~LENORA'S POV
"That wasn't a suggestion," he said, his tone dropping just enough to make the meaning clear without him needing to raise his voice.
I felt it settle over me in a way that made it hard to think past it, my hands staying exactly where they were even though every part of me wanted to step back and put more distance between us.
He watched me for a second longer, then let out a quiet breath before lifting the bottle again, taking another long drink.
"You don't learn quickly," he murmured. "Do you?"
My throat tightened, but I didn't respond.
He tilted his head slightly, studying me in a way that made my skin crawl.
"You know," he said, his voice quieter now, "I sometimes drink to stop thinking about you."
The words hit wrong, sitting somewhere between a confession and something far worse.
"I don't know why you would say that," I whispered.
"You do," he replied easily. "You just don't want to."
I shook my head faintly, keeping my gaze fixed where it needed to be.
