She had never spent a night with him before. Never shared breakfast at his table. A fact he seemed to find as amazing as she did troubling. He smiled. “You should eat some of that. Starving yourself won’t change what you have done.” She shook her head. “What did I do?” He raised an eyebrow. “I know you well enough to recognize that you are panicking over staying with me last night. It isn’t your nature to share breakfast with someone.” “It is a delightful breakfast, though,” she attempted weakly. He seemed to see through her uncomfortable façade and smiled, though he didn’t press her, which put her at ease enough to talk to him about the exact subject he had brought up. “I don’t know why I stayed,” she said softly. “I wanted to be here. I wanted to be with you.” He lifted his head from his breakfast and stared at her for a long moment before he spoke. “I am glad of that.” “I need you, I suppose, more than I wish I did,” she continued, the words catching in her throat even as she forced them out.
