Hers to Love

Chapter 14

As Maria was getting ready for bed, she felt a mix of relief and unease. Amir's sister had been kind enough to lend her some sleepwear, making her feel more at home, but her thoughts were still tangled with uncertainty. The rain continued to patter against the windows, creating a soft, rhythmic backdrop that only heightened the quiet tension she felt.

Just as she was about to settle in, there was a gentle knock on her door. She opened it to find Amir standing there, looking slightly hesitant. "Hey," he said softly, "Can we talk for a bit?"

Maria nodded, following him out to the living room where they sat on the sofa. The house was peaceful, with only the sound of rain and the occasional creak of the old floorboards filling the space.

"How have you been?" Amir asked, breaking the silence.

Maria glanced at him, her heart fluttering with a mixture of emotions. "I'm okay," she replied, though her voice was quieter than usual. She had been wondering why he hadn't called or texted her, but the fear of what his explanation might be kept her from asking outright. She didn't want to push him away, didn't want to hear something that might make her feel foolish for hoping there was something more between them.

The silence stretched on, heavy with unspoken thoughts. Amir seemed to be searching for the right words, but they didn't come easily. Maria looked down at her hands, feeling the weight of everything that had gone unsaid. She wanted to ask him, to know why he hadn't reached out, but the question stuck in her throat.

Instead, she let the quiet linger, hoping that somehow, without words, the distance between them could be bridged. Amir shifted slightly closer, his presence warm and familiar, yet there was still a gap between them, an invisible barrier that neither seemed ready to cross.

Finally, Maria spoke, her voice almost a whisper. "I was wondering... why you didn't call or text," she admitted, though her eyes remained fixed on her lap.

Amir hesitated, then sighed softly. "I didn't know what to say," he confessed. His tone was careful, as if he, too, was navigating the uncertainty of the moment.

Maria nodded, not pressing further. She understood the hesitation, the fear of saying something that might change things between them. The air between them felt charged with everything they weren't saying, and yet there was a strange comfort in just being near each other.

They sat like that for a while, the rain outside creating a cocoon of intimacy around them. Eventually, Amir's hand brushed against hers, and she felt a jolt of electricity at the contact. She looked up, meeting his eyes, and in that moment, something unspoken passed between them.

Amir leaned in slightly, and Maria found herself drawn closer too. There was no rush, no urgency—just a slow, tentative movement as they both gave in to the pull that had been building all evening. Their lips met in a gentle kiss, soft and exploring, as if testing the waters of a new and uncertain connection.

When they pulled back, both were quiet, the kiss lingering in the air between them. Maria's heart was racing, but she felt a sense of calm as well. Whatever the future held, whatever questions still remained, in that moment, things felt right.

Without a word, they leaned in again, this time with more confidence, letting the kiss deepen, and with it, the bond that had quietly been forming between them.