For Me,There Is Only You |18+|

66. A Sincere Apology

"Are you asleep, amina?"

His breath grazed my ear.

Goosebumps exploded over my skin. Betrayal. Absolute betrayal.

He knew. Of course he knew.

There was no point in pretending anymore.

"...No," I sighed, still keeping my eyes firmly shut. Because somehow, that tiny barrier felt like my last line of defense.

"Can't sleep?"

I felt the shift behind me, a quiet rustling of sheets, the faintest dip of the mattress.

He was lying there now. Close. Too close. But still, not quite touching.

"Hmm." It was all I could manage.

"I can't either," he admitted, voice low, thoughtful.

...But he hadn't even tried yet.

I wanted to call him out on it. Maybe throw in something dramatic, like "Wow, that's crazy because you've literally been horizontal for thirty seconds."

But I didn't.

"Is it the unfamiliar place keeping you awake... or is it me?"

There was something careful in his voice, a quiet hesitance.

I bit my lower lip, debating how much honesty I could handle at this hour.

"Maybe both."

Silence stretched between us. Then, after a moment...

"Should I sleep in the other guest room?"

His voice was sincere. Gentle.

"If my presence is making you uncomjfortable, I don't want you to feel trapped."

And there he was. Ansel. The man who always put my comfort before his own.

The thought of him leaving twisted something inside me.

First, because if he moved to another room, his grandparents would definitely notice, and I would never survive the knowing glances from his grandmother at breakfast.

Second, because... I didn't want him to go.

I wanted him here.

I sighed, finally opening my eyes to the dim glow of the room.

"You're not making me uncomfortable," I murmured. "So, stay."

"Are you sure?" His voice was lower now, edged with something unreadable.

"Hmm."

"Then neither of us is going to get any sleep," he murmured.

My stomach flipped. "Why?"

I felt him shift behind me, his warmth inching closer.

And then, his next words were quiet. Raw.

"Because having you this close makes me go crazy... even when I try to fight it."

A pause. Then, almost like a confession.

"I'd probably end up holding you in my arms by the middle of the night."

My stomach did a somersault, anticipation curling deep inside me.

"You can hold me, then," I whispered.

Silence.

Then, a sharp exhale, like he'd been holding his breath.

"You should've just said no, amina." His voice was tight. Strained.