Worth the Wait - ebook sneak peek (full)

The full short story that will appear in the ebook. This is a William pov that takes place about a month after the end of the game.

*****

We had been dating nearly a month before the first time I kissed her. 

It wasn't because I didn't want to. Not really. I...I thought about it. I thought about it a lot. But every time I thought I might do it, my face went hot and I froze up. And seeing her look up at me with gentle expectation always made me anxiously back away. 

It wasn't as if I expected her to judge me. I knew that wasn't the case. And I also knew the only reason she hadn't kissed me was because she wanted to make sure I was comfortable with it. And it wasn't that I...wasn't. It was just that it was so...foreign to have someone who would so willingly take my hand, who would embrace me, or look at me with that kind of tender yearning.

I didn't know what to do.

Sometimes I was so conscious of what sort of expression I was making, or worrying if it was the right one...that I could do was lower my eyes and stare at our entwined hands wondering what on earth she could see in me.

And even something like that, I knew the answer to.

Of course I did. I could hear the whisper of it on her thoughts - that she loved my kindness, my 'quiet' voice. That she thought it was soothing and gentle. That she loved my 'pretty hands' and unruly hair. I could hear every one of those thoughts and feel the ripple of her emotions when her stomach fluttered because of me. Even though I didn't understand why it did.

When I laughed, I could hear the echo of her thoughts -that she loved the way my eyes crinkled to slits when I laugh, or the hint of a dimple that almost wasn't there. 

And...and...my face would get hot every time I thought of all the sweet things she murmured at me every day without even realizing it.

Because it felt like a dream where none of it was really true.

Because even if she loved those things about me, I loved even more about her. She was so strong and stubborn, but endearingly uncertain. Honest and witty...and I loved her smile. 

I loved her smile so much. And the way she fit into my side just...perfectly when we sat next to each other. I loved how fast she was to reach for my hand.

How her eyes would shine with hints of green when the light hit them just right. Or the way her hair went wild and frizzy on humid days. Even the smallest things about her - like the sound of her quick footsteps as she always tried to keep up with my longer stride even if I was trying to walk slow for her.

I loved her warmth. The way her hands were warm, the way her mind was warm...the way her soul was warm.

I loved her. All of her. So much that it hurt.

And it was in a moment when I was completely overwhelmed with that feeling - when we were sitting together at a park at dusk, watching the stars come out that I finally forgot all qualms and kissed her.

She had looked up at me and smiled and somehow...I just bent to press a breathless, timid kiss to her lips without thinking about what I was doing.

And it was...it was...wonderful. Terrifying..

I felt her surprise prick his mind and pulled away, my own breath coming in a succession of shuddering breaths. My heart was beating so fast and I couldn't seem to quite get any air. But I leaned in and kissed her again. Slightly longer this time, but still unsure What I was doing...

I felt like...like if I really let go of the tight control I always kept on my emotions and thoughts...I might scare her. But Nora didn't pull away or act afraid. She leaned into me and I felt just the barest brush of a happy, relieved thought.

Finally.

And I realized how hard it had been for her to wait.

I pulled away slightly and our eyes met. Her cheeks were pink by the rosy sunset...and embarrassment. And she had the most gentle look in her eyes. 

My heart flip-flopped through his chest and, and I suddenly regretted making both of us wait so long for this moment. I leaned in and brushed her lips with mine again, then pressed in closer, carefully.

Her arms wound around me, fingers lacing through the hair at my nape. I'd always sort of awkwardly wondered what you were supposed to do with your hands when you kissed someone, but mine settled sort of comfortably on her back as if that was where they'd always belonged. And the entire world around us vanished beneath the swell of twining feelings and the gentle sound of fabric, soft flesh grazing against soft flesh, and many quiet breaths.

It was wonderful. It was the most wonderful feeling I'd ever experienced. It felt like everything stopped. To feel someone's love for you in all the deepest places of your mind and heart...it wasn't something I ever thought I'd feel. But there was a moment in that kiss when the feeling of Nora's love was the only thing my body knew.

And when we finally pulled away from each other, we were breathless, flushed, and significantly warmer than we had been when I first kissed her. I stared down at her, still awed by what had just happened.

She flashed a brilliant smile and pulled me into a tight hug.

I clung to her in amazement. And I was just..surprised there was room inside me for so much happiness. I loved her so much.

And in that moment, I felt like the luckiest person alive to know she loved me as well.