CHAPTER 66

The warmth of Thiago’s lips lingered on mine, and I felt my breath hitch slightly as I pulled back to meet his eyes. There was something different in his gaze now—an intensity, yes, but something softer, something more vulnerable. I had said the words. I had told him I loved him. And now, the moment hung between us, fragile and full of possibilities.

I waited, my heart pounding in my chest as I searched his face for his reaction. Would he say it back? Would he laugh it off? I wasn’t sure what to expect, but what I got was a smile—a genuine, slow, breathtaking smile that made my knees feel weak.

“I’ve been waiting for you to say that,” Thiago said softly, his voice carrying a rare gentleness that made me feel exposed.

I blinked, trying to process his words. He’d been waiting for this? My heart fluttered, a mixture of relief and confusion. I opened my mouth to respond, but the words got stuck, and I looked away, suddenly shy in a way I hadn’t felt in a long time.

"It wasn’t easy for me,