NATHAN’S POV
She didn’t pull away, that was the first thing I noticed, not when I touched herand certainly not when I moved closer. Not even when the silence between us shifted into something heavier, something neither of us could pretend wasn’t there anymore. She stayed and that. That changed everything.
The room felt different now, quieter. Not because there was no sound, but because everything else had fallen away. There was only her and the connection between us. Stronger now. Clearer. No longer something I had to question.
I could feel her, not like before. Not like the bond she had with Damon. This wasn’t invasive, wasn’t demanding. It was… open, responsive.
Real. My hand rested at her waist, steady but not forceful, giving her time—space—to step back if she wanted to, she didn’
