For a heartbeat, nothing moved. The only sound was our ragged breathing. Leo was a statue above me, his muscles locked, his wide eyes fixed on mine. I could see the internal war: shock, propriety, fear... and a low, thrilling current of something else.
“Maya," he breathed, my name a question, a prayer, a curse.
I didn't let my gaze waver. I gave a single, slow nod, my hand still on his cheek. Yes. This is real. This is happening.
He closed his eyes, absorbing the reality. When he opened them, the shock had begun to melt into a focused, intense heat. He looked from me to Eva, then back to me, the connection between us pulling taut as a wire. This was our shared secret now, our shared leap.
He lowered his forehead to mine, his voice a rough whisper only for me. “You’re sure?”
“I’
