He breathed out a soft sigh against her lips, then placed another kiss delicately. His thumbs moved over her cheekbones.

Somehow, he'd been afraid she would reject that. Perhaps reasonable enough, for a stranger in a closet. But it felt hard-won, as if he had been rejected many times before.

But not any more. Mine. The hand in his hair felt like a confirmation of that.

Almost reluctantly, he let one hand drop from her cheek, but he slipped his arm around her waist instead, tugging her closer.