My body hardened completely.
He stopped.
We remained close, breathing the same air.
“Amber?” I asked.
He swallowed.
“Not red.”
“All right.”
“I can feel you.”
“Yes.”
“Do you need to move?”
“No.”
“Does it hurt?”
“Not yet.”
A nervous laugh left him.
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to say.”
“You are not supposed to say anything.”
“I want to keep kissing you.”
“Then we can.”
“But I don’t want more.”
“We will not do more.”
His gaze searched my face for disappointment.
I let him see everything.
Want.
Tenderness.
Restraint.
No resentment.
No grievance.
Only the truth that I desired him and would not make that desire his burden.
Noah kissed me.
Relief softened the kiss.
