POV: Chloe

I ended up half across him, caught awkwardly at the waist, my weight braced on one arm that was sinking into the mattress beside him, our faces suddenly very close.

"Your stitches," I said, slightly breathless.

"Are fine," he said.

"Leo..."

He kissed me.

The argument dissolved. It always did, and I had started to understand that this was not weakness on my part, no.

Its simply the effect of being kissed by someone who meant it entirely, who put the whole of themselves into the gesture so there was no room left for anything else.

He pulled back just slightly, his forehead against mine.

"Marry me, Kes,"...