#Chapter 101 Renee

I waited, nervously waiting for an answer. Heart pounding in my chest as the silence stretched between us. Dominic said nothing. For a long, aching moment, he just looked at me. There was something in his eyes—conflict, restraint, longing—but it wasn’t rejection. Not really. Not in the way that counted. It wasn't agreement either, and I couldn't help but be disappointed though not surprised by that. “You deserve more than a rushed romance, Renee,” he said gently, his voice low and steady. “We’re not there yet. And I don’t want you to look back on this with regret.” I tried not to let my disappointment show. I looked away from him, but I nodded. But then he stepped forward, cupped my cheek with a tenderness that made my knees threaten to give out, and kissed me. It wasn’t just a kiss. It was the kind of kiss that silenced everything else in the world. My thoughts. My breath. My anxiety and doubts, too. Warmth spilled through me, rattling my bones. It said everything his wor