My heart ached at those words. I wanted to believe him, to let the warmth of them sink into me, but I couldn’t. My husband hadn’t called me beautiful in so long that the word felt foreign, like a lie meant to soothe me. I shook my head quickly, my eyes darting away, fresh tears threatening to fall. “Don’t… don’t say that,” I murmured, my voice breaking. “You’re only trying to make me feel better.”
But Jamie didn’t move back. His hand cupped the side of my face now, his thumb stroking my cheek gently, and I felt trapped between wanting to pull away and wanting to melt into his touch.
“Then let me show you,” he whispered.
The words sent a rush through me, confusing and terrifying all at once. Before I could react, before I could even take a full breath, his lips pressed against mine.
I f
