The weight of his words hits me harder than I expect. “Thank you.” I pause, swallowing the sudden lump in my throat. “On the other hand, I do have a father. I just have no idea who or where he is. At this point, that ship’s sailed.”
His face shifts, a mix of amusement and curiosity flickering in his eyes as he laughs. There’s something incredibly soothing about the way he takes everything in stride without pushing or prodding. He doesn’t look at me with pity, just understanding. “What do you do for work back in the States?”
“I’m a second-grade teacher.” I grin, the words coming out faster and full of energy. “Every day is something different. There’s never a dull moment. The kids are a handful, but it’s so rewarding.”
“Sounds like it keeps you on your toes,” he says, a playful glint in his eyes. “You’ve got the summer off, aye? Think you’ll stay in Scotland for a while?”
I notice it then. The hesitation in his gaze, that unspoken question hanging between us like a fragile thread. He’s trying to figure out how much time we have, how much room there is for whatever might come next. I take a slow breath, knowing that whatever I say next could change everything.
“I think…” I begin, resting my chin on my hand, my gaze meeting his as I let the words form. “I’m going to be staying here a good while longer. As long as I possibly can.”
For a moment, I think I can see him exhale, like he’s been holding his breath without even realizing it.
“Juliette?” His voice is low and soft, drawing me in.
I tilt my head slightly, instinctively aware that something’sabout to shift, my pulse quickening as his gaze drops to my lips. The air between us crackles with anticipation.
“I would really like to kiss you.” There’s no hesitation in his voice, no doubt. Just an honesty that has my heart racing.
Oh. God.
There’s something about the way he says it. Not cocky, not rehearsed, justreal, that absolutely unravels me. Maybe it shouldn’t feel so earth-shattering or like something rare and precious, but it does. It feels like standing barefoot on the edge of a cliff, the world spread wide below me. And in that moment, I know that whatever comes next will rewrite everything I thought I knew about myself.
Because I’ve been kissed before. I’ve been wanted before.
But this? This feels like being seen. Like I’m being chosen, not for the version of me I’ve polished up and put on display, but for the messy, heart-on-her-sleeve girl sitting right here in front of him.
I’m pretty sure my heart is somewhere up in my throat, thudding away like it’s got no sense of pride left at all. The craziest part is, I don’t even care. Iwanthim to know. I want him to see every bit of how much I want him, too.
I swallow hard, my voice barely steady. “Yeah?” It comes out a breathless little thing, shaky and small but maybe the bravest word I’ve ever said.
“Yeah,” he says, like it’s the simplest truth in the world. “But only if you want me to.”
And oh, Ido.
I take another slow breath. “Then what are you waiting for, Captain?”
He wastes no time pulling my chair closer, the movement so smooth and natural, my thighs slotting perfectly between his. His fingers thread through my hair with a gentle tug, sending a spark that shoots straight to my core.
When his mouth meets mine, it doesn’t feel like a first kiss at all.
It feels like every near miss, stolen glance, and what-if finally catching fire.
It’s everything I didn’t know existed. Tender but sure. Patient but utterly consuming. He kisses me like it’s something he’s been starving for.
And god, I feel it everywhere.
It’s in the way his hands grasp my hair like he can’t stand the idea of letting me go. It’s in the way his mouth moves over mine, learning me, memorizing me, leaving no doubt in my mind that this isn’t just something casual.
This isthekiss.
The kind that rewrites every single one before it.
No kiss has ever curled through my body like wildfire and safety all at once, or made me feel so wanted I could cry.
I melt into him without a second thought, my arms wrapping around his neck, pulling him closer. He groans in response, and I feel it all the way down to my bones. His tongue swipes gently at my bottom lip, tasting me and silently asking for more. My lips part instinctively, and in an instant, his tongue slides in, the slow, intoxicating strokes making everything else fall away.
He tilts his head, deepening the kiss, his grip tightening on my hair. Heat floods my skin, and I can feel every inch of him against me, every movement sending a shiver through my body.
