Gwendolyn nodded immediately— not with the hastiness of a decision rushed, but with the precision and surety of a decision mulled and thought over. “I know this. And the inconvenience of not being able to moon over him as you say would never be outweighed by the pain of having to walk away from him.” She swallowed hard.<br/><br/>“He may be old enough to be my father. But the fact remains that he is not. My father...” she fell silent for a long, pensive moment, pain brimming in her eyes. “No matter the age, no man could stand in the role of my father. Except... except perhaps you. Kyrion, please.” She squeezed his hand. “This is not the ramblings of a desperate, grieving woman. You must believe me. Have you ever known me to use men to solve my problems?”