I take a breath, if only to gather strength to say it. “I’m falling hard and fast, and it’s making me dizzy. Nothing makes sense. How can I curse the day I hurt you and be grateful for it at the same time? How could you even want me after everything? You are so loving, so forgiving, and so beautifully, unequivocally, perfectly you. Marina, you’re everything I want, exactly as you are—and that scares the hell out of me. I’m sorry for that shitshow. Sorry for pulling away. Sorry that I let you think for a second that you aren’t enough for me. You are more than enough. You’re everything to me. Truly.”

She takes me in, tilts her head to one side, and nibbles her bottom lip. Meanwhile, my heart rams in my chest, waiting for her to say something. She doesn’t smile, and finally delivering the words I’ve wanted to say doesn’t feel like enough.

“I brought you dessert, if that helps,” I say, offering her the container.

She takes it, setting it on a side table next to her. “It doesn’t hurt.”

“Give me another chance. A real date tomorrow night, just you and me—I promise.”

Her brow pinches as she glances from the porch floorboards back to me. “You’re falling for me?”

“Darling, how could I not be?” I breathe out in a sigh. “You had me at eep, and a hundred times after that. You had me the second you fell into my arms.”

She laughs, her eyes rolling to fight back the tears I see welling in them. “Kiss me, then, you numpty.”

Relief sweeps me as I close the distance between us, but I don’t kiss her yet. My hands tangle with hers before my fingers drift up her arms slowly, softly, and then trace her collarbone across her shoulders.

Her breathing quickens as my thumbs roll over her cheeks and my fingers circle her neck. Maybe I’m overthinking, wanting to savor this. But her hands rise to my forearms, and she explores me with touches, too. My forehead rests against hers, taking her in until we’re breathless and desperate.

She smiles, and I smile back, and my lips land on hers like that. Smiling.

Soft and sweet eases into intense in a breath—her lips are a delicate comfort and driving force at once. She plays me like a game that she knows exactly how to win. And I’m happy to surrender. A light bite on my bottom lip has me melting into her, and when her tongue playfully finds mine, I moan over how good it feels.

Her hands drift over my chest, tugging my shirt to pull me closer. My hands wrap her up, tightening us together, feeling all her glorious curves pressed against me.

It’s not just a kiss. It’s the kiss to end all others. The last first kiss.