Page 59 of Thin Lines (Donati Bloodlines 2)

“Selfish in the way that you didn’t want to temptyourself, you didn’t want to hurt yourself, and it had nothing to do with me. Ifigured it was all about you.”

Calisto quickly glanced away when Emma stared up athim. “What are you doing here?”

He shouldn’t keep asking her that. He should just makeher go.

Surprise … he didn’t.

“I wasn’t angry when I woke up today, and it was nice.And I also realized, the more I thought about you and these last few months,the more it made sense. It’s the same reason why you stayed with me at thehospital, Cal, and why you kept coming to the house to check on me. It’s thesame reason why you tried to talk to me every time you did come over, even whenI outright ignored you.”

“Emma—”

“You stayed away because you care about me, just thesame way that you couldn’t stay away over the last month and half because youknew I needed someone. I have no one, and you knew that, so you filled thevoid.”

She stepped closer to him, out of the doorway anddirectly inside his office.

Calisto clenched his hands at his sides. “It doesn’tmatter, Emmy. I’m happy to see you’re out and about; moving forward.”

“Don’t do that,” she whispered.

“I’m not doing anything.”

“You are. You’re trying to shove me off because I’mtoo close. Because I came here, because it’s stupid, and because you don’t wantto turn me away. Right, Cal?”

‘Of course I care.”

“A lot more than you should,” she pressed.

Calisto’s chest constricted with pain. He’d convincedhimself long ago that it was only imaginary where Emma was concerned. Hecouldn’t possibly feel something for someone that didn’t belong to him and thathe could never have. He just couldn’t.

“Thank you, Calisto.”

Those three, seemingly innocent words struck him straightin his blackened, worn heart. She’d spoken them so quietly, but surely.Confident, even, like she knew exactly what they would do to him.

It hurt.

God.

But he liked it.

Calisto liked that she acknowledged him and what hedid. He had needed it, and while every part of him screamed how wrong it was,it made him feel like a fucking king.

Before Calisto could think better of his actions, hestepped forward and grabbed the door, shutting it without even looking out tosee who might be watching. Emma’s enforcer must have been around somewhere, butwas he close enough to see?

Calisto was close enough to Emma that the silk of herdress brushed against his arms. He could smell the hauntingly sweet perfume shewore, and he took another breath, wanting to have more of it soaking into hislungs.

“Where is your driver?”

“Carter is at a table,” Emma told him softly. “He’sordering for us. I told him I would invite you out to eat with us.”

Calisto watched her mouth move, and the way her twofront teeth peeked out through her upper lip. It was still a goddamn tease. Hestill hadn’t gotten this woman on her knees below him like he’d wanted to.

Jesus.

Why was he walking on this tightrope again with her?

“We can’t do this,” Calisto murmured.

Emma’s bottom lip disappeared beneath her teeth.“We’re not doing anything, Cal.”