I was going to combust.
His hoodie was too big, his arms were too warm, his heartbeat too loud under my cheek.And those words?
"I love you too."
They kept echoing inside me like some kind of spell. I'd said them weeks ago, when I thought he was asleep. When I thought I'd never hear them back.
But he did hear.And now… he'd said them back.
I didn't cry.Didn't freak out.
I just curled deeper into him like a coward, face pressed into his chest, heart pounding so hard I was sure he could feel it.
"I'm blushing so hard right now," I mumbled into the cotton fabric of his shirt.
"I can feel it," Damien said, voice low, teasing.
"Shut up."
He chuckled. His fingers trailed along my back, up my spine, slow and unhurried. Gentle in a way he wasn't with anyone else. Just me.
Always just me.
"Look at me, Viv."
"Nope."
"Vivienne."
He said my name like it meant something. Like I meant something.I peeked up, face on fire, nose scrunched. "Fine. Looking."
And then—he leaned in.No teasing smirk. No smug glint in his eyes. Just... warmth.
He was so close I could see every shade in his irises, every breath he took before he whispered, "Can I kiss you?"
I forgot how to breathe.
"Yes," I breathed out. "God, yes."
And then — finally — he kissed me.
It wasn't fireworks.It was thunder and rain and everything I'd ever needed. Soft lips and slow breaths. His hands cupping my jaw like I might disappear if he didn't hold on.He kissed me like he'd been waiting for this his whole damn life.
And maybe, so had I.
When he pulled back, barely an inch, I chased him — forehead against his, breath tangled with his.
He smiled.
"I've wanted to do that forever," he said.
I grinned, already diving in again. "Then don't ever stop."So This is What It Feels Like
I was going to combust.
His hoodie was too big, his arms were too warm, his heartbeat too loud under my cheek.And those words?
"I love you too."
They kept echoing inside me like some kind of spell. I'd said them weeks ago, when I thought he was asleep. When I thought I'd never hear them back.
But he did hear.And now… he'd said them back.
I didn't cry.Didn't freak out.
I just curled deeper into him like a coward, face pressed into his chest, heart pounding so hard I was sure he could feel it.
"I'm blushing so hard right now," I mumbled into the cotton fabric of his shirt.
"I can feel it," Damien said, voice low, teasing.
"Shut up."
He chuckled. His fingers trailed along my back, up my spine, slow and unhurried. Gentle in a way he wasn't with anyone else. Just me.
Always just me.
"Look at me, Viv."
"Nope."
"Vivienne."
He said my name like it meant something. Like I meant something.I peeked up, face on fire, nose scrunched. "Fine. Looking."
And then—he leaned in.No teasing smirk. No smug glint in his eyes. Just... warmth.
He was so close I could see every shade in his irises, every breath he took before he whispered, "Can I kiss you?"
I forgot how to breathe.
"Yes," I breathed out. "God, yes."
And then — finally — he kissed me.
It wasn't fireworks.It was thunder and rain and everything I'd ever needed. Soft lips and slow breaths. His hands cupping my jaw like I might disappear if he didn't hold on.He kissed me like he'd been waiting for this his whole damn life.
And maybe, so had I.
When he pulled back, barely an inch, I chased him — forehead against his, breath tangled with his.
He smiled.
"I've wanted to do that forever," he said.
I grinned, already diving in again. "Then don't ever stop."