Page 52 of Serenity at Seagrove
"Staying still. Letting yourself feel everything, even when it hurts."
He was close enough now that she could see those little flecks of gold in his eyes.
"I'm done running, Luna. From my injury, from my feelings, and from this thing between us."
Luna felt her carefully constructed walls crumble.
"But I heard you talking to Dawson about Oakland Hills, about making a difference there. And I wasn't going to be the reason you gave that up."
"And you weren't the reason I gave it up," he said. "You were the reason I finally understood what making a difference really means. Those kids on the course, the way they light up when they make a good shot—that's real. You helped me find myself again. I don't need more money. I made plenty as a pro. That job wasn't what I needed."
"Archer—"
"Let me finish." His voice was gentle but urgent.
"I spent my whole life chasing the next big thing, pushing through pain, trying to prove myself to everybody else. And then you taught me how to be still and find joy in small moments. How could I leave that?"
"I was so scared," she whispered, as a tear slipped from her eye and down her cheek. "Of needing you. Of not being enough to make you stay."
"Hey." He reached out, brushing away the tear with his thumb. "You're not just enough. You're everything."
The touch of his hand felt like everything broke loose inside her. All the pain and grief of the last few days crashed over her like a rogue wave threatening to take her down.
"I thought you were gone," she choked out. "I thought I'd lost you without ever telling you?—"
"Telling me what?"
Luna met his eyes.
"That I love you."
The words hung in the air between them.
Archer's hand stilled against her cheek.
"Say that again," he whispered.
"I love you. Even when I was pushing you away, even when I thought I had lost you—I loved you."
He moved closer, his free hand finding her waist.
"I love you, too," he said. "More than any game, any job offer, or any dream I ever had before you."
The last of the sunlight painted the lighthouse in gold. Here, where the land met the sea, more endings became beginnings. This was where they were meant to be.
When Archer finally kissed her, it felt like coming home. His lips were gentle against hers, giving her time to respond, asking rather than demanding. She melted into him, her hand sliding up his chest and curling around his neck. They kissed slowly, like the tide coming in.
Archer's arms tightened around her waist, pulling her closer, and she could feel his heartbeat against her own. And when they finally broke apart, Luna kept her eyes closed for a moment, memorizing the feeling.
Archer rested his forehead against hers.
"Stay with me. No more running. No more pushing away. Just stay."
She opened her eyes.
"I'm not going anywhere," she promised.
The wind picked up, and Luna stayed in Archer's arms, feeling the last tension leave her body as he pressed a soft kiss to her temple.
