His free hand moved before he could stop himself. Ever so lightly, he trailed his fingertips over Bai Ruyi’s tear-stained cheek.
“Ruyi…” he whispered.
He ran the pad of his thumb under the sleeping man’s eyes to wipe away the tears. Then, gradually, his hand moved down.
That same thumb moistened by tears touched the bottom half of Bai Ruyi’s lips, making it glisten even more enticingly.
He couldn’t take his eyes off of it. Inside his ribcage, his heart was galloping. “Ruyi…”
All at once, he could no longer seem to take it anymore. He cupped Bai Ruyi’s face under his chin and lowered his own head…
But when his lips were a mere inch away from their goal, he stopped moving. Swallowing painfully, he closed his eyes tight and murmured, “I’m sorry… Ruyi, I’m sorry…”
Following that, with
