“Okay, it might be true,” she conceded and left it at that.

Once again he brushed off something that was clearly an issue with their relationship. Was that really how they worked? He bottled up all these desires and if he dared reveal any of them she just shot them down and he accepted it? Natasha frowned at the thought, not even bothering to hide it. He was the most important person in her life, but what if she was only holding him back? What if she was stifling him? She didn’t even touch on the thought they he might be better with someone else, someone more open and affectionate, because the idea of him with with someone else was enough to turn her stomach and make her heart ache.

Rolling off of him suddenly, she held the covers up to her chest as she sat up in bed, her mind running rapidly. What if he would be better off without her? She knew she wouldn’t be better without him, but could she ever be the woman he deserved?