He wants to believe it's just that he was there for her, and that spending all this time together is just how things go. Robert knows otherwise though. She's a hellion, and she's strong in ways he's never been. What he's felt for Wyatt might be hero worship, but he knows what he's starting to feel for Aleja, even if he won't let himself truly believe in it. He doesn't want to face it, because it's madness on his part. He knows that well enough.

Though those words make his heart jump. He just can't even begin to imagine what it might be if she did truly want him to saty, but until then, he would do the best he could for as long as he could. To be near her.