Page 95 of When Love Takes Root

“I’m not smooth. I’m certain.”

That sobered her.

I let the words stand.

“I’m certain about my interest. I’m certain about my intentions. I’m certain I took this to God before I stepped toward you, and I’m certain I’ll keep checking myself if you let me stay in this. What I don’t know is timing. I don’t know how long Kayden needs. I don’t know how many times your guilt is going to flare up and make you second-guess yourself. I don’t know how many doors grief still has keys to in your house. But I’m not asking for everything today.”

Her voice trembled. “What are you asking for?”

I looked at her lips before bringing my eyes back to hers. I was still a man, and God was still working on me.

“Permission to keep showing up.”

She looked at my mouth then.

Not by accident.

My pulse moved hard once, then steadied.

“Celeste.”

“Yes?”

“I want to kiss you.”

Her fingers curled against the counter.

The sentence entered the room and changed it. Nothing loud happened. No thunder. No dramatic shift. Just the two of us standing under warm salon lights with the open wall behind me, the front door locked, the world on the other side of the glass, and God somewhere in the middle, reminding me that desire was only safe when it knew how to kneel.

“But I need your yes,” I said.

Her eyes lifted to mine.

For a second, I saw every war in her. Wife and widow. Mother and woman. Memory and hunger. Fear and faith. She wasn’t rushing herself past any of it. She stood there and let all of it pass through her face, honest enough to make my throat tighten.

Then she nodded.

I didn’t move.

Her lips parted. “Yes.”

That was what I needed.

Not the nod.

The word.

I stepped into her space slowly and lifted my hand, giving her time to change her mind even after she had granted permission. She didn’t. When my palm touched her cheek, her eyes closed before my fingers fully settled there. Her skin was warm. Her breath shook against my wrist. I brushed my thumb near her cheekbone, careful of the tear track there, and leaned down until my forehead almost touched hers.

“Still yes?” I asked.

Her eyes opened, and the look she gave me nearly took me out.

“Still yes.”

I kissed her like I had taken her name to God before touching her.

Because I had.