He found the hairpins that held her loose twist in place. As her thick, soft hair tumbled down, he gripped a handful and gave it a sharp tug, forcing her head farther back.
She gasped against his mouth in that sweet combination of pain and deep longing he knew well. But she didn’t pull away. If anything, her kiss became more ardent. When he finally let her go, her chest was heaving, her eyes shining.
“Oh, Hayden,” she whispered, both fear and longing on her face. “Maybe you’re right, just a little bit. Maybe there’s a place for me in your world. I just don’t know…” She trailed off, looking away.
Gently, he reached for her, cradling her cheek in his hand as he drew her gaze back to him. “I do,” he asserted. “And I’m going to prove it.”