Chapter 15

"You look knackered, too," she says, and I'm glad she cut the train of my thoughts.

I was minutes away from driving the car into the curb and do heaven knows what with her. Her hand, soft and silky, comes up to my face, I jerk away, swerve the car to the other lane, right it back again. It's minute, and so quick she doesn't even notice. She's far too intent on her hand caressing my face, thumb softly pressed against the bags under my eyes. Dark and sunken, they are, a testimony to the many sleepless nights. And on those I actually manage to sleep, it's to get no rest at all, riddled with dreams and nightmares I can hardly remember when I wake.

"What's wrong, Ezra?" she asks, now cupping my cheek in her palm. I shudder, knowing this cannot be allowed to go on, and pull back my head. She gets the message.