Page 101 of Unfaithful

I returned the smile, feeling my heart quicken a little. "Small steps, Archie."

He let out a low, playful laugh. "Fuck, Sara, even without taking a single step, I'm still here, waiting."

And Emma's words filtered through my mind, echoing her warning about not hurting him. "Even though there's still uncertainty about us?" I asked hesitantly, the doubt in my voice betraying my nervousness.

Archie's gaze softened as he leaned in over the table. "Hope that clarity arrives soon," he replied quietly. "But yeah, Sara. I've told you I'll wait."

After that, we settled into a comfortable silence, one that said more than words ever could. In that quiet, I realized something profound: no matter where I was, as long as he was by my side, the chaos in my mind would still, and the cracks in my heart would slowly heal, piece by piece, with every moment we shared.

And I didn't feel that with Cole. Not anymore.

For the first time since Cole's betrayal came to light, I felt like I was exactly where I wanted to be.

We were the last customers to leave the restaurant, and as we drove home, my mind raced with how to end the night. Should it end with a kiss? It felt like it should, but I wasn't sure if he would make the move. He'd always been so careful with me, so hesitant—like that time at the club when I'd tried to kiss him, and he'd gently pulled away.

The memory made me hesitate. Should I try again? Perhaps this time would be different. Maybe I needed to be the one to take the first step. I longed to know what it felt like to kisshim, to see how my heart would respond, whether it would race uncontrollably or find a gentle rhythm instead.

Archie parked his car in front of my house as usual, and we walked to the front door in silence. My mind was still a jumbled mess, bombarded with a single, desperate thought: Should I do it? Should I just kiss him?

Even once we stepped inside, I couldn't summon the courage. Archie stood in the foyer, and I could sense he was about to leave when he broke the quiet. "I had a good time tonight, Peaches."

I returned his smile, warmth radiating in my response. "Me too."

He slowly spun around, and in that split second, my heart pounded, screaming,Now!"Archie..." I called out, my voice trembling with anticipation.

I stared at him, and he stared back at me in a silent, charged moment. Then, in one impulsive motion, I leaped forward. I pulled his neck down and kissed him—an urgent, fierce kiss that left him momentarily frozen on his feet. Then he reacted, returning my kiss with fervor. His lips, his warmth, and the intensity of his embrace sent shivers through me; it was as if his kiss ignited every nerve in my body. He kissed me like he'd been waiting for a hundred years. His kiss was pure hunger, a raw, unadulterated need.

He tilted his face, deepening the kiss, and in that instant, I climbed into him, drawn into a world where everything else simply ceased to exist. The room, the noise, the entire world, all faded away, replaced by the burning heat of his kiss. His hands roamed my back, pulling me closer, as our sighs merged into a single, harmonious sound.

Time lost all meaning. I couldn't stop, and neither could he. Every urgent press of his lips erased the echoes of past hurts and the cautious words that once held me back. In their place bloomed a raw, unbridled passion, a kiss that spoke of years of longing and hinted at the promise of new beginnings.

Gradually, the passion eased into a tender stillness. We pulled apart only enough to catch our breath, our eyes meeting in a silence that spoke louder than any words. In his gaze, I saw both vulnerability and hope, and I was certain my own eyes told the same story.

"I should stop now," he murmured, breathless. "Before I can't stop at all."

I nodded slowly. "Yeah..." I mumbled. He pulled away, stepping backward toward the front door. My hand was still warm in his grip until he had to let go to turn the knob.

"Good night, Peaches," he said with a tenderness that warmed me.

My heart was still thundering in my chest, and I could barely whisper, "Good night."

*** *** ***

That was last night.

And I could still feel his kiss on my lips.

Today, I had Nicole sit next to me as I tried to make sense of everything.

"I'm guessing you know who I am," she began calmly.

I nodded. Her words were a statement, not a question.

"Archie told you about me?" she asked, her voice tinged with both curiosity and caution.

"Yes," I replied.

"I'm surprised, to be honest," Nicole said, a light chuckle escaping her. "He wasn't the type to talk about things like this."

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