Sensing the sudden, heavy shift in his demeanor, Jillyanna stepped closer to him, her slender arms reaching around his broad waist to pull him flush against her. She looked up, her dark eyes clear and steady as she searched his troubled face.
"Did I say something wrong, Travis?" she asked softly, her voice filled with gentle concern.
Travis let out a long, heavy sigh, wrapping his arms securely around her shoulders and burying his face into the crook of her neck, letting his chin rest heavily against her collarbone. The scent of her sweet perfume washed over him, but his chest still tightened with a painful, lingering ache.
"Rely on me, Jill... please?" he murmured, his deep voice muffled against her skin. "Don't turn to someone else when you're in trouble. I feel so completely useless right now."
