Page 143 of Riv's Sanctuary

Actually, he’d known it from the moment he’d seen the Hedgerud fighters who’d come to take her from the Sanctuary…he didn’t want to lose La-rehn.

Phek.

Even saying it now made him shiver.

It was a huge deal admitting something like that to himself.

He’d tried to fight it, but it got to the point where he didn’t know why he was fighting anymore.

He liked La-rehn.

He liked her a lot.

As the market goers slowly flooded the streets once more, his green eyes pierced into hers.

"Forgive me, La-rehn," he said.

"For what?" Her voice was but a whisper.

He shook his head. It was too much for him to list. “For...everything."

"Riv..."

"I want you."

Her mouth opened and closed in shock, her eyes growing larger.

“I want you. I want you on the Sanctuary. I wasn’t planning to ever let you leave.” He swallowed hard. “I know that now.”

His words sounded thick with emotion and from the way she was looking at him, it was clear she could hardly process what she was feeling.

“I thought…I was best alone,” he choked out. “I thought I didn’t need anyone.”

“And now you think you do?” Her words were cautious, guarded, thick with sentiments, too.

It only took a moment for him to answer. “I know I do.” He paused.

Riv swallowed hard and he let his raw emotion show in his eyes.

Realization slowly dawned on her face.

“I’ve wanted to apologize…” he said. “I've been a bad host to you."

“Not completely. And even then, you’re more pissy than abusive.” That made her chuckle and he felt his features soften a little.

"There’s more to you than you’ve been showing me, isn’t there. I can feel it,” she said.

That made him stiffen slightly.

“What I’ve been showing you is what I’ve shown everyone else. Only you have no survival instincts.”

For a second, her face was blank, then her lips suddenly split and she bared her teeth at him.

Riv watched her, confused.

At another time, he’d have challenged her right back.

“I do not understand your challenge right now?”