Lily lay awake that night, replaying James' vague response in her mind. She wanted to trust him—needed to—but his reluctance to share gnawed at her. As she watched him sleep, his features softened by the glow of moonlight, she wondered what secrets he was hiding.
The following week, their relationship became a delicate balancing act. In the office, James was distant, more focused on their professional work than their personal connection. Outside of work, however, he was attentive and passionate, as if trying to make up for the distance he kept elsewhere.
But Lily couldn't ignore the nagging doubt.
It wasn't until one evening, after an especially intense editing session, that the tension boiled over.
"You've been pulling away," Lily said, her voice trembling as she set her glass of wine down with more force than intended.
James looked up from his seat on the couch, his expression unreadable. "That's not fair."
"Isn't it? One minute, you're all in, and the next, you're shutting me out. What am I supposed to think?"
He ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident. "It's not about you, Lily. There are things I'm dealing with—things I can't talk about yet."
"Why not?" she demanded. "Don't I deserve honesty? Or am I just another project to you?"
James flinched at her words, the silence between them heavy. Finally, he stood, crossing the room to her.
"You're not a project," he said quietly, his hands settling on her shoulders. "You're... so much more than I know how to handle right now."
The admission softened her anger but didn't erase her unease. "Then let me in," she whispered.
James hesitated, his gaze dropping to the floor. "I will. Just... give me time."