What the Heart Knows

His voice was low and almost bashful as he looked up at her through the fringe of hair she found adorable. This was still her Oliver, one of the sweetest men she’d ever met.

“Thank you.”

She leaned in to suck his bottom lip between her own and poured every ounce of love into the kiss. “Wow. All this for an album?” he asked.

“No, for reminding me why we’re worth fighting for. I’m not going to give us up after all we’ve been though together.”

“Juni, I don’t want you to feel pressured.”

“Shh.”

She placed her finger on his lips “What we’ve found is rare. The details of how we were originally introduced are inconsequential.”

“A-Are you sure? Because I can’t go through another loss—”

His voice cracked and she wrapped her arms around his waist and placed another kiss on his lips. The salty drops that dripped from his eyes coated their mouths and her tongue as she continued to convince him with her mouth she was sure of her decision. They pulled apart for air and she stroked a gentle finger down his face.

“You’re my beautiful mess now, Oliver. We’ve put too much work into moving beyond our pasts to walk away now.”

“But you haven’t heard the whole story of what happened while you were unconscious.”

“So tell me.”

Fear flashed across his face, and she ached for him. Hannah might have taken her over, but she’d broken him, not once, but twice. She rested her head on his shoulder to lend him her support and remained quiet as he told his story.

Thirty minutes later she couldn’t decide if she was horrified, amused or disgusted. He’d had sex with his wife in her body to help save her life. What did you say to that?

“Are you okay?”

“This whole thing is so bizarre; I don’t even know what to say. Don’t get me wrong. I’m creeped out as hell. But none of it’s your fault. For all we know, she would’ve eventually found me no matter what. I choose to think fate brought you into Cupa, not her. I refuse to give her any more power over me. You should do the same.”

“It’s not that easy.”

“It can be if you let it. After all the shit Hannah put you through, you still did what was right. You don’t owe her anything, not that you ever did. Just think, without you, Hannah would be left to wander the earth for eternity, never truly belonging anywhere.”

The thought made her shudder.

“Next time the guilt starts to eat at you, remember that. Better yet, come to me, and I’ll help put your mind on other things.”

She tilted her head up and pulled his face down toward her. Juni placed a soft kiss on his parted lips and held his gaze. “Like this.”

Right now they both needed gentle. She cupped his face in her hands and placed soft kisses over his face.

“I don’t want you to regret this later,” he whispered.

“I won’t.”

“How can you know that?”

“Because I have faith. I’m asking you to do the same.”

“Ju—”

“Please don’t let her ruin this too.”

Tears filled her eyes and he grew wary as she took a deep breath.

“You’re my chance at a new start too, Oliver. I love you, and not because of cellular memory or ghost residue. You’re the man who helped me check items off my bucket list, and removed all my self-consciousness about my scar. You can always make me laugh no matter what, and I think we make each other better people.”