Page 35 of Inferno

Even Bristol stayed at arm’s length, where Samantha insisted she be. Using the difference of communication to create a wall between them because Samantha didn’t want to face her own inability to fix her problem and find some peace. She didn’t want to know that Bristol could help her when it was far easier to nurse the hurt.

Because the pain was the only thing she had left.

Julio leaned closer to her, hesitating. Tentative, the way he had always been. But right now, Samantha didn’t need him to be gentle with her. She needed someone to break down the wall and force her to share her heart.

She closed the gap between them and pressed her lips to his, pouring all the hurt and grief and longing into that sharedmoment. Her hands sought him, and she grasped the collar of his shirt, dragging him closer to her. She shifted her fingers to the back of his neck. He didn’t tighten his hold on her. Content to allow her to take what she needed from him while he held himself still.

The fact that Julio was being entirely Julio right now was what allowed her to draw back, breathing hard.

The skin around his eyes flexed. “Good?”

She frowned.

“Now it’s my turn,” he said.

He didn’t let her go. He leaned in, still touching her cheeks and pressed his lips to hers. Exquisitely gently, he held her close, and she soaked it in. Drawing deep of all the comfort and connection he wanted to give her.

The churning in her heart and mind eased, softened by the way he settled her like no one else. Like nothing else in her life ever had, or ever would. In a way that made her want to believe that God was real. Because if He wasn’t, then all this was nothing but an accident. And she couldn’t believe that it could be exactly what she needed, otherwise. There was just no way some random confluence could precisely match her the way that Julio did.

He eased back, and she dipped her head.

Samantha felt his cheek touch hers. She wasn’t sure how long it was going to last, but the simple contact was enough to let her feel safe enough to pray.

I’m sorry I didn’t believe You.

The simple words in her mind and heart eased more inside Samantha than even Julio’s kiss had. She would never have guessed just days ago that she would be here, sitting with him. Feeling like she was actually at peace with God for the first time in a very long time.

And yet she was.

“I could stay here forever.”

Julio’s voice rumbled close by. “Eventually one of us is going to have to go to the bathroom.”

She smiled but didn’t move.

“Although, you’ll probably need coffee before that happens.”

She started to laugh. Then it occurred to her she hadn’t done that in a very long time as well. She leaned back, shaking her head. Marveling how much had changed in just a couple of days. It wasn’t that she had managed to regain what she lost. Samantha was a much different person than she had been two years ago, and she doubted a relationship between them would be the same.

It wasn’t as if everything was fixed.

But at least she was headed in that direction.

The skin around his eyes flexed. “You okay?”

“I am more okay than I’ve been in a long time.” She pushed her hair back, swiping at her cheeks. “And a lot of it is thanks to you.”

Julio smiled. “I’m glad I could be here.”

“Me, too.” She resituated herself in the seat and looked at the screen of her phone. “We should be going.”

“Back to reality?” He seemed as reluctant as she was to get back to work.

“Maybe when we clock out at the end of the day, we could go get some dinner or something?” Samantha bit her lip. Why was asking that so awkward? They had eaten together plenty of times. Not to mention everything else that came with creating a life, something neither of them had been proud of—but she knew he would’ve stuck by her.

By now they would be married with a toddler.

This was just dinner.

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