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Her eyes met his,and she saw something raw and sincere. It was disarming to see him sovulnerable. She thought of all the things he'd done, the betrayal that had oncecut deep. But there was also the undeniable fact that he had put himself on theline for her more than once.
"Derik,"she started, but the words tangled up in her throat. Trust wasn't givenlightly, not by her. It had to be earned, and re-earned, and then guarded likethe rarest of treasures.
He steppedcloser, and she could feel the warmth radiating from him, could smell the cleanscent of his aftershave. It was familiar, comforting in a way that made herdefenses waver. He reached out, hesitantly, as if afraid she might pull away.When his fingers brushed against her cheek, it was like a spark jumping thegap, igniting something she hadn't realized was smoldering within her.
"Forgivenessisn't easy," she murmured, acknowledging the weight of her grudge and theeffort it took to set it aside. "But I do trust you, more than I thoughtpossible."
His eyes widenedwith that stark admission, clearly not expecting her to voice it. There wassomething disconcertingly vulnerable in his gaze, a depth of emotion thatthreatened to pull her under. It was a moment of alarming honesty between them,a door that had been closed for so long suddenly thrown wide open.
His hand movedfrom her cheek, trailing down to her shoulder before pulling away reluctantly."I just… I needed you to know," he admitted faintly. His gaze droppedfrom hers, focusing on the space between them as though it held all theanswers.
She watched himin silence, assessing his mannerisms with a clinical detachment she haddeveloped over years of training. She was good at reading people, their bodylanguage and their emotions, but Derik was always an exception. His decade longtenure as her partner had made him both familiar and enigmatic; easy to predictin a professional setting but an unsolvable mystery when it came to personalmatters.
"So nowwhat?" she echoed his earlier words, breaking the heavy silence that hungbetween them. Her tone was neutral, devoid of any judgment or expectation.
He looked up ather question, dark brows furrowing as he struggled to formulate a response."I don't know," he admitted with an honesty that startled her."But I want to figure it out. Morgan, I’ve always had feelings for you.Even when I was still married. Even before you went away, and for the wholetime you were gone. It never stopped.”
Morgan’s heartslammed against her ribcage at his confession, the sheer intensity of his wordsresonating with a powerful force. She had never expected to hear Derik expresssuch raw, undeniable feelings for her. Without knowing it, he had just thrown atorch into the already muddled mess of her emotions, illuminating an unexploredpath she had never thought she would tread.
"I…"she began, unable to formulate her thoughts into coherent words, her mindgrasping at the implications of his statement. It was as though her world hadsuddenly been tipped on its axis, and she was left struggling to regain herfooting.
He watched herclosely, green eyes burning with a mixture of hope and apprehension. His gazewas steady, filled with a yearning that seemed to reach into the depths of hissoul. It was intense and overwhelming, bearing down on her with the weight ofyears of suppressed emotion.
She took in ashaky breath, trying to steady her rapidly beating heart and gather herscattered thoughts. There was an uncertainty hanging heavily around them, itspalpable presence felt in the silence that stretched over seconds… minutes...
“You don't haveto say anything,” he said finally, his voice soft but firm. “I just… I neededyou to know."
She looked at himthen – really looked at him.
She saw the manshe had been through hell and back with, not just her partner but her equal,her foil. She saw the man who had betrayed her trust, certainly, but also theman who had fought to regain it, the man who stood before her now bearing hissoul. He was a man of contrasts, a mix of rough edges and hiddenvulnerabilities that made him as frustrating as he was compelling.
"I..."she began again, searching for the words that seemed to elude her.
The night wasstill outside, the world seemingly holding its breath as the minutes tickedaway uncounted. She took in his green eyes that always seemed to be veiled byan undercurrent of sorrow, his black hair that framed his handsome but tiredfeatures, and finally, his lips which had just let out a confession thatstirred her more than she cared to admit.
Somethingpowerful ignited between them then - a connection potent as it was delicate.The tension rose like a high tide under moonlight, it ebbed and flowed but itwas unending and tangible in its silent intensity.
"Derik,"she began again after a minute that felt like an eternity. Her voice wassomewhat shaky, belying the cool exterior she maintained.
Then, withoutanother word, they were reaching for each other.
Morgan feltherself being pulled into Derik's embrace, her body responding to his touchwith a hunger she had forgotten she was capable of.
Their lips met ina kiss that was both a promise and a release, a melding of pent-up longing andshared relief. It was passionate and desperate, as though they were trying tocommunicate everything words had failed to convey.
As theyseparated, breathless and slightly disoriented, the world outside continued itsunending rhythm, oblivious to the seismic shift that had just occurred withinthe confines of the small room.
Derik's gaze heldhers, emerald eyes reflecting a myriad of emotions. Fear was there, mixed withhope and a measure of surprise. After all, he had laid his emotions bare andthe response had been more than he could have ever hoped for.
Morgan swallowedhard, her pulse thundering in her ears. His confession was still echoing in hermind, the words resonating with a force that was equal parts terrifying andexhilarating. She surrendered herself to the moment, turning her steady gazeback to him.
"I…"She paused, collecting her thoughts, which were scattered like pieces of ashattered mirror. "I guess we're going to figure this out together,"she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper.
His face brokeinto a rare smile at her words - wide and relieved. It was as if a weight hadbeen lifted from his shoulders, a burden he'd been carrying for far too long.
Carried by thetide of their emotions, Morgan led Derik to her bedroom. There was nohesitation now, only the need to be close, to reaffirm life in the aftermath ofdeath and danger. She switched off the lights, casting the room into darknesssave for the silver glow of moonlight filtering through the curtains.
As the doorclosed behind them, she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him down onto thebed. Their bodies entwined, a dance as old as time, and for the first time inwhat felt like forever, Morgan allowed herself to simply feel, to bask in thewarmth of another soul against hers.
