River:
"I believe you."
The moment the words left my mouth, I saw the change in her immediately. Her shoulders softened, her lips parted in relief, and her entire face looked like a weight had been lifted.
The fragile tension that had been wrapped around her like a shield began to melt away, and I realized then that this was what she had been waiting for. Not just my forgiveness, but my belief in her.
She took a deep breath, and a small and delicate smile stretched on her lips. "Thank you. Really." Her eyes were almost moist as if she's trying to hold back tears. "And I'm really sorry for what-"
Before she could spiral further, I finally gave in to the instinct I had been fighting for far too long. My hand moved of its own accord, brushing gently against her temple, trailing down the soft curve of her cheek. Her skin was warm beneath my fingertips, so warm that I almost forgot myself and lingered longer than I should have.
And the way her breath hitched… it nearly undid me.
