"Why is that a problem?"
"Because—" She made a frustrated sound, running her hands through her hair in a gesture that was rapidly becoming familiar. "Because I'm not… I don't do this. I don't just… kiss people. After knowing them for a week."
"Technically it's been closer to two weeks."
"That's not the point!"
"What is the point?"
She stared at him, mouth working like she couldn't decide which objection to voice first. He watched her cycle through them—the fear, the doubt, the carefully constructed walls she was trying so desperately to rebuild.
*Don't let her,* his instincts urged. *Don't let her run again.*
But he'd meant what he said. He wouldn't hurt her. And pushing now, when she was so clearly overwhelmed, would do exactly that.
So instead of closing the distance between them, he let out a long breath and deliberately relaxed his shoulders. He forced his hands to unclench and gave her the space her body language was screaming for.
"Okay," he said.
She blinked. "Okay?"
"You need time. Space. I understand." He managed something that might have been a smile. "I'm patient."
"You're…" She trailed off, looking at him like he'd grown a second head. "You're not going to… argue? Push? Tell me I'm being ridiculous?"
"Are you being ridiculous?"
"Probably."
"Then you don't need me to tell you." He shrugged, a gesture that cost him more than he'd ever admit. "You're smart, littleflower. Careful. You don't trust easily. I'd be an idiot to expect one kiss?—"
"Two kisses."
"—two kisses to change that." He held her gaze. "So we'll finish the paperwork. And you can pretend this didn't happen, if that's what you need."
Something flickered in her expression. Surprise, maybe. Or disappointment.
*Interesting.*
"What if I don't want to pretend it didn't happen?"
The words landed between them like dropped glass, and his pulse jumped. "Then we figure out what you do want. At whatever pace works for you."
She was quiet for a long moment, studying him with those green eyes that saw too much and revealed too little. He let her look. He let her search for whatever evidence she needed that he was lying, that this was a trick, that he'd turn out to be exactly what she expected.
He hoped she didn't find it.
"The paperwork," she said finally. "We should… we should finish the paperwork."
"We should."
Neither of them moved.
A breeze drifted into the cabin, carrying the scent of wildflowers and the distant sweetness of ripening grapes. Somewhere in the trees, a bird called—once, twice—then fell silent.
"Thallos?"
"Yes?"
