Page 86 of Five Years
“But you did,” Leah whispered.
Whenever she thought about that moment, the pain was still as raw as the day she left.
“I don’t know how to just...forget what happened. I don’t know how to trust you again, like I did before.”
Ariana swallowed hard. She hated the sight of Leah’s vulnerability—and knowing she was to blame.
“I can’t undo what I did, but if you let me, I’ll spend every day for the rest of my life proving there will never be another. I would never make the same mistake again. I’ve done nothing but regret my decision for five years—that’s the God’s honest truth.”
Leah’s eyes searched Ariana’s face, looking for the sincerity she had grown accustomed to.
Ariana leaned in closer, her voice steady now, but full of emotion. “If it’s at all possible for us to find our way back to each other—to have the chance at rebuilding what we used to be—I will never let that go.”
Leah closed her eyes. She searched for the answer. The weight of her heart pressed heavy against her chest. She wanted to give in to the pull.
Slowly, she reached for Ariana’s hand, her fingers trembling.
“I don’t know how I’ll feel, Ariana,” Leah said honestly.
“I know—and you can take all the time you need to figure it out. I’ll wait.”
“Despite everything, I want to be with you, that much I know.” Her voice wobbled.
Ariana’s breath caught, her eyes brimming with tears. And in that quiet, fragile moment, they joined together again. The skyline flickered with city lights, their breath visible in the frosty air.
Their lips met as fireworks erupted all around them. The kiss began softly, hesitant, as if they were trying to fight their way back to who they used to be. There was a gentle pressure as Ariana brushed a lock of hair behind Leah’s ear, her hand shaking slightly under the weight of the moment. Leah, overcome, pulled her closer, a hand sliding around the back of her neck, fingers threading through Ariana’s curly mane of hair. Their connection grew stronger with every second—more intimate, more raw as the feelings came flooding back.
The kiss was no longer just a kiss—it was a promise. A declaration of everything unspoken. A lifeline. A way back from the depths of despair.
In the moments that followed, they held each other close. Leah was uncertain—but bound by the hope that love could overcome anything, even when tested.
EPILOGUE
Two years later
The morning light spilled softly through the blinds. The alarm on Leah’s phone erupted for the third time, reminding them of their work commitments, but neither seemed in any hurry to break the bubble of their morning routine.
Leah lay on her side, propped up on her elbow, her fingers lightly tracing the curve of Ariana’s shoulder. Ariana’s eyes were half-lidded, a faint smile curling on her lips as she sipped from her new stainless steel coffee mug—a present from Leah.
“We really should get up,” Ariana murmured, her voice a mixture of amusement and reluctance.
Leah stirred, moving her naked body even closer to Ariana. She lazily ran her fingers across Ariana’s chest.
“You know, I think we could get away with being a little late today.” She raised her eyebrows, suggestively.
Ariana lowered her mug to the nightstand, leaning in to kiss Leah. It was a slow, lazy kiss, meant to be savoured—and they did just that.
“You don’t know my boss,” Ariana teased.
Neither of them were ready to acknowledge the working day, but time was slipping away and commitments remained.
“Hmm, she sounds awful.”
“We’ll be late,” Ariana said, brushing her thumb along Leah’s jawline.
Leah tilted her head slightly, gazing up at Ariana, her lips parted in a gentle smile.
“We’re already late,” she teased. Her voice was playful, but the soft edge of desire was noticeable.
