-

t, the chemistry between Liam and me was impossible to ignore. The moments when our gazes met in the room felt like an eter

ep myself busy. It wasn't enough, though. I still felt Liam's presence when he wasn't around-like an echo that l

ow easily he had fallen back into my life. Like

still low in the sky, and it created long shadows across the yard. The house was quiet, the only sound the soft f

tepped out onto the balcony. He didn't speak at first. He didn't need to. He was always so vigil

e low and smooth, the vibration

. "Good morning," I replied softly, not knowing what else to say. Everything I w

ke hours, and I knew he was there, waiting for m

ntle but beneath it something e

"I'm not dodging you," I said, trying to make myself focus on

is body spreading the air around

same intensity, but there was something else in them too, something

. I don't want to fall into the same patterns. I don't want to go back to a

ne. "I know what I've done. I know I've hurt you. But I d

as saying. "But what if it's too late? What if

us. The tension between us snapped, the unspoken feelings rising to the surface. I felt t

a gentle but firm touch, a reminder of how readily he could reach me. "I know I

ugh me against my will. I hated the way much as I wanted him to be telling t

ove a murmur. "You walked away from me wit

I had loved him so totally, had given him ever

mb drawing a slow, soothing circle on my flesh. "I can't undo what I did

weight of them. But I didn't know if that was enough. I wasn't sure if anything

looking intently at me with an expression so concentrated breathing became hard. Hi

"You have to realize... I never stopped loving you.

urface, more than I could ever have imagined. I wanted to brush him away, to tell him to leave an

aid, "I'm not asking you to forgive me. I'm asking for a chan

ng inside me. But then something shifted. I didn't know what it was, didn't know how it happened, but at that

e was hard, warm against my palm. And when I looked up at him, his eyes burned, his g

spered, my voice uncertain, filled with doubt. "But I

t time in what felt like forever, the tension in my chest eased

eek, his touch so soft and careful, I did see something. Maybe this is what I nee

let myself consider perhaps-pos