Lorraine's heart slammed against her ribs, aching with a happiness so sharp it almost hurt. His words… his beautiful, beautiful words had undone her doubts more than anything else could.
Before he could say more, before fear or reason could steal the moment, Lorraine seized it. She lifted herself, her lips brushing his with sudden boldness.
It wasn't hesitation, it was fire. It was her realizing that he had touched her, knowing it was her. She remembered the way he had hesitated at first, how his nose had lingered along her face, his hand buried in her hair, his palm mapping the scars on her back before he let his guard down… before he kissed her, before he took her.
He was confirming. He kissed her only after he confirmed it was her. He had always known. That only meant that he chose her. He chose to consummate their marriage, not out of lust, but out of love. Deliberately. If there was someone else in her place that day, he wouldn't have accepted them. He accepted her. His wife.
