Page 107 of A Kingdom's Heart
The world around us seemed to fade. The sound of the sea, the whisper of the wind through the trees, it all became distant. There was only this: his warmth, his heartbeat, the safety of his arms.
I closed my eyes and let myself sink into him. For the first time in what felt like forever, everything was quiet. I was where I was meant to be.
I had never felt so safe. So sure of something in my life.
I loved him. Completely.
WILLIAM
We sat together in silence, the sound of the sea filling the spaces between us. Her breathing was soft against my chest, her scent a mix of roses and lavender that wrapped around me like somethingI never wanted to let go of. I could stay like this forever, holding her while the world faded away.
Her warmth pressed against me, and for the first time in years, I felt at peace. My hand rested lightly on her back, rising and falling with every breath she took.
Then she spoke, quiet but clear. “William?”
“Mm?”
There was a pause, long enough for me to feel her heartbeat quicken against my chest. Then she said it, barely louder than the wind. “I love you.”
For a heartbeat, I forgot to breathe. Her words sank into me like sunlight through cold water, filling every space I hadn’t known was empty. I pulled back just enough to see her face. She was looking down, shy almost, her fingers curled in the fabric of my tunic.
“Iris,” I said quietly, her name more of a breath than a word.
She finally looked up, her eyes meeting mine, uncertain but full of warmth. “I mean it,” she said. “I love you.”
Something in my chest tightened, then eased all at once. I had imagined this moment a thousand times, hearing those words in my head, wondering what they would sound like from her. But nothing came close to the way they felt now.
“Say that again,” I whispered.
“I love you.”
My breath came out rough. My heart was pounding so hard it almost hurt. “God, you don’t know what that means to me.”
“Then tell me,” she said softly.
“Everything,” I murmured. “It means everything. It means this.”
Before I could think, I pulled her to me and kissed her.
For a heartbeat, she went still. I felt her breath catch against my lips, her hands tightening against my chest as if she wasn’t sure what to do. Then she kissed me back. Slowly at first, almost hesitant, but then with more certainty, as if the hesitation had broken.
The sea faded. The wind stilled. All I could feel was her. The softness of her lips, the faint tremor in her fingers, the warmth of her pressed against me. My hand found her waist, pulling her closer. She leaned into me, her body fitting perfectly against mine as if it had always been meant to.
I deepened the kiss, slower this time, my thumb brushing along her jaw. She tilted her head slightly, her lips parting to meet mine again. I could taste the salt from the air, the faint sweetness of her breath.
Without meaning to, I rose, bringing her with me. Her hands gripped my shoulders, steadying herself. When her back brushed the tree, I paused, but she didn’t move away. The look in her eyes told me everything I needed to know.
I kissed her again, harder now. My hands slipped around her
waist, lifting her without thought. Her legs wrapped around me for balance, and I held her there, steady and secure.
She laughed softly against my lips, a sound that made something in me ache with joy. I kissed her again, gentler this time, slower, like I wanted to memorize the shape of this moment.
When we finally broke apart, she was still in my arms. Her forehead rested against mine, her breath quick and warm.
The night was quiet around us. Only the sea moved, calm and endless in the distance. My thumb brushed her cheek, tracing the warmth of her skin, and she leaned into my touch.
We stayed like that, saying nothing. There was no need for words. The silence said enough.
