Page 100 of The Perfect Deception
Dina bit her lip and Adam wanted to draw her into his arms and hold her close. But he’d learned he had to give her freedom, trust her to come back to him, even on the little things, like pulling away from him to think. So he sat and he waited.
“You showed me you’re sorry and what I mean to you by your calls and your texts and the flowers and herbs that all had meanings behind them.”
“I’m glad you understood it.”
She smiled. “Tracy helped at first. Then I caught on. It was impressive. A little over-the-top, but impressive.”
He nodded.
“And you showed me you’re not embarrassed by me with your speech to your co-workers.”
“I never expected it to go online,” he said.
“You’ve given me more than enough reasons to forgive you, and I do. I think I need us to take things slow, to talk and to see how things go from here.”
He nodded and they sat in silence for several minutes. Their only contact was the touch of their hands. Adam concentrated on the way her skin felt against his. Although her hands were perpetually cold, her touch sent a path of warmth up his arm, straight to his heart. The apartment was silent, except for the sounds of their breathing and the hum of the refrigerator in the background, and he had the urge to mingle more than the sound of their breath.
“Would kissing you be moving too fast?” he asked, glancing sideways at her.
Her hair swung as she shook her head, and it was all the encouragement he needed. Wrapping his arm around her shoulder, he threaded his fingers through her hair as he drew her head toward him. Their lips touched, their breath mingled and at last, he was where he belonged.
When they finally pulled apart, she stared at him. “You know,” she whispered, “I might be willing to compromise on the speed.”
He bent his forehead until it touched hers. “Whatever you want, for as long as you want, I will be yours and you can be mine.”
And it was enough.
The End
