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“We aren’t soulmates,” Tori said.

“Perhaps not.” Miranda shrugged and offered her hands to Tori. “But there’s really only one way to find out.”

“And if I say no?”

“That’s up to you, chickenshit.” Miranda smiled.

And Tori laughed, the sound bubbling up from her in an instant. There was no way Miranda would know what those words meant to her. Closing her eyes, Tori steadied herself. She took both of Miranda’s offered hands, the smoothness of her skin sliding against Tori’s palms. The touch brought her home. Tori smiled, releasing Miranda’s hands once she was back up on her feet. “Okay.”

Miranda stepped forward and, with both hands, tucked strands behind Tori’s ears.

“Hi.” Miranda smiled, hands moving gently over Tori’s shoulders and down her arms.

“Hello,” Tori replied, the lump in her throat growing while her heart decided to take up the tango inside her chest.

When Miranda’s hands reached Tori’s, they interlaced fingers, neither hesitating or flinching away from the touch. The mood turned somber again, settling into the top of Tori’s chest, but it didn’t hurt so much this time. It felt natural and, in an odd way, beautiful.

“I am so sorry for all the pain that I’ve caused you. I never wanted to hurt you, ever.” Miranda’s gaze dropped to Tori’s lips before flicking back up to her eyes. “I was scared.”

“Don’t do it again.” Tori mimicked Miranda’s words from all those nights ago, but for the first time that night, they were actually talking. Tori opened her wound and let Miranda see it, and now it was her time to heal.

“Never.” The right side of Miranda’s lips lifted. Her eyes met Tori’s as she sucked in a breath, the change in mood from seconds before startling but oh so welcome.

A shudder ran through Tori, as though Miranda’s gaze looked beyond the surface and dove right into her, seeing her and all her flaws and still refusing to look away. Tori sucked in a trembling breath. Was she really going to do this? Put her heart on the line one more time for someone she was adamant wasn’t her soulmate? Did the difference between a soulmate and someone she loved matter all that much?

“Tori,” Miranda murmured, a hand on Tori’s neck. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”

“I’m scared,” Tori whispered.

“Me too.”

Tori flicked her gaze up. Miranda, raw and vulnerable, stood right in front of her. But she smiled, as if this was exactly what both of them needed. Tori wanted to collapse into her arms, hold her. She’d crumbled in front of Miranda in ways she never did with anyone else, not even Siena—not anymore at least.

Giving in to temptation, Tori stepped into Miranda’s embrace and pressed her nose into Miranda’s neck. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she wrapped her arms around Miranda’s back and held on.

“What are we doing?” Tori asked, needing Miranda’s confidence more than she could admit.

“Whatever you want.” Miranda combed her fingers through Tori’s hair as she held on. “Whatever it is that you want. That’s what we’ll do, but I’m here to try this out, to put in my full effort. And you should know by now, Tori, that when I commit to something, I go all in.”

“Like Rebel?”

“Yeah, like with Rebel.” Miranda’s chuckle was low. “So what are we doing? You tell me.”

Tori pulled away slightly, meeting those honeyed eyes. Her breath caught in her throat. Leaning in, Tori pressed their lips together. Tentative. Slow. Just the barest of touches. The kiss was soft and gentle. Something entirely different from every other kiss Tori had experienced before, with or without Miranda. It reached into her, and all that mattered was this moment.

She groaned into Miranda’s mouth as she tasted the familiar flavor that was Miranda and hints of the coffee that would have gotten her through the day. This was home. Miranda was her soulmate.

Tori had no doubt about it now.

thirty-one

Tori clutched Miranda’s sides with her fingers, holding tight and pulling her in closer. This was exactly what she’d wanted. If only it were just as easy to forget all that had happened in the last few weeks. Miranda parted her lips, dashing her tongue against Tori’s and hummed.

It would be so easy to fall into her, to let Miranda steal away any of those nerves and frustrations in the next few hours while they were together. But still, Tori hesitated. Not everything unclicked inside her. Miranda cupped her cheeks, keeping their mouths pressed together, but she didn’t push to take their kissing any further than what they were currently doing.

In fact, she slowed the kisses, pecking Tori’s lips as she pulled away slowly. “I can’t begin to tell you how sorry I am.”

“Was it the date with Haylee? Was it jealousy?” Tori needed to know what had changed, what had pushed Miranda to show up that night, outside of Aili and Siena’s intervention.