Free 01 Winters Thaw by Jayne Rylon, Mari Carr

now that he was saying the words she’d anticipated? The words she’d even planned to say herself? The stubborn part of her—the part with no sense—reared up. “I don’t understand. I’ve been with you for seven years too. I know who I am.”
    “Do you?”
    Such a simple question. Two words. And yet they set Sienna’s world on end.
    Did she?
    Daniel would say no. Hell, he’d only known her for a week and he’d seen right through her. Calling her out for her fears.
    “So you’re breaking up with me?”
    Josh shook his head. “No. God no. I don’t want to lose you. I just think we need a break. A few months to find out who we are without each other.”
    She frowned. “That doesn’t make any sense.”
    “I plan to spend my whole life with you. I swear that hasn’t changed for me. We’re going to be happy, I’m sure of that. But I’ll always wonder what else there was. What if there’s an experience I miss because I never had a chance to look around?”
    Sienna’s sadness gave way to annoyance. She’d put her life on hold for Josh. Made excuses for him, defended him to her family and friends when they said he was being irresponsible. She felt like she was stuck in a game of Freeze. Josh had yelled the word and she’d stopped in place, not moving a muscle while he ran around and did whatever he pleased. It rubbed against the grain. “Spell it out for me, Josh. What exactly are you asking for?”
    “To be free. To take a break from having a girlfriend for a little while.”
    He was being purposely obtuse. It was so like him. To speak in generalizations and hope she wouldn’t call him on it. After so many years together, he should have known better. “So you plan on sleeping with other women.”
    Josh winced, but he didn’t deny it. “Haven’t you ever wondered what it would be like with someone else?”
    A couple of months ago, her answer would have been an unequivocal no. Then she remembered Daniel’s kiss. The way he cupped her face as he pressed his lips to hers. That simple touch had rocked her to her core and she’d spent too many nights since then waking up in a cold sweat, her body aching for more.
    Suddenly, she felt very tired. In the past, she would have fought with Josh, refused his request, pushed him for all or nothing. It was probably what she should do, but she didn’t have the energy. She wasn’t sure she felt like struggling for this relationship anymore. And that thought hurt more than Josh’s desire for a break.
    His request was preposterous, the idea that he was actually sitting next to her asking for permission to screw around completely obnoxious. And yet, she was going to let him get away with it.
    She was going to give him this timeout because she needed one too. He wasn’t the only one with a bit of soul searching to do. “Fine.”
    “What?” Josh’s shocked expression almost made her laugh.
    “We’ll take a break.” She didn’t put any parameters on it because she couldn’t think of any. Josh’s silence proved he was waiting for her to plot it all out, discuss the details, point out the fine print, but no words came.
    “That’s it?”
    She nodded.
    “But what about—”
    “Josh. We don’t need to think this to death. Let’s just go with the flow.”
    Josh blinked several times. She assumed he was studying her face to make sure it was really her. She resisted the urge to reassure him she hadn’t been abducted by aliens. When she didn’t add anything more, Josh stood. His stiff posture proved he was still waiting for her to pull the rug out from under him.
    “I decided to go to Florida with my roommates for Christmas.”
    She nodded, rising to stand next to him. “Sounds like fun.”
    He frowned. “Are you sure you’re okay with this?”
    She reached out and grasped his hand. “I’m fine. Honest. I should probably get back inside or my family will send out a search party when I don’t show up for Vivi’s pumpkin pie.”
    Josh squeezed her