Page 28 of Yearner

“But there was something else I wanted to find out.”

“What?” Silas demanded.

He caught her by the arm and pulled her closer, his other arm tightening around her waist until her body was pressed against his. His eyes searched her face, his impatience and jealousy barely contained.

“What the fuck is going on, Allison? I don't like this.”

Allison placed both hands against his chest, feeling the tension beneath her palms. Despite his anger, she kept her voice calm.

“When he tried to touch me, I felt disgusted.” She held Silas's gaze, watching his expression closely. “But I don't feel disgusted when you touch me.”

The fury in Silas's eyes faltered. The deep frown on his forehead began to ease as he stared at her, as though he needed a moment to process what she'd said.

Allison swallowed, but she didn't look away.

“I've realized that you're different from every other man to me. When you touch me, I don't feel uncomfortable.”

A softer smile slowly curved Silas's lips. His arm tightened around her waist, drawing her closer until barely any space remained between them.

“So, when I kissed you, you didn't feel uncomfortable?” he asked, his voice suddenly lower. His gaze searched hers with an intensity that made her heart flutter. “You liked it?”

Allison nodded sincerely, her eyes fixed on his.

“I did.”

Her fingers curled lightly against his chest as she took a breath and gathered the courage to say what she'd been thinking.

“Since you've already made it so clear that you want to marry me, why don't we just go through with it?”

Silas went completely still.

For a moment, he could only stare at her. His heartbeat quickened, and something tightened painfully in his chest as he searched her face for any sign that she wasn't serious. His gaze grew darker, filled with an intensity that made it clear how much her answer meant to him.

“Allison, I can't accept this as a joke.” His voice was low and serious. “Don't make fun of how badly I want you.”

Her expression remained soft, her gaze steady and sincere.

“I'm not making fun of you. I'm serious.”

Silas's fingers tightened around her waist, though the tension in his face began to ease. He looked at her as if he were afraid to believe what he was hearing, yet desperate to claim the happiness she was offering him.

“So that means you're mine from now on?”

Allison pressed her lips together. For a brief moment, she simply looked at him, taking in the hope and uncertainty hidden beneath his intense gaze. Then she nodded.

“Yes.”

The frown disappeared from Silas's face almost instantly. The displeasure that had darkened his features gave way to happiness, and a wide smile spread across his lips. He lifted both hands to her face, cradling her cheeks as his fingers brushed gently over her skin.

The tender movement sent a shiver through Allison, and she found herself holding his gaze as his thumb glided across her cheek.

“All right, then.” His smile widened as he leaned closer. “When are we going to see Shane? I want you to introduce me as your soon-to-be husband.”

“It's too early for that.” Allison's eyes remained on his, though a trace of tension crept into her expression. “I will introduce you to him, but not yet. He's already dealing with so much, and I don't want to shock him by dropping something like this on him all of a sudden.”

Silas's smile faded slightly. Displeasure was written all over his face. He clearly didn’t like her suggestion, and the crease between his brows deepened as he looked at her.

“Allison, until we're officially and publicly married and everyone knows you're my wife, calling myself your husband means nothing. Without that, I'm just a hookup, not your husband.”