He reached up and tucked my hair back from my face. I turned into his hand slightly without thinking about it.
"We go at your pace," he said. "The same as everything."
"I know," I said.
I leaned down and kissed him.
This one was different from the others. Not in technique or pressure. Different in what it carried. Every other kiss between us had held something back, some awareness of the line, some management of how far and how much. This one didn't hold anything back because there was no line left to hold at.
He kissed me back and I felt Vaela stir and then go quiet, holding herself back, giving this to me first.
I appreciated it more than she knew.
His hands moved to my waist and I let him and the bond opened between us, fuller than I'd felt it since the scent marking, fuller than
