My heart felt too full, and three words sprang to my lips. I bit down on my bottom lip to stop myself from saying them, because despite this strong connection, despite this need to be in each other’s gravitational fields, it was too soon. We barely knew each other, and once those words were out, there was no taking them back. I wanted to, needed to be sure. His eyes crinkled, and his mouth moved—three little words that crushed the air from my lungs and brought tears to my eyes.

