“Because it was my shield,” he blurts out, cutting me off. He begins to pace, his honey-and-lemon scent clutching me from all sides. Confused, I press him further. “What does that mean?” “It means I’m attracted to you, Kaliya. Of course I am. That never changed.” He stops short with an agonized sigh that strips away any chance I’d be flattered by what he’s just admitted.
