Chapter 411

He feared she didn't like him enough, that her affection might vanish, leaving him one day. He gently turned her body until they faced each other. The living room was dark, but moonlight filtering through the window illuminated Grace's view of Jason's face, though his expression remained hidden. She felt his gaze, however.

Slowly raising her hand, she pressed it against his cheek, solemnly saying, "All right, I'll like you more." Her initial confusion about their relationship, her doubts about its future, had vanished. Regardless of what tomorrow held, she wanted to accept him, offer him more affection, and ease his anxieties—at least for now.

With those words, she tiptoed and kissed him, pouring all her feelings into the kiss. His body shuddered in surprise before he deepened the kiss, a response only she could elicit. He loved her—so deeply that the intensity frightened him.

By the end, Grace was breathless, nearly collapsing had Jason not caught her.

"You said it yourself," he whispered, lightly brushing her lips with his fingers. "You're going to like meand thenfall in love with me."

Grace felt her face burn, grateful for the darkness.

"Also, promise me you'll forgive me if I do something wrong," he added, a tremor in his voice.

Surprised, she asked, "Do something wrong? What do you mean?"

"Nothing. I just thought you might leave if I did something wrong," he admitted.

She laughed. He was worrying about this before she even considered it. "As long as it's not against my principles, of course I'll forgive you. Do couples just quarrel over trivialities and leave each other?"

"What are these principles you speak of?" he asked.

"Infidelity, for instance. I'll leave if you fall in love with someone else," she replied.

Despite past relationship scars, she still longed for a pure, unadulterated love—loyalty and a lifelong commitment. It didn't have to be dazzling, just enduring. Her past with Sean Stevens had taught her that genuine love was rare.