To Renna Rose Lancaster, Aadam Callahan was her first taste of magic-the boy who made her world feel livelier, brighter, like anything was possible. Together they crafted a bond that felt unbreakable-a universe where dreams were shared under starlit...
"You are the first person I ever showed my heart to and You're the reason no one will see it again."
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Warmth spread across my scalp, gentle, soothing. The light pressure of fingers glided through my hair, and a soft sigh escaped me. It felt like the calmest lullaby, like I could stay lost in that sensation forever.
I could feel my eyelids protesting, begging me to rest, to stay hidden in the dark a little longer, but the tenderness wouldn't let me pull away. Gradually, I blinked through the blurry haze and strained to see, to understand.
Aadam's eyes were on me, soft as ever, but carrying a shadow of worry that made my heart ache.
His gaze warmed me, but there was something tender and raw beneath that warmth.
I blinked again, unable to do anything but absorb every line, every gentle dip of his expression, his eyes drinking me in.
He's here.
I felt a quiet, trembling relief blossom within me. He hadn't let go, and even now, I was ensconced in his arms. My cheek rested on the solid warmth of his shoulder, our bodies intertwined.
As the realization swept over me, his lips curved into a small, fleeting smile, one that filled me with an overwhelming surge of gratitude, and... love.
He's still here.
But the rush of memory flooded me-the endless apologies that had spilled from me, the desperate need to make things right. The remorse I'd caused him, all came rushing back, and I couldn't help the tears that brimmed in my eyes again, hot and insistent.
My face crumpled, and I burrowed closer, pressing myself against his bare chest, clutching him like I was afraid he'd disappear if I let go.
He let out a soft exhale, like he'd expected this, and gently wrapped his arms around me, pulling me closer. His hand found the small of my back, his face nestled against the crook of my neck, his breath warm and steady against my skin.
"Aadam..." My voice was a small, barely-there whisper, and the words bubbled up, hesitant, "Are... are you still mad at me?"
He pulled back just a little, and for a moment, his eyes sparkled with that familiar, playful warmth.
"Nah," he murmured with a lopsided grin, his voice light, almost teasing. "Not really, I think I'm a bit tired of being mad, to be honest."
Oh.
I blinked, surprised and a little dazed, as if trying to grasp what he meant.
Is he... really not angry?
My hands trembled as I cupped his face, fingers brushing over the rough stubble on his cheeks, grounding myself in the feel of him, needing to see, to make sure.
