Alister didn't move away. His hands were still gently resting at her sides, and his gaze was fixed on her face—studying her like he was seeing her in a new light.
Neither of them spoke.
There was no need to.
Their breaths mingled in the short distance between them, warm against the cool rooftop air.
The world felt far away, distant and irrelevant, leaving just the two of them suspended in this quiet space.
Lila's eyes flicked down to his lips, then back up, nervous yet drawn in.
Alister tilted his head ever so slightly, his gaze softening. His hand rose slowly, brushing a strand of hair from her face, his touch feather-light.
Their faces were close now.
Closer.
Their eyes locked—questioning, answering, daring.
And then—
Their lips met.
It was a soft kiss at first, slow and hesitant, like neither of them wanted to let the moment pass away.
But as seconds passed, it deepened, warmed, and spoke the words they hadn't yet dared to say aloud.
