Kalix's breath caught in his throat as her words sank in, and in that instant, something shifted between them.
The tension that had gripped him for days now melted away, replaced by an aching, raw need. He didn't say anything at first, but the way his gaze burned into hers was enough to tell her everything she needed to know.
Slowly, almost reverently, he cupped her face with both hands, his thumbs brushing over her cheeks. His eyes flickered down to her lips, then back up to meet her gaze.
The air between them was thick with longing, heavy with the unspoken words that neither of them had dared to say before.
Winter's pulse raced as she felt the intensity of his stare, the heat between them rising with every passing second. She leaned in, her breath mingling with his, and her lips brushed against his in the lightest of touches — a promise, a question, a need.
