“I’m sorry about what I said,” he whispered. She could feel, rather than hear, the words.

“So am I,” she said. “Should we talk about it?”

He sighed, tightening his arms around her. “Yes, but not now. Get some sleep, Kam.”

She closed her eyes as her own heartbeat fell into sync with his slow breathing, and they both fell asleep.

*  *  *

The room was still dark when she stirred but less dark than it had been before. Rohan was still wrapped around her. But she’d slept—something she hadn’t thought she’d be able to do tonight. She checked her watch—five a.m. She stretched her neck a bit, shaking out the crick from the tight position. He stirred from her movement.

“You okay, Kam?” he asked, voice soft from sleep.

She nodded and shifted so her head was next to his, instead of on him. She said what she should have said before. “Thank you for being here for me. Even after I yelled at you.”

“S’okay. You were upset. And I yelled at you, too.”

“I don’t really deserve you.”

He smiled a sleepy smile. “Maybe, but you’re stuck with me anyway. Get some more sleep.”

She smiled. Yeah, that’s what she should do. His hand swung around and landed on her waist, and he closed his eyes. She knew this was weird, and probably wrong. She knew friends didn’t sleep wrapped in each other’s arms, no matter how terrible their days had been. But everything in her—her mind, her body, her soul—wanted to stay right here, with only this person.

Besides, it was barely dusk—the magical hour. No one was awake. No one was here. No one but the person who maybe saw more of her than anyone ever had. She didn’t feel she had control over her hand as it reached out and touched Rohan’s cheek, her palm flattening half over his soft beard and half over the smooth skin of his cheekbone. She felt him gasp softly with surprise. His eyes opened. He stared at her a few seconds. Finally, he whispered, “Kamila.”

She slid over and kissed him.

Right there on the lips…she kissed Rohan Nasser. He didn’t pull away. He only flexed the hand on her waist. She kissed him gently, slowly. Exploratively. It seemed so strange—this was Rohan. It shouldn’t have felt so…normal. True, kissing him wasn’t entirely new, but it had been over seven years since their lips had touched. Nothing was the same as it was then.

Even this kiss was different. More restrained, sadder. But still not unfamiliar. She kept kissing him, exploring those soft lips like it was the most natural thing for her to do. She wrapped her hands around his neck, discovering skin still warm from sleep, and strong. So strong. He pulled back a few inches and searched her face.