I stepped back from Rhys as if I'd been burned, my mind reeling. The intimate moment we'd just shared evaporated like morning dew under harsh sunlight. How could I have mistaken him for Liam? How could I have poured my heart out to the very man who had shattered it?
"Elara—" Rhys began, his voice carrying an unfamiliar gentleness.
"Don't," I cut him off, wrapping my arms around myself protectively. The cool night air suddenly felt frigid against my skin, raising goosebumps that had nothing to do with the temperature.
Liam shifted uncomfortably beside me. "I can leave if—"
"No," I said quickly. "Stay." The last thing I wanted was to be alone with Rhys again. Not when my emotions were this raw, this confused.
