Page 30 of Unbound Boxset

She gave the rest to him freely.

“I love you. I don’t want to move to Chicago and take this promotion. I want to stay and give us a shot. But I don’t know how you feel.” She paused and lifted her chin, meeting his gaze dead on. Her voice dropped. “Ask me to stay, Grant.”

* * *

Grant looked at the woman before him and felt the rest of his heart shatter. With the gutsy determination that was part of her soul, Ariel Devlin wanted to give him a chance. Her presence literally humbled him and forced him to his knees. She would give up an opportunity of a lifetime, for everything she had worked for, because she loved him. And she did it with the clarity of a woman who knew exactly what she wanted and went after it with no apology.

God, he loved her.

He knew he’d never find another woman to be his soul mate. She was the one. He saw a flash of their future: working in the studio, buying a house, having babies. She’d get new accounts because she was an energy force that G&B would never be able to hold back. They’d build a life together. He’d have someone to share his thoughts and feelings and daily crappy routines, who’d love him despite his faults. Ariel would be that person for him, the one he’d waited for.

If he asked her to stay.

She waited, patiently, for his answer. Her determined expression barely covered the vulnerability within sea-green depths, flickering at the surface. He needed to meet her halfway. And he knew in his soul he wanted her to stay.

He opened his mouth to say the words.

“I can’t.” He took a step back. Ravaged by emotion, he half turned to prevent a moan from escaping his lips at the physical pain the words cost him. “I can’t ask you to stay, baby. This is your time. I won’t ever be able to move forward, knowing you may regret it if we don’t work out. Wondering if you regretted choosing me over something you’ve worked your whole life toward. I won’t make you choose.”

She didn’t respond. Grant sucked in a breath and looked at her. She stood completely still, her face heartbreakingly fragile and feminine under the studio lights. Wine red strands curved under the soft line of her cheek and set off her full lips. Dark brows remained smooth as she seemed to analyze and accept his decision.

“I understand.” She turned from him and settled her hand on the doorknob. Her voice held undertones of a deep sadness that almost made him change his mind. “You said I allowed you to make all the choices in this relationship, and you’re right. I waited for the rules to be set. I waited for you to realize you had feelings for me. But this is my choice. I want to stay for me, and for us. I hope you don’t sleep better at night thinking you did the right or manly thing. Because you didn’t.”

She opened the door.

“You chose to be alone,” she said.

Then she walked out.

* * *

Ariel put down the phone and glanced at her red Brighton luggage. Almost ready. The initial trip to Chicago scheduled for the weekend would give her the opportunity to meet the new marketing team and see her office. She also needed to make arrangements to view her new apartment, which G&B provided. The Windy City beckoned.

She smiled at the thought and poured herself a glass of Cabernet. Swirling the rich, ruby liquid, she padded barefoot to the couch and settled herself into the plush crème cushions, letting her thoughts wander.

Her parents may never understand her decisions, but they didn’t have to live her life. Somehow, releasing her pain and guilt over not being who they wanted helped heal. Grant had given her that gift. By allowing her body to finally let go, her mind was clearer. She had tools to move forward to face many new challenges, and she’d always be grateful to him.

The sharp pain still caught her by surprise. It should have been dulled a bit by now, but two weeks had passed since their last encounter, and she still felt like she moved through the day chained underwater. Funny, it was almost as if her body and mind grieved the loss of an appendage. The few short months she had spent with Grant had changed her. She only hoped she found her way back to somewhat of her old self if she wanted to make it in Chicago.

The memory of their final goodbye shimmered before her closed eyes. After she left, she waited for him to come after her. Call. Change his mind.

But he never did. She stopped going to class and received a full refund check from him in the mail a few days later with a note. I’m so sorry. She’d crumbled it to a thousand pieces, stomped on it, then cried.

Over and over, she dissected their conversation and always came up with the same conclusion. He didn’t love her the way she loved him. If he did, he would’ve never let her leave. He would have…

The thought trailed off as recognition grabbed and shook hard.

He wouldn’t let her love him.

The simplicity struck and left her breathless.

From the moment they met, Grant controlled both the classroom and the bedroom. He never let her see a hidden part of him in their intimacy, or allowed himself to lose control. He rarely came inside of her. He never exploded in orgasm without planning her pleasure first. He used tantra for restraint. With great sex and love, came great vulnerability. By controlling her orgasms and holding back his own, he remained safe.

In his mind, he couldn’t give her the option of loving him or making the choice. If she chose him, he set himself up for failure—failure in both the relationship and in his school. The solution?

He didn’t allow her to choose him. Instead, he stripped away her choice and stepped back, remaining safely distant and securing his martyr role by pretending he let her go for her own good. He got to love her secretly; silently. It wasn’t a sacrifice at all.

It was a cop-out.

He was scared shitless. He was hiding it behind his words and cited yoga practices, but he was just like any normal man who was afraid to try again.

Ariel stood and paced the room, wineglass in hand, while she thought. What if he did love her as much as she did him? What if he wanted a life with her, but couldn’t get past his defense barriers and allow her to make a choice to love him?

What if she didn’t give any more choices?

The plan formed. She drank her wine and went over the details. Her move to Chicago was going to happen. The deal was complete and her team in place. She couldn’t turn back now. But before she closed the door, she needed to show Grant Madison an important lesson about tantra he’d never forget.

Ariel set the wineglass down and went back into the bedroom to dress.