“Of course.”
“I don’t know how this ends either. I don’t know what’s coming with Dale or Gio or Grace or any of it. I’ve spent the last eighteen months being afraid of things I couldn’t control.” She paused. “But I’m done letting fear make my decisions.”
He looked at her, his throat burning with emotion.
“Relationships are a leap of faith, Micah. All of them. There are no promises. No guarantees that nobody gets hurt.” She held his gaze. “But I think love is worth the risk.”
He was quiet a moment.
Then something in him—something that had been locked down and carefully managed for longer than he wanted to admit—let go. She was absolutely right.
He suddenly didn’t want to live like he had been any more. And if he wasn’t careful, he would lose Naomi before they ever even had a chance together.
He couldn’t let that happen.
If Naomi was willing to take a risk, then so was he.
He stood also and reached up to tuck a strand of hair back from her face, careful of the bandaged gash at her temple. His hand stayed at her jaw.
She leaned into it.
He kissed her—slow and sure.
Naomi’s hand came up to rest against his chest, and she exhaled against him—the last of the day’s tension releasing.
When they finally pulled apart, her forehead rested against his.
From the corner of the room, Good Boy’s tail began to thump steadily against the floor.
Naomi laughed before saying, “I think Good Boy approves.”
