Christian leans closer to me, cupping my face in his palm. “You’re real to me, Iris,” he whispers, holding my gaze steadily in a way that makes me catch my breath. “You’re maybe…the only real person in my life. Okay?”
Slowly I nod, hearing him.
He leans forward and presses his lips softly, almost chastely, to mine – just for the briefest glimmer of a second. “But I hear you,” he whispers when he pulls back half an inch. “I’ll make it right, okay? You’re right. It should be real.”
Sitting very still, still not really breathing, I nod.
Christian exhales a long breath and then wraps his arm around me, pulling me closer to his side. I drape my legs over his lap, getting comfortable, a happy little smile on my mouth. Because no matter how odd and intense all of that was – how can I be anyt
