Hale

IT DIDN'T TAKE A GENIUS to know when the penny dropped for Heaven...and why.

One moment, she was smiling at him like she used to.

And then it was gone.

Because she remembered .

All the times he had punished her for her stepfather's sins.

Rejected her every overture because he chose to believe she was no different.

But worst of all, she had also remembered she had stopped giving a fuck about him, and it was like seeing his whole world dim as her smile disappeared.

"May I say grace, Mr. ?"

Her voice was stiff, and he gave her an equally curt nod.

He listened to her speak, but he wasn't really hearing a thing.

All he could think of was how different everything was now.

And how he should be glad that it was.

But he wasn't.

Dammit.

They ate in silence.

Everything she prepared tasted great, but he found it impossible to thank her for it.

He wanted to hate her, but he couldn't.

He hated that he cared about how she had changed, but he did.

And as unreasonable as it was, he blamed her for making her feel all of these things.

Life had its ups and downs, but it had never hit rock bottom.

Until now.

Until her.

And as much as he wanted to try hating her again—-

He knew it was no longer possible to turn back time.

Or forget what he now felt.

And that was why when he saw Heaven jump off her counter stool as soon as she was done eating—-

was just as swift in getting to his feet, and Heaven cried out as he grabbed her arm and spun her around.

"Mr. !"

She stared up at him, but it just wasn't confusion he saw in her eyes.

There was pain as well.

Because of him.

"I'm sorry," he bit out.

She jerked in shock.

"I know I've been cruel to you all these years," acknowledged tightly. "And that you haven't done anything to deserve it. So...I'm sorry."

All she did was stare at him.

"Say something, dammit."

"I d-don't know what to say."

Her voice was now softer and tremulous, her eyes no longer dark with pain, and that told him everything he needed to know.

She might not have the words, but he did.

"Will you let me say it," rasped out, "but in the only way I know?"

He watched her lips slowly part, and when he saw that she was about to say 'yes'—-

That was all he needed to see, and pulled her close to do the one thing he had always wanted to do.

Since the first time he saw her, he had wanted this.

Only...he hadn't been able to admit it.

Until now.

Because he was done pretending.

cupped her face, and finally...

Ah, finally...

He finally had his first taste of her lips.

And it was like...

Heaven .