Page 94 of Duty Devoted

“I’ve got time.”

I squeezed his hand, feeling something ease in my chest for the first time in months. We weren’t fixed. We weren’t okay. But we were here, together, and that was a start.

He reached up with his other hand and cupped my cheek. “May I? I understand if you want to take things slowly.”

“I do want to take things slowly.” His hand slid away from my face, but I caught it and pressed it back against my skin. “But I also want to kiss you.”

It was like a first kiss all over again. Except this time, rather than being about survival or proving something, it was about promise.

It was about beginnings.

He leaned his forehead against mine. “I’ve never been so thankful to be stuck in an elevator before.”

And just like that, it lurched into motion, smooth as silk, as if it had never been broken at all and began heading down. We both looked up at the ceiling, then at each other. What timing.

We stood, and a few seconds later, Logan’s phone buzzed. He looked at the screen and let out a surprised laugh.

“What?”

He showed me the text. Two words from Jace:

You’re welcome.

“He didn’t.” But even as I said it, I knew he absolutely had. “He hacked the elevator?”

“Locked us in here until we talked.” Logan shook his head, but he was smiling. “Interfering bastard.”

“Good friend, though.”

“The best.”

The elevator continued its descent, and too soon, we were approaching the lobby. He grabbed my hand and I squeezed it, unable to hold back my smile.

“I am so late for work.”

“Worth it?”

I looked at our joined hands, then up at his face. The shadows were still there, the exhaustion and pain that months of running had carved into his features. But there was hope too, fragile and new.

“Yeah. Very much so.” I had to get out of this job anyway.

The elevator doors opened to the marble lobby, morning sunlight streaming through the glass entrance. We stepped out together, hands still linked, and I felt lighter than I had in months.

“We should probably—” I gestured toward the entrance, the doorman already holding the door open.

“Right. Work.”

But neither of us moved to let go. Finally, laughing at ourselves, we walked toward the entrance together. I knew if he suggested heading back up to my apartment, I would definitely not say no.

The morning air hit us as we stepped through the opened glass doors, crisp October wind carrying the promise of winter. I turned my face up to the sun, smiling at Logan, feeling possibility stretch between us.

“So I was thinking, maybe tonight we could go out on our first date.”

He smiled. “I would be honored.”

“Good. I know this place on the westside if you’re feeling adventurous.”

He stopped. “Do you smell that? It’s?—”