I lock my fingers together behind his back. Hold harder. Squeeze tighter. “You won’t ask for this,” I whisper. “But please take it, Knox. For me. If you’ll only accept it for my sake, then…please.” Emotional blackmail. Dirty and not fair. I don’t care. My conscience has no place here. Seconds, minutes, hours pass. And I still cling to him. Willing him to take the comfort I’m offering…the comfort I need, too. Finally, just when I’m about to admit he’s not going to concede, his arms close around me. Some of that awful tension melts from his muscles.
