My thumb traces her cheek.
“Not anymore.”
A breath passes between us.
Slow.
Heavy.
Real.
And then—
She leans in first.
Just slightly.
Just enough.
That’s all it takes.
I close the distance.
Kiss her.
Slow.
Deliberate.
Not rushed.
Not desperate.
Just… right.
Her hands slide up my chest, gripping my shirt as the kiss deepens, as the space between us disappears completely.
I pull her closer, one hand at her waist, the other threading into her hair, holding her like I’m not letting go.
Not now.
Not ever.
She breathes against me, soft and warm, and I feel it—the shift.
The difference.
We’re not fighting something anymore.
We’re choosing this.
Choosing each other.
I pull back just enough to look at her.
Her lips parted. Eyes still half-closed.
“Tell me you’re sure,” I murmur.