“Of course not. But you looked at you differently, too, lest we forget. You started feeling yourself, hard.”

“Facts.” He drops his head. “I was a jerk when that money started rolling in good. Man. And all the attention. Oh my god. All them…”

“Nope. Not gonna do that. Not bringing up no THOTs in my moment.” Those memories are staying buried.

“Your moment?”

“That’s what I said.” I roll my neck so he knows I’m not playing.

“I like that sauce you put on it.” He runs a finger down the bridge of my nose and pauses at my lips.

My everything is on fire. He stares but all I see are his lips. I remember their gentleness, their heat. The way our kiss, my first ever kiss, brought the heavens down to earth. My insides are in knots. It’s been so long, so long, since I’ve felt this flicker, this flame, and let it swallow me.

“Rue, I love you.”

The remnants of anything I have to keep him at a distance shatter.

“I’ve always loved you,” he goes on. “And I’ll never forgive myself for screwing up what we had. If living in your shadow is where I have to be, then I’ll be here, forever. Just to be close to you, there for you, to make up for what I did.” He takes my hand and holds it to his chest. “Your name is etched right here. And here…” He lifts his shirt and my name is in cursive across his chest. “That’s never gonna change.” His words sink into me.

And I let them. “I love you too, Jue.”

His smile could outshine the sun. “Say it again.”

“I love you,” I whisper.

His breath is warm on my lips. “Rue…”

I suck in a breath, trembling with anticipation.

“I’ve waited so long to ask you this again.” His cheeks push up under his eyes. “Can I kiss you?”

I lean in, pressing my lips to his as my answer, and the world disappears. His mouth melts into mine and I’m warm all over. His hands pull me deeper into him and I open my mouth wider, Julius’s love wrapping around me. I’ve never felt safer. He tugs at my lip and nuzzles my nose. I break away for a breath and find a tear on his cheek. I kiss it away. He holds my face in his hands and we sit there, foreheads pressed together. I don’t want this moment to end. I want to sit in this feeling forever.

“When this is over,” I say, “i-if things go our way, it’s me and you.”

“Whatever happens, it’s me and you,” he says. “Always.”

I kiss him once more before pulling away. The moon is higher.