The phrase, 'pinch me, I must be dreaming', ran through Justin's head at Anjali's words. For a long moment he stared at her, the words ringing in his head even as she laid out just how much breaking off the betrothal had cost her in her day to day existence. Now he faced a delimma: move to her, sweep her into his arms and comfort her or question her.

He chose the latter.

"You ended it?" His lips quavered a touch as he found her eyes and then dropped his before finding them again. "Why did you end it?"

All at once he hoped it was for his sake, and yet, a part of him truly hoped it wasn't. Hoped that she had come to the conclusion apart from him. He couldn't have articulated why, but he knew, instinctively, that were it because of him, it would taint them.

Crossing to her, he knelt at her beside, his hands taking her own into his and pressing kisses to the plams before holding them to his slightly roughened cheeks, his eyes imploring her, his voice husky. "Tell me it wasn't for us."