My throat tightened, but I stayed still.
“I don’t remember the last time I wanted something,” he said quietly. “Until now.”
The silence after that was heavy. My chest tightened and for a second I couldn’t breathe.
“Then why fight it?” I asked.
He gave a tired breath. “Because wanting something is the first step to losing it. And I’m not going through all of that again.”
I stepped closer. “What happened to you?”
His mouth parted slightly but he clammed it shut for a second before saying, “The party is over, Gabrielle. Except you want to come upstairs with me, you’ll go to bed now.”
I shook my head. “No, Damon. You’re not going to push me away by suggesting s*x. It won’t work anymore because… because I want you too.”
His expression changed—just a flicker—but I saw it. There was a hi
