My resolve wavered as his hand reached out, gently brushing a strand of hair from my face. The tenderness in his touch made my heart ache, tempting me to forget all the complications and let myself fall completely. But I forced myself to hold back, clinging to the strength I’d somehow found.
“If I let you stay,” I whispered, barely able to hold his gaze, “I’ll just keep hoping you’ll choose me. That you’ll find a way to make this work. And if you leave tomorrow, it’ll break me all over again.”
He looked at me, his expression filled with regret and longing, his hand still resting on my cheek. “I don’t want to hurt you, Mel. But I also don’t know how to let you go.”
“Then don’t make it harder than it already is,” I said, feeling a tear slip down my cheek. “I can’t keep doing this, Nicolas
