.

Rye nodded his head. "Touch me anywhere you want," he said huskily.

Hesitantly, Anna started to glide her fingers over his biceps and then across his chest. Rye relaxed to her touch and closed his eyes. More bravely, she trailed her hand over his abs. Rye's breathing started to deepen. She stopped. Rye's eyes flew open, questioning her.

"I don't want to hurt you," she whispered.
He took his hand and gently started to stroke her cheek and then her hair above her ear.

There was so much love in his expression. For such a fierce man, he allowed himself to love so easily. He baffled her.

"We should go," he said finally. Neither of them wanted to move.

Anna sighed and rolled away from him. She should feel embarrassed, but she didn't. She wanted to go back to her familiar world, back to the safe and easy. But why did Rye's arms feel like home? She wasn't ready to be what he wanted her to be. His wife? A mother? Everything with him was so fast-moving, so intense. A whirlwind.

She wished she could bottle him up and take him with her. For now, she would have to settle for making the best of the time they did have together, and she could carry the memories with her in her heart.

"What are you thinking?" Rye asked as he pulled on his shoes.

"I..." She hesitated. Rye's eyes were soft and questioning. "I want us to enjoy our last few days together. I don't want it to be weird or uncomfortable. I want to make the best of it, but I don't want to make it harder for you. I really don't want to hurt you anymore."

Rye's eyes shone with tenderness, and her heart was fluttering at his gaze. "I would like that very much, Anna. You think your gentle touches, and sweet words will make it harder for me. You are wrong. It will be more for me to hold onto for when you go."

Tears threatened to escape, and she didn't want to let them flow. She nodded her head as she choked them back. She took his hands in hers and led him outside to join the others.

The men outside paused their conversation and gawked as they saw the pair holding hands. Anna swallowed her embarrassment and smiled at the curious onlookers. She blocked them, she didn't care about what they felt.