We stood there for a while longer, the cool breeze brushing against our bare skin, the moon casting its silver light over the clearing.
The thought settled over me like a blanket, warm and reassuring, but it was the way Ethan looked at me, steady and unwavering, that made my breath catch. His gaze held something deeper, something raw and unspoken.
The clearing seemed to grow quieter, the world narrowing until it was just the two of us beneath the moon’s silver glow. Ethan stepped closer, his movements slow and deliberate.
“Rose,” he murmured, his voice soft yet carrying the weight of everything we had endured together. He reached out, his fingers brushing against mine in a touch so gentle it sent shivers racing up my spine. “I want you.”
I could feel my heart racing, and I was sure he
