She felt the next kiss all the way down to her toes. It went on for a long moment, or so it felt before she had to break the contact just to be able to breathe. Pearl panted softly, not pulling away, but rather, leaning into him because her knees had gone weak. She knew they shouldn't be embracing so, but damn, his strength buoyed her. Her head fell forward to rest on his shoulder just for a moment as she sought to unscramble the mess that had just become of her brain. She wanted to ask him why he wanted her of all people, what made her so special? He'd said she was beautiful. Was she?

When she lifted her head again, her cheeks were flushed. Her eyes searched his as if to ask the voiceless questions.