"I'm sure." Quiet, but absolutely certain. "I've been thinking about it since. Even before I started getting this place ready. I was pretty sure you weren't going to bring it up again, either, so I had time to be sure."

There's no evasion in his glance, equally steady on hers. "You don't have to. If you're scared of me, or for any other reason, you don't, I swear. We can find another way to make sure you're at the top of your game. But if you do... I'm here."