Lily hugged her pillow tightly, burying her face in its soft fabric as Cai's words echoed endlessly in her mind.
"I care about you."
"I want you."
"You're not 'just you.'"
Each phrase sent a shiver down her spine, making her stomach twist into a knot of nervous excitement. She could still feel the warmth of his hands cupping her face, the intensity in his gaze as he spoke those words to her—words she never expected to hear. They had been so raw, so real, that even now, hours later, her heart wouldn't stop racing.
She rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling, her mind replaying the conversation over and over like a movie she couldn't turn off. Every little detail came rushing back—the way his voice had softened when he reassured her, the gentle pressure of his thumb tracing her cheek, the way his breath had mingled with hers when their foreheads touched.
And then, of course, there was that moment.