Loving Ean (The Fae Guard Book 2) by Elle Christensen Page B

pretend it never happened, I just want to move on.”
    Ean doesn’t say anything, just continues to sit there, and study me. After a while, the silence becomes oppressive and I stand to shake it off. I grab the wine and glass, taking them to the kitchen. When I turn back around, Ean is standing on the other side of the island.
    “I miss you,” he admits softly. There is sadness darkening the blue of his eyes and I ache to comfort him, but there is a chasm between us, one I’m not sure how to cross.
    I offer him a tremulous smile and whisper, “Ditto.” He chuckles softly at my Ghost reference and it warms me all over to hear his laughter.
    Ean face falls as he runs a hand through his hair, looking off over my shoulder, lost in thought. As I observe him, I notice the strain around his eyes and mouth, something is weighing him down and I wish he would talk to me about it. “Are you ok, Ean? Has something happened?” I want to walk over and wrap him up in my arms to comfort him. It used to be that we would cuddle up on the couch and watch a movie with his head resting on my shoulder until he was ready to talk through his troubles. But, I’m realizing that our relationship will never completely go back to the way it was. I’ll always be questioning my actions, wondering if they will come off the wrong way, and he’ll go running from me again. There will always be distance between us.
    The walls in his eyes come down again and what emotion I glimpsed is now gone. He’s gotten really good at that. “No, I’m just tired.” He considers me and the moment turns awkward, neither of us knowing what comes next. Eventually, he cocks his head and gives me a warm smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. “I’ll see you later?” he asks. He’s clearly changed his mind about talking, so I nod because my throat is choked with tears. I want to tell him not to go, that I love him, that I need him. I don’t.
    He treads to the door, but before he opens it, I decide to make one final effort to restore our friendship. “Ean, wait.” He stops and looks questioningly back at me. I walk swiftly to the door and take his hand, towing him behind me to the living area. Amazingly, he follows along without protest. When I reach the couch I push him so that he will sit. Considering I’m half his size, it’s really his choice whether or not he capitulates to my direction. I breathe an inward sigh of relief when he drops down on the cushions. I sit down beside him, lift his arm onto my shoulder, and pull my feet up, snuggling into his side. Sliding my arms around his torso, I squeeze him, and rest my head on his chest. “We used to rely on each other.” I look up at his face and gasp at how close our lips are. His head is tilted toward me and it would only take a fraction of an inch to close the gap. His gaze drops to my mouth, and then back to my eyes, the blue now brightened with heat. My stomach twists with need as fire sparks between us, burning down to my very toes. I give my head a little shake, the goal was to show him that we could be close again, as friends. I need to shut my hormones down. “I’m here for you, as a friend. Let me be here for you. Talk to me,” I implore him.
    Ean studies me for a while, contemplating my words. The silence stretches out and I fear that he will reject my attempt to rebuild our friendship. I lower my head back to his chest, not wanting him to see the desperation in my eyes and the wetness of tears clinging to my lashes.
    He inhales deeply and begins to talk.

    Ugh, it’s November for Pete’s sake. Why the hell am I so hot? I try to stretch and realize that the source of the heat is weighing me down. I pry my eyes open and look right into Ean’s peaceful, sleeping face.
    What the fuck?
    An appropriate phrase considering you’re naked.
    I glance down and sure enough, neither of us is wearing a stitch and the oppressive heat is from Ean’s body draped halfway over mine. Shit! Shit! Shit! The