The sun dipped low as they headed back, painting the sky in brilliant orange and pink. Isabella walked slower, savoring every second.
"It doesn't feel real," she whispered.
Elijah wrapped an arm around her shoulders."What doesn't?"
"This. Us. How easy today was."
He kissed the side of her head."It's supposed to be easy. It's supposed to feel right."
She leaned into him, letting herself believe it.
"Do you think… we could really make this work?"
He didn't hesitate."Yes."
"You're that sure?"
"Of you? Absolutely."
Her breath caught."You make it too easy to love you," she murmured before she could stop herself.
Elijah stopped walking.
Turned her toward him.
Looked at her like he'd been waiting to hear those exact words.
And then he whispered,"Good. Because I'm already there."
They kissed again—slow, warm, sunset-soft.
A kiss that felt like a promise.
A kiss that felt like the beginning of something real.