Chapter 24

He kissed the corners of her lips first, then proceeded onto her lips, placing light pecks on them so as not to disturb her. But she seemed to stir. Her brows furrowed slightly, and her long lashes trembled. She shifted uncomfortably, and just as Rowan was about to pull away, he heard her soft and almost tearful cries.

"Randy, no..."

At that moment, Rowan completely froze. All the warmth and desire inside him turned ice-cold. He had always known, yet he still allowed himself to hope. He had hope until now, when her few simple words cut straight into his heart. It turned out that the closest distance could also be the most painful. It was more painful than all those years of watching her from afar and hearing about her from a distance. It was heartbreak at its cruelest.