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Her hand rubbed against my cheek, and I closed my eyes, leaning into her touch like a man starved. I couldn’t stand it. My hand wrapped around her wrist, and I yanked her so she was flush against me. She didn’t resist. I swept her wild curls over her shoulder before grabbing her face and pulling her in for a kiss. Thea melted against me, kissing me back. She moaned softly as I deepened the kiss. Giving her one last lingering kiss, I pulled back.

“Yes, little viper, I’m what you’ve been searching for,” I whispered. “I’ve missed you.”

It didn’t matter if I told her; she wouldn’t remember when she woke up. Dread filled me because she was so different this time in her dreams.It felt as if she had forgotten me completely.

“Little viper,” she repeated the nickname as if it were familiar.

I smiled as I wrapped my arms around her, holding her close. Thea frowned deeply as she looked at me.

“What’s wrong?”

“I wish you were real,” she confessed, breaking my heart.

I felt our connection fading, meaning she was waking up.

“I love you,” I whispered as she slipped away. Her mouth fell open in surprise.

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to hold on to the moment she was in my arms. But as soon as I opened them, tears stung as I realized I was alone in our room, haunted by the memory of my wife.