Page 47 of Soaring and Steadfast

He wasn’t ready to let go.

The porch light cast a soft golden glow over them, but beyond it, the shadows of evening deepened, wrapping around them like a veil of solitude. They stood close, bodies pressed together in an embrace that felt both desperate and reverent. His hands memorized the shape of her back, the curve of her waist, and the way she trembled just slightly against him.

He wanted to beg her to stay. The words sat heavily on his tongue, aching to be spoken, but he swallowed them down. She had a life back in Louisville, an apartment, and responsibilities. Even if she chose him—gosh, he prayed she would—she still had to go back and tie up the loose ends of the life she’d built before him.

Just as he would do anything for her, he would wait.

Lila’s breath fanned against his neck, her fingers threading into the hair at the nape of his neck, her touch light, as if she was trying to memorize the feel of him just as desperately as he wasmemorizing her. Their whispers were low, intimate, and meant only for each other.

“The ship is pulling out for a week next week, so I might be out of communication…”

Her hand tightened against his shoulder. “I’ve got to get some things done on my end…”

His chest ached. He needed something—anything—to tether them together while they were apart. A fragile thread, a promise, a sign that she was truly his. The words spilled out before he could stop them.

“What size ring do you wear?” His voice was rough, edged with something raw and unfiltered.

Lila’s breath caught, her gaze snapping up to meet his. Her wide, uncertain eyes searched his, but he knew she wasn’t afraid. No, the way her fingers traced his ear, the way her lips parted as if she were on the verge of confessing something, told him everything he needed to know.

“Seven,” she whispered, almost like she was testing how the words felt between them. Then, softer, she added, “Something simple…”

His heart slammed wildly in his chest. She hadn’t said yes—not yet—but the needle was moving in his direction.

“Done,” he exhaled, his forehead pressing against hers. His grip on her tightened like he could keep her here through sheer will alone. “You will never regret this.”

“I know,” she breathed, her voice trembling, not with fear, but with something far more powerful—trust. “I believe you. I trust you. I just need time to get my messy life situated back home.”

“Take all the time you need,” he vowed, his hands framing her face, thumbs stroking the soft skin of her cheeks. “I’ll get the apartment, handle everything on my end, and when you’re ready—I’ll fly out, and we’ll come home together.”

Her laugh was soft and tearful, her fingers brushing over his lips as if she could seal this moment between them forever. “That sounds so good.”

“It will be,” he swore, the promise heavy with certainty. “I swear it.”

He kissed her then, slow and deep, pouring everything into it—his love, his soul, his devotion. He needed her to feel it, to remember it, to miss it when they were apart. Because no matter the distance, no matter the time, he would be waiting.

He would always be waiting for her.

When they finally broke apart, their breaths mingling in the space between them, he cupped her cheek, memorizing the way her skin felt beneath his touch.

“Get some rest and text me tomorrow.”

“I promise.”

His thumb brushed over her lower lip, reluctant to let her go. “Be safe, and don’t forget me.”

A ghost of a smile touched her lips, though her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. “I couldn’t…”

His throat tightened, the words catching in his chest before he finally let them free.

“Lila—I love you.”

Her breath hitched, and for a moment, everything else faded—the apartment, the looming goodbye, the uncertainty of the days ahead. Only this moment mattered. He wasn’t waiting for a response because he knew she wasn’t ready, but then her lips parted as she looked up at him.

“I’m falling for you, too,” she whispered tearfully. “I’m scared, but I care so much at the same time. Please don’t ever hurt me.”

“Never,” he breathed and kissed her again, offering up a prayer of gratitude for being lucky enough to find someone who completed him.

It had been almost ten days.

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