章 204: I Need Time

Hunter took a step closer, his gaze softening as he reached out to gently hold Delilah's hands. He guided her toward the bed, urging her to sit down. She allowed him to lead her, though her eyes remained guarded, her walls visibly still up.

Once she was seated, he knelt before her, looking up into her face with a depth she hadn't seen before. "Delilah," he began, his voice steady but full of emotion, "I'm head over heels in love with you. I don't just want this back-and-forth or these games. I want something real…with you."

Delilah's face tightened, her mouth forming a thin line. She took a breath, steeling herself. "Hunter," she replied slowly, "you know where I stand on that." Her gaze shifted away from him, almost as if to shield herself from his intensity.

Hunter held her hands a bit tighter, refusing to let her escape. "I don't care about your 'stand,' Delilah," he insisted, his voice unwavering. "I only care about you. I want you in my life."