Her lips parted.
Nothing came out.
I lifted my hand, stopping just short of touching her face. Close enough that she could feel it, not close enough to take the choice from her.
She looked at my hand, then back at me.
“Don’t,” she said quietly.
“Then say it.”
She didn’t.
That was the answer.
I closed the distance and kissed her.
She went still for a second, like her body needed time to catch up. Then her hand came up, gripping my shirt, and she kissed me back.
Not careful.
Not controlled.
Real.
I pulled her closer, and she let me. Her hands moved, then stilled, then held on like she had already crossed the line and couldn’t step back from it.
I broke the kiss just enough to look at her.
Her eyes were open, searching mine like she needed to understand what she was doing.
“Th
