~Salvatore's POV
I did not realize how tense my body had been until Elsie moved closer to me.
One second, she was standing across from me, and the next, she shifted toward me slowly with that hesitant look she always carried whenever emotions were involved. My eyes moved to her immediately. She looked nervous and almost shy. Then before I could even ask what was wrong, she leaned closer and pressed a soft kiss against my cheek.
I froze completely. For a moment, my brain genuinely stopped working.
Elsie pulled back almost immediately after the peck, but before I could process it properly, she wrapped her arms around me gently.
"Thank you," she whispered softly.
I could barely breathe properly. My hands hovered slightly before finally settling around her carefully, like I was scared she would disappear if I held her too tightly.
"For what?" I asked quietly.
She hugged me a little more.
"For staying with me," she murmured. "And for not hating me."
