I lowered my fingers until they barely brushed the edge of his palm.
Nothing happened.
No surge. No snap of power. No scream in my veins.
I sucked in a breath, stunned.
Ash smiled — slow, careful, like he didn’t want to spook me.
“See?” he murmured. “You’re here. With me.”
My fingers settled more fully against his skin.
My vision blurred.
“You’re not hurting me,” he said. Wonder threaded his voice.
“Oh,” I breathed. “Oh.”
A tear slid down my cheek before I could stop it. I didn’t wipe it away.
I let my thumb move — just a fraction — brushing his skin. It was a lightning bolt through my body.
I felt warm.
And my power stayed dormant. It didn’t rise up, ugly and all-consuming.
My shoulders sagged as something in me finally loosened.
“I’m still scared,” I whispered.
“That’s okay,” Ash said. “We can stop anytime.”
I looked at our hands — still connected, still safe.
“I don’t want to stop,” I said.
His smile was gentle, reverent.
“Then don’t,” he said. “Just stay here.”
I stared at him, suddenly overwhelmed with a desire to kiss him.
His eyes watched my mouth with longing. “Gods you are beautiful.”
I looked at him, my wild companion, with his silvery brown hair and those mismatched eyes. I didn’t know when it happened, when he had settled in my heart. But now, I was so happy he had.
“Would you… would you ever want to kiss me?” I asked, my voice barely steady.
He didn’t answer immediately.
Not because he didn’t want to — that was obvious — but because he was searching my face, making sure.
“You don’t have to ask me that,” he said quietly.
His jaw tightened, just slightly. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“I know,” I whispered. “But I want to try.”
