Soren's Pov
I tucked a few loose strands of hair behind her ear, my fingers lingering against her skin. I watched as her lips stretched into a soft smile against my chest before she raised her head to look up at me, her eyes still heavy with sleep but full of warmth.
"That really wore me out," she admitted, her voice husky as she cupped my face with her hand.
"I know," I sighed, still smiling down at her, though it was hard to hold her gaze for too long. The guilt kept gnawing at my chest, a persistent, sharp feeling I had to keep pushing down. I was constantly convincing myself that all of this was for the best, that the secrets and the half-truths were necessary to keep this peace, to keep her looking at me like this.
