Jenn's POV
The light from the window spilled softly into the room, casting golden shadows across the walls. I woke up slowly, wrapped in his warmth. Andres's arm was still around me, his chest gently rising and falling with each breath. I could feel his heart beating steadily beneath my cheek. For the first time in a long time, I felt peace—like the world outside didn't exist, like it was just him and me.
I didn't want to move. I just wanted to stay tangled in him, forever.
But I shifted slightly to look at him. His eyes were already open, gazing down at me like I was the only thing he wanted to see.
"Morning, my sleepyhead," he whispered, brushing my hair back from my face.
"Have you been watching me this whole time?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Only for a few eternities," he grinned. "You look like a dream I never want to wake up from."
I blushed, hiding my face in his chest. His arms tightened around me.
"You make me feel safe," I murmured against him.
He kissed the top of my head. "That's because you are safe. With me. Always."
But that moment of sweetness twisted into a knot in my stomach. The truth I'd been holding in felt heavier than ever. I slowly sat up, and Andres immediately noticed the shift in my mood.
"Jenn… what is it?" he asked, sitting up beside me.
I turned to face him, my heart racing. "There's something I need to tell you," I said, staring at our intertwined fingers.
He waited, not rushing me, just gently stroking the back of my hand with his thumb.
"Andres… this trip—it's temporary. Jas and I… we're only here for a month. And now… there's only fifteen days left."
I looked up at him, and I saw his smile falter. His expression went from soft to unreadable, but he didn't let go of my hand.
"You're leaving?" he said quietly, like the words hurt to say out loud.
"I didn't want to hide it," I said quickly. "I just… I didn't know how to say it without breaking what we had. Without breaking you."
He looked away for a moment, his jaw clenched.
"But Andres… what scares me the most isn't leaving the country. It's leaving you," I whispered. "Because somewhere between the coffee runs, the stolen glances, the surprise kisses… I fell in love with you."
He turned back to me, eyes wide and glassy. "You love me?"
I nodded, a tear slipping down my cheek. "So much that it hurts."
He didn't say anything. He just leaned in, gently cupping my face and brushing the tear away with his thumb.
"Jenn… I've been waiting to hear that from you," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "Because I love you too. I have for a while now. I just didn't want to scare you."
He reached into the pocket of his hoodie and pulled out something small and folded. I looked at him, confused.
"What's this?" I asked.
He handed it to me. It was a little note, written in his handwriting.
"Wherever you go, I'll find a way to follow. My home is wherever you are."
I looked at him, stunned, and before I could speak, he added softly, "I've already started to cjeck with my lawyer . I'm not letting distance or borders take you away from me."
I couldn't help it. I burst into tears. He pulled me into his lap, holding me like I was made of glass, kissing the top of my head over and over.
"You have no idea what you mean to me," he whispered into my hair. "If loving you is madness, then I never want to be sane."
I kissed him. Not out of impulse, but out of need. The kind of kiss that says I choose you, no matter what. His hands framed my face as he kissed me back, slow and deep, like we had all the time in the world.
When we finally pulled away, breathless and wrapped in each other, I whispered against his lips, "Promise me we'll find a way."
He held my face in both hands and said with conviction, "I already have."
And in that moment, I knew—this wasn't just a love story. This was our forever.