[ it gives him some comfort to know there's a man out there worse than he is. at least he didn't leave anyone at an altar, because he never made it quite that far. he never even saw the ring ash tried to give him, only the box in his hand while embry's heart bucked like a wild mare, both times in agony as he choked out the word no when all he'd wanted was to say yes.

it haunts him now, that he'll never know what the ring looked like, how it might have fit his hand, how the metal would have warmed against his skin as ash slipped it on. he hopes ash pawned it, since it's exactly the treatment he deserves. ]

I don't know if you're still engaged after that. Seems like a hard thing to come back from.

[ like two rejected marriage proposals. it's a wonder ash even still speaks to him, but that's just the kind of man he is — so wholly good that he still loves embry even if it's not in the way embry still craves. ]

I'm sorry — that was shitty. [ but she might as well know the kind of man he is. his chin presses to her thigh as he gazes up, his pale eyes rimmed in red and fringed by dark lashes. her skin is warm where his fingers curl gently around one thigh. ] I'm Embry, and you don't have to marry me if you don't want to.