Chapter 160

"'Not meant,' everyone keeps saying that, and I used to think it was because they thought you were a danger to me--can't make good decisions with your cock thinking for you, can you?--but now I know it's because I risk whoever is standing next to me, likely for the rest of my bloody life, and someone like you, you're more important to the world than I am. All I am is the barrel of a gun, and I'm really fucking sorry, but selfish or no, I want the person standing next to me to be *you*."

Exhausted all over again, Wil sank back down to the bed, propped his elbows to his knees, and dropped his head into his hands.

"Fuck!"

He hadn't wanted to say it that way, not any of it, and he'd apparently shocked the shit out of Dallin, who stood like a rooted tree in front of him, staring at him with an expression Wil didn't quite have the courage to interpret.