“I really want to kiss you right now,” I say, almost as if I’m asking her for permission. “In my whole life, I’ve never wanted anything so badly.” She puts her hands around my wrists, her fingers not touching, and she takes the one step closer to me. “After everything I’ve been through, I think this is what my reward should be. If only for one kiss,” she whispers. She gets on her tippy toes just a bit, and it’s like a magnetic pull. My hands move from her face to the bottom of her neck, and her hair slips between my fingers. My heart is beating so fast and so loud that I wonder if she’ll hear
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