The world felt softer after that kiss. Warmer. Like the air itself pressed differently against my skin. I didn’t pull away from Ray, and he didn’t rush anything—he just held me there, his forehead resting lightly against mine as if he needed the contact to keep something inside him steady. I felt his breath, warm against my cheek, mingling with mine in a way that made my pulse flutter unevenly.
“Ali,” he murmured, voice low in a way that always sent something shimmering down my spine.
“Hm?”
He didn’t say anything for a moment. Instead, his thumb traced a faint line along my hip, slow and thoughtful, like he was trying to memorize the shape of me. His expression wasn’t intense like earlier—it was gentler now, quieter, but still heavy with something I couldn’t name.
“Stay right here,” he
