Ava felt Theo's hands travel upward, following the curve of her spine, then forward to the delicate lacing of her dress. His fingertips hovered there — a tremor of anticipation — and then, in a slow, deliberate motion, tugged it just enough to loosen it from her shoulder.
The fabric fell, a silken ripple downward, exposing her shoulder and the smooth curve of her collarbone. Theo pressed a trail of kisses there — first gentle, barely a brush — then deepening, firm, sending a rush of warmth through Ava's body. She turned her face toward him, tilting her chin, offering her lips in a silent invitation.
Their kiss was rich and all-consuming — a reunion not just of two people, but of two souls made for each other. His hands pressed against her lower back, drawing her close, until there was no space left between them. Ava felt Theo's heartbeat against her own — a wild, urgent rhythm matching hers — a physical affirmation that their love hadn't dimmed in the years of separation. It had blossomed, intensified, become something raw and elemental.
The midnight lavender nodded in approval, a purple sea shimmering under the glow of a thousand stars. The heavens seemed to illuminate their love, adding a soft luminescence to their skin and surroundings. Theo whispered against her lips, "I never stopped loving you, Ava. I crossed every boundary just to find you again… to make sure you felt it, just once more — this feeling we made together."
Ava pressed her forehead against his and sighed, a rich, deep exhale of pure happiness. "Once more isn't enough. I want it for a lifetime."
He nodded, kissing her again — a vow made not in words this time, but in a rich, soul-deep thread tying their fates together.