Chapter 34

Cali

I wrapped my arms across my chest, not that it did a lot to hide my body from the man across the room, but it did help to warm some of the cold I was suddenly feeling.

I had kind of understood his rejection the night before, after all, I think if we had carried on I was likely to burn the house down. But we had both been fine this time, sure I had gotten a little warm and I felt the ice on Tristan’s hands at one point but we both managed to control it.

I glanced down at myself wondering for a moment if it was me that he didn’t want and the old insecurities of never being normal and never being good enough crept in for a minute, until I saw the look in his eye. No, it wasn’t disgust or revulsion or even indifference on his face, it was pain.

I was causing him pain.

With a hard swallow I lost a little of my dignity as I bent and picked up the clothes I had dropped on the floor before