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In the silence that followed, Alex could hear the faint hum of the
refrigerator. Through the window, the moon had risen and hung
suspended over the treetops.
“Because I know me,” he finally said, realizing that he was in love
with her. He loved the Katie he’d come to know and the Katie
he’d never had the chance to meet. He rose from the table, moving
closer to her.
“Alex… this can’t…”
“Katie,” he whispered, and for a moment, neither of them moved.
Alex finally put a hand on her hip and pulled her closer. Katie
exhaled, as if setting down an age-old burden, and when she
looked up at him, it was suddenly easy for her to imagine that her
fears were pointless. That he would love her no matter what she
told him, and that he was the kind of man who loved her already
and would love her forever.
And it was then she realized that she loved him, too.
With that, she let herself lean into him. She felt their bodies come
together as he raised a hand to her hair. His touch was gentle and
soft, unlike anything she’d known before, and she watched in
wonder as he closed his eyes. He tilted his head, their faces
drawing close.
When their lips finally came together, she could taste the wine on
his tongue. She gave herself over to him then, allowing him to kiss
her cheek and her neck, and she leaned back, reveling in the
sensation. She could feel the moisture of his lips as they brushed
against her skin, and she slid her arms around his neck.
This is what it feels like to really love someone, she thought, and
to be loved in return, and she could feel the tears beginning to
form. She blinked, trying to will them back, but all at once, they
were impossible to stop. She loved him and wanted him, but more