Rekindled by Maisey Yates

into the abyss. He felt like he was burning alive,
     like the fire would consume him. There was no way anyone could survive so much heat.
    But he did. And when he came back to himself, Lucy was there.
    And he found he couldn’t breathe. Because she made him crave something he’d vowed
     he would never, ever need.
    Not because he didn’t want it. But because he was afraid of what might happen if he
     did.

Chapter Ten
    Lucy’s world was officially rocked. And it was all Mac Denton’s fault. But she wasn’t
     upset about it. She didn’t have that kind of floating hazy feeling she often had after
     release. Not this time. Instead, she felt this incredible clarity. Everything seemed
     sharper. More real.
    Everything made sense.
    “I love you,” she said.
    She hadn’t meant to say it. Hell, she hadn’t realized she’d meant it until the words
     had come out of her mouth. But she did mean them. She meant them with every newfound
     piece of herself.
    He went stiff beneath her, his muscles locking up, his whole body tense. “What?”
    “Do I really have to repeat myself?”
    “You had better.”
    She moved away from him, suddenly feeling very exposed where before it had all felt
     so natural. So right.
    Now she just felt stupid and awkward. Laid bare. And it didn’t have much to do with
     her nudity.
    “I said I love you,” she said, cold dread winding itself around her stomach, making
     her feel like she couldn’t breathe.
    “Lucy… no. This isn’t what this was supposed to be.”
    “I know that,” she said. “Don’t you think I of all people know that? I just got out
     of this… miserable marriage and I’m trying to put the pieces of my life, pieces
     of myself, back together, and the last thing I need is a committed relationship, or
     strong feelings of any kind for someone, but… but I have them. Because you’ve
     been a part of this process. You’ve supported me.”
    Mac’s eyes were blank, his expression cold. “Don’t confuse that with love, Lucy.”
    Anger spiked in her veins, hot and unreasonable. “I’m not confused about love. Not
     now. I used to be. I used to think that love was there because I’d made vows to a
     man, so it didn’t matter how he treated me. Didn’t matter that he thought I was stupid
     and worthless, and that he told me so. I thought just because he was my husband it
     meant he loved me, but I was wrong. He didn’t love me. He didn’t even like me. He
     owned me, and that’s what he loved. He loved having me in his power. And I didn’t
     know that possession wasn’t love. But I know that now. You’ve never once tried to
     put me down, or put me in my place, and you of all people had a reason to. I earned
     your disdain, and still you had too much decency to.”
    “Listen to yourself, Lucy,” he said, standing. “Your husband was an ass, so you’re
     confusing common courtesy with something deeper.”
    “I’m sorry, is that what you consider screwing a woman on your couch? Common courtesy?
     Silly me. I thought it might be more than that.”
    “Don’t. You were the one who said it could be all physical. You were the one who said
     you could handle it.”
    “Yeah. I can handle it. I’m pretty strong, in case you missed it. Look, still standing.
     But you know what? Just because I could handle it, doesn’t mean I didn’t develop feelings.”
    “That’s not handling it.”
    “You’re the one who doesn’t seem to be handling it,” she said, not sure where the
     calm tone of voice came from. Not sure why she was able to stand him down, feeling
     totally strong and justified.
    He looked down and it suddenly struck her as almost funny that they were having an
     argument with her in her underwear and heels and him completely naked. Almost funny.
    “I’m not handling it. You’re right. It’s not the time. Just… get your stuff and
     let’s go upstairs.”
    Her mouth dropped open. “Excuse me?”
    “Get your clothes and let’s go upstairs,”