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“Why do you always pull away?” she questions, but she doesn’t h stool and, with her foot all bandaged, if she were to move, she’d have to jump off onto her other foot
“It’s been a long time since I’ve had a woman this close to me,” I tell her honestly There’s no need to lie, to make up stories about who or what I am
“The infa up “I searched online for you before I even landed in New Orleans I couldn’t find ured you preferred your privacy”
“I do” Nodding, I runthe strands “I used to Being someone well-known for their critical reviews and harsh coo to steer clear of the public eye”
“Did thatthose reviews easier?” Her question makes me ponder my answer I’ve never considered it like that I never liked being photographed, and I always hated it when side him when I was a child I’ve always been a lover of indoors, spending
“When I was growing up, nature Everyone knew him, saw him, put him on a pedestal” I’ve never told anyone this before, and I don’t knohy I feel the need to confess this to Nea “I watched him rise The fame and fortune took hiood day”
“There’s a but co,” she says, and I nod
“But he fell Anyone that high will fall It’s inevitable” Isure all the broken shards are swept up Grabbing the Hoover, I s up any s of coffee for Nea as I continue “He had fallen into a depression before he died He was broken, torn up inside, and nothing helped No as, alcohol, or even therapy”
“I’m sorry, Julian, I didn’t know that”
“Nobody does,” I respond “Because he ensured that people saw the polished, pristine i it filled with empathy - no pity - which calh he did break after years, he was a good father
“But you’re not him,” Nea insists Gently, she pushes off the chair and hobbles over to where I’ hher skin on mine sends my mind into overdrive
“Sometimes I feel like him, Nea,” I tell her The rawness in my throat is an indication of just how painful it is to rerace At the ti dreas to me
She glances up atup to my face, and she cups my cheeks in her delicate hands “You’re not him You’re you Different, special, handsome” The last word is a whisper, and every drop of bloodfor her I’ve craved this wonored rown It’s only turned me crazy with lust for her
“This is only going to end in heartbreak,” I tell her The belief that I’ll hurt her is at the forefront of my mind And I know I’ll never be able to hide it Fear has heldanother woman the way I wanted my ex-wife because I kneasn’t the perfect husband
“Yours orin her gaze, and I allow my hands to trail over her shoulders, down to her hips, and I tug her against ainst her stomach, but she doesn’t shy away frorin because she realizes that as ht this, it’s inevitable
“Both” The word is a rasped confession on ue, and it falls free between us It’s a promise that I can’t escape because, somehow, I know I’ll break her heart
“Then, I suppose we better make sure we enjoy this while it lasts” Nea looks at me with an expression that holds all seriousness I want nothing more than to believe her, and I’m about to refuse her when she wraps her arms around my neck and pulls herself up to plant a kiss on my lips