Page 159 of Reaper Said Mine

The realization arrives quietly, without force or drama.

Just certainty.

I love her.

Not because of the bond, fate, or the way she challenges me and understands me, though all those things are true.

I love her because when I imagine a future worth surviving for, she is standing inside it.

Ursa's smile gradually fades into something softer.

She studies my face.

Then reaches up and touches my jaw.

The room feels very small.

The stars beyond the glass feel very far away.

"You look like you're thinking dangerous thoughts."

"I am."

"Political thoughts?"

"No."

Her breath catches slightly.

"Oh."

I lean closer.

Slowly.

Giving her time.

Giving her choice.

Always choice.

She closes the distance herself.

Our kiss begins gently.

It isn't hurried or desperate. It is the kind of kiss built from trust instead of hunger.

Her hand slides into my hair.

Mine settles against her waist.

The station disappears around us.

So do the politics, conspiracies, threats, and the war waiting beyond the horizon.

For a few precious moments there is only warmth, closeness, and the certainty that neither of us is carrying the weight alone anymore.

When the kiss breaks, her forehead rests against mine.