And as her breathing evened out again, he rested his chin lightly against her head, letting the silence wrap around them like a fragile truce.
Yeah, he thought, eyes closing. She had him. Completely.
But even then, the echoes of loneliness clung to him, sharp and relentless, like shadows with claws.
They bit at him, dug deep, and refused to let go. It wasn't her fault—Tessa had done everything right. She saw through the cracks he tried to hide behind. Saw him for what he was: broken in places he didn't want to admit.
The dinner wasn't just about love. She knew that. It was part of it, sure, but it wasn't the whole story.
Parker wasn't just looking for romance—he was holding onto the warmth she brought, trying to let it fill the emptiness inside him. But damn, that cold… that cold was stubborn. It clawed at him, whispering that nothing could truly thaw it out. Yet he found satisfaction in it!
