Warmth blossomed in my chest, sparks igniting as Elijah leaned in close, our lips brushing together, tentatively, for the first time. The smell of his cologne, and the soft, peachy scent of his conditioner, was dizzying, butterflies dancing in my stomach.

Warmth consumed me as I leaned into the kiss, his lips impossibly soft against my own, almost silken, and pillowy against it. I could feel the soft tickle of his breath beneath my nose, his fingers fondled through my hair as we breathed each other in.

I disentangled our lips, breathing in to level my dismantled breath, cut short by the passionate kiss I shared with Elijah.

"I love...