“I understand,” I said. “And I am here now, the right way. On your terms. At your pace.”
Her fingers brushed through my hair again, tentative but real.
“That is all I need,” she said. “Just don’t disappear again.”
I lifted my head and met her eyes, letting her see every promise I could not afford to break.
“I won’t,” I said. “Not this time.”
“Kiss me,” she said.
I blinked, stunned for a moment, because I wasn’t sure I’d heard her right. But then I saw it in her eyes. She wasn’t uncertain. She wasn’t lost. She knew exactly what she was asking. And God, I wanted to give it to her. I wanted to give her everything.
“Lily…” I started, but my voice cracked.
“Kiss me,” she said again, and this time it wasn’t a plea. It was a command.
My control snapped.
I surged forward and crashed my m
