No one except Tim knew how much she meant to me, that I would sacrificeanythingto protect her. That I would givemy lifeto see her safe and happy.
I didn’t regret making her mine, but I was disgusted with myself for not being stronger. I should have resisted.
Though I knew I should leave her alone, my feet disagreed and took me down the hallway to the room where she played.
Her gaze caught mine briefly as I entered the room. After that, she ignored me while I leaned against the wall and listened to her play. God, the woman was talented. I moved over to the couch and settled onto the cushion, closing my eyes and letting her music take me away to another place.
She played for another half hour or so, then stopped.
I opened my eyes to see her gazing across the room at me.
“You want to learn another song?” she asked, her words soft. Hesitant.
Had she forgiven me? I didn’t like fighting with her. I wanted everything to be okay between us. I wanted…to touch her again, even though I knew it was wrong.
I leaped up from the couch and strode toward her. “Yes, please.”
Her eyelashes twitched and her lips curved into a gentle smile as I reached her. Her gaze swept down me and back up, and I didn’t miss the quick flash of attraction in her eyes.
Ah, fuck. How could she still want me after I’d hurt her?
She’s a better person than you. Which is another reason why you need to keep your distance.
But, of course, I did no such thing.
This woman was an addiction. And no matter how much I tried to deny it, I was hooked on her.
“I have a proposal,” she murmured, pulling her gaze back to mine. “I’ll teach you more songs if you’ll continue to help me with my physical therapy exercises until you leave. We will keep it strictly professional. No inappropriate touching or kissing. And we tellno onewhat we did. All right?”
I swallowed hard as I held her stare. How in the hell was I going to do that?
You did it for eight years. Won’t kill you to do a bit longer.
Yeah, but that was before I made her mine. Now it was going to be impossible to be near her and not touch her.
I was so fucked.
I blew out a breath. “Deal.”
I held out my hand and she shook it.
Smiling, she patted the piano bench next to her. “Good. Now sit, and let’s get down to business.”
I chuckled, sliding onto the bench next to her.
For the next hour, we played the piano, Annika teaching me two more songs.
Despite our efforts to ignore it, the sexual tension stretched between us like a rubber band, tighter and tighter, until it was ready to snap. Her intoxicating scent filled my nostrils with my every breath. My skin tingled with each brush of her fingers over mine as we tapped the keys. Annika was a steady pulse in my veins, the very beat of my heart. I knew there would never be another woman for me. Even if I never saw her again after I left. She was forever imbedded in my system now. In my heart. A part of me. Forever.
I wanted to tell her that, but it was much too soon for such a revelation. That might freak her out. She might think I was a crazy stalker, and with her true stalker currently on the loose, this wasn’t the best time for such a reveal.
She turned toward me suddenly, her gaze seeking mine. “Adrik,” she whispered. “I was wrong. I can’t bejust friendswith you. All I can think about is being in your arms again.”
I gulped. “Me, too.” The admission came out of me before I could stop it.
And suddenly, we attacked each other, hands groping, seeking, mouths fusing together, tasting…
Scooping her up, I carried her back to her room, not wanting Timofey to accidentally stumble upon us if he woke.