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Lana lifted herself up onto the hood, being careful not to touch him "I can’t be the kind of woman you want I don’t have room in my life for romantic complications"

"Is that what I am? A complication?"

"I didn’ton right now, and I don’t have the energy left to put effort into a relationship"

"You have plenty of energy left for sex"

"Yeah It’s selfish, I know, but so far that’s the only thing I’ve found that lets rim memories threatened to crash into her, and she stuffed the made it impossible to do so "When I’et to feel"

"And that’s a good thing?"

"The way you make me feel, yeah"

That earned her a twitch of a smile

She had toto do with him She was the one as broken inside She was the one arped "It’s hard being afraid al the time"

He turned his head and she could see him watch her out of the corner of her eye, co his mouth "You don’t have to be You could let me help"

"You realy want to help me?"

"That’s al I’ve wanted since the moment I laid eyes on you"

That statement made her stomach knot How hard must it have been for hi about it? She often wondered if he didn’t carry as many emotional scars from that ordeal as she did Maybe more "Promise me that whatever happens between us, you’l protect my family, Stacie, and the kids at the foundation Pro hi her face "Youto happen to you What aren’t you teling me now?"

Panic fluttered, but she controled it with a force of wil She didn’t want hi, I just don’t want your anger toward ry at you Second, even if I was, I’d never let that stopthe innocent"

Lana was quiet for a while, listening to the crickets "You should be angry, Caleb What I did today was inexcusable I shouldn’t have walked away from you like that after what you said"

"It was an honest reaction--probably otten fro, but she tried not to let it show She’d told him plenty of lies, but she’d had no choice--noher abductors beat her

She’d forgiven him for that and could only hope that if the truth ever came out, he’d do the same for her

Lana puled at the strands of her resolve, needing to explain why she’d shunned his "You deserve a lot ive, Caleb You deserve a woe" She sed a luive you children"

He reached for her but let his hand fal before he touched her, as if fearing she’d reject that, as wel "If you’re trying to tel s to straighten out I’ve never e, and you’ve handled yours fine, as far as I’ back on me because you can’t have kids, don’t The same could be true of any woood brood ive me"

Tears burned her eyes, and she had to turn away So o one da "I don’t want you to love me at al It’s too hard"

"Grant said I should just back off and give you ti to help, is it? Not even if I wait a lifeti the silky sway of her hair over her shoulders She couldn’t give him any hope, because it would only be another lie "I can’t be with you like that I’ive him what he wanted, but she couldn’t She wasn’t nearly as strong as he thought she was Not nearly as strong as she wished she could be for hi up on you I won’t let you just walk away"

Did he know her intentions? She didn’t think she’d given anything away, but Caleb was smart "I know You have your orders"

"To hel withto do with this" He motioned between theive"

Lana knew tonight would be her last night with him She didn’t want to spend it alone As he said, there were no second chances This was the last night she’d ever have in his aret her troubles, even though she knew the risk it posed "I’ to share my bed,

Lana was dying inside, cruht of his stare and the desperate need within it "I’et"

"And it wil be enough?"

Finaly, he touched her, running the tip of his finger over her cheek "I guess it wil have to be"