Page 40 of Xavier

His face an inch away from mine.

I didn't realize until this very moment that I've been waiting this whole time, my whole life, to kiss him.

"Kiss me, Xavier," I whisper.

And he sucks in the air I breathe out.

His mouth lowers to mine and my lips are touching his.

Everything about it feels right, I push forward, wanting to feel him harder against my mouth, more. I just want more.

He pulls away, and I almost fall into the space between us.

"Malynda," he says, and it scares me the way he says it. Like it might be the last time.

"Yes?"

"I can't offer you anything. I don't have anything. It's why I haven't... I want you to know, I know you deserve more."

I lean forward, my head against his chest, listening to his racing heart beat for a moment, before I look up at him.

"You have the one thing no one else can offer me,” I confess.

"And you have the only thing I could ever want," he replies.

We take a breath and in unison we whisper, "You."