Prepared until she had seen Ian, standing in the doorway, looking at her exactly as he was now, without judgement or condemnation. He had called her to come to him, and instead of doing one thing that would have freed them both...
With the pad of his thumb he touched the skin under her eyes, wiping something away. Only when he brought the moisture to his lips to kiss it off did she realize she was crying.
He smiled at her again. And, the movement unplanned her own lips lifted in response, their torn flesh pulling against the crust of dried blood.
"Say yes," Ian said.
"To what?" She whispered.
The smile she had always loved widened, relaxed and very assured.
"To me, of course," he said. "Say yes, my darling, and then I will let you sleep."
