He draws himself up taller, somehow. No, she was far too independent for him to make any decision on her behalf. He may have done so as much for her as for himself back when he first broke off their relationship. But here and now, this decision was as much about himself and what he needed to accomplish. It would be foolish for him to think he could fall back into any semblance of a relationship with her. His emotions had ruled him far too many times in the past.

With a wave of his hand, he dismisses her question.

"And what good would accepting them be?" he asks, not bothering to hide the bitterness in his voice. "Do you wish to torment me further? To remind me of all I cannot have?"

He shakes his head. "The time for such indulgence has passed."