“Stay.”
He was right. And she had won.
Without a word, he moved to the bed, lying down once more, this time flat on his back, above the linens, his gaze fixed on the shifting shadows the embers in the hearth cast upon the ceiling.
Those were safe. Not tempting. Just shadows.
He adjusted his thoughts. “I know you don’t want to hurt Heart, but have you ever thought that he might not be hurt but rather relieved?” he asked finally.
“I haven’t thought of it like that,” her soft voice came. “I suppose I am afraid to add to the burden. And also of how the balance of our entire family would change. I must be a painful reminder of Heart’s past.”
He turned his head to look at her. “No, not painful.”
Her gaze locked with his. “How do you know?”
“For the most part, people avoid what’s painful and stay close to what brings them joy. Heart has never avoided you. He’s always kept you close. That alone is an answer.”
Her lips curved in a smile, reaching all the way to her eyes. “Thank you. What a nice thing to say.”
“Don’t doubt Heart too much,” Dare said, holding himself back from inching closer.
“His heart would be warm if he heard how you defended him, I’m sure.”
“I’m not defending him,” Dare muttered in denial. Heavy denial. “I’m reassuring you.Yourheart should be the one warmed.”
“It’s warm,” she whispered, her tone so soft he almost didn’t catch it. “Perhaps a touch too much.”
“Well, we cannot have that,” Dare said, and then teased, “A heated heart could lead to a Shakespearian-like tragedy.”
“Or comedy, depending on the way you look at it.”
“Just so long as we’re the ones laughing and not crying.” Tears... he shuddered.
“That is such a male thing to say,” she said on a chuckle. “I do enjoy sheading a tear over a good play.”
“Remind me never to escort you to the theatre, then.”
“Why ever not?”
He slung an arm over his eyes. “I don’t think I could survive your tears.” And that was the God’s honest truth. Leonora crying... Just imagining it made his chest constrict.
“Well,” her voice danced with a playful edge, “mostly they were tears of laughter.”
That, Dare could very well also imagine. To laugh until he cried, heh? “I’ve never experienced something that funny before.” A sudden memory filled his head. “Oh, wait. When Knox fell down the stairs one day, I believe I laughed my arse off, then. There might have been tears.”
She chuckled, the sound soft and almost strained, as though the effort of it cost her more than the chuckle itself. She’d be asleep soon. “I wish I could have seen that.”
“Him falling down the stairs?”
“No, you laughing your arse off. I imagine it would be quite the sight.”
He should have known. “I don’t think it was.”
“Hopefully, in the future, I can be the judge of that.”
Hopefully . . . in the future . . . “We shall see.”
“You know, this is the first time I have brought a man to my bed.”
