February felt the drop in her stomach when he admitted her worst fear. Would she have been able to blame him? She'd once told him she was incredibly loyal, but she'd gone and broken a promise. It had been careless of her, something she'd once accused him of being. Never again.

At a loss for words, she was glad he prolonged the need to find any as he kissed her. Her fingers tightened their grip on the front of his robes, completely thrown off balance by the emotion behind the kiss. She could feel the warmth of it right down to her toes, radiating inward.

There it was, the last little push over the edge.

Fuck, she'd fallen in love with him.

The realization hit her hard and fast as she pressed closer to him, pouring every ounce she had into the kiss, lest she get ahead of herself and actually say it out loud.