His words made her heart skip a beat, and without giving herself time to think, she stepped forward and gently pecked his lips.
For a brief second, Cassian froze.
Then something inside him gave way.
He deepened the kiss slowly, deliberately, pulling her closer as relief and contentment washed through him. It felt right, too right, like something he had been missing for years and had finally found again. The kind of right that settled deep in his chest.
After a long moment, his hand slid firmly around her waist, drawing her flush against him, while her fingers instinctively tangled into his hair, grounding him.
"Mmph… Cassian—" she breathed softly.
She pulled back just a little, her forehead resting against his. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I kept pushing you away… without ever knowing how you really felt."
His expression softened completely.
