Unknown to her, her simple words had wreaked havoc in his mind. Old memories and new thoughts continued to assail him, a relentless storm that drowned out everything else. He couldn't feel her kisses or the warmth of her body pressed against his. All he felt was a void, a consuming emptiness that threatened to swallow him whole. His hands came up to her arms, gripping her tightly as he pulled her back, breaking the kiss with a sharp, involuntary movement.
He wanted to tell her, to plead with her not to use those words so lightly. She didn't know what she was saying, didn't understand the weight of her declaration. She was mistaken, he told himself. The truth was that she was probably just grateful to him. He had saved her life, after all. She had confused those feelings of thankfulness and companionship for love, misinterpreting her emotions in the aftermath of her ordeal. And yet, even as he gathered his thoughts, preparing to voice his objections, her eyes met his.
