Oh, he was so lost. His brain warred between the wanting and the fear of being lost, but was really ready to lose to everything but the sensation.
And, here were the soft lips pressed to his, and here was the feel of the sigh trembling through the pliant body in his arms. And here, he was pulling closer, tasting more sweetness than he would have ever guessed. A deep breath, a release, and he was able to pull the dark head under his chin, gently, where he had longed for it to be.
“’Nara?” He was almost afraid to ask, hated using these hard words to break the magic of the moment.
“Mal,” her reply muffled against his neck, the flutter of her lips sending even more sensations down his spine, the tone of her voice not quite the answer he was hoping for.
Empty and lost, he couldn’t bear it. Desperation, he could bear, it spoke to his gut, proved all his theories about the ‘verse true. But the love, the pity…no, it would never work. He still wasn’t ready to believe. Not yet, maybe not ever.
Of course, he had to taste her expert kiss one last time. Bending slightly, he muttered, “So sorry, ‘Nara, but I just can’t,” just as his throat seized up, and his back stiffened. Yes, she was stunned. No, he couldn’t breathe.
They stared. He turned, before he could register the expression on her face.
And he left her shuttle before his will could crack, because it was all he had left.