Page 190 of Ranger's Wildflower
She kisses me before I can say anything else, and this one is softer than the others, but somehow even more intimate. Like she’s giving something, not just taking comfort.
We stay like that for a long moment.
Kissing slowly.
Breathing each other in.
Letting the night strip away all the distance that used to stand between us.
Eventually I rest my forehead against hers and force myself to slow down before I take us someplace neither of us is ready to rush into.
She’s breathing hard.
So am I.
Her fingers drift down my chest. “You’re shaking.”
I let out a rough huff of laughter. “Yeah.”
“From me?”
“From almost losing you.”
That sobers her instantly.
Her hand stills over my heart again.
“You didn’t.”
“No.” My thumb brushes her cheek. “But I got close enough to know I never want to feel that again.”
Emotion flickers over her face.
Raw and unguarded.
Then she shifts, curling into me, tucking herself under my chin like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
I hold her tighter.
Outside, a door opens and closes. Somebody moves down the hall. Blaze coughs in the other room.
Life. Noise. The rest of the world.
But here, on this couch, with her folded against me and my hand spread across her back, everything narrows down to one thing.
Keeping her here.
Keeping her safe.
She’s quiet so long I think maybe she drifted off.
Then she says, barely above a whisper, “I don’t know how to do this.”
I look down. “Do what?”
“This.” She swallows. “Let someone in. Need them. Trust that they’ll stay.”
My chest tightens again, but gentler this time.
