He hardly dared to breathe as she kissed him. He knew logically that she was not fragile, that he would not hurt her by simply being near her, but knowing and believing were two different things. He had been trained as a weapon, a thing of violence and death for nearly his entire adult life, and he could not help but compare that to the innate goodness and innocence that was Beauty. Sometimes he felt that he was soiling her simply by being near her.
But she made him feel alive, and made him forget where he was from. He felt normal around her. Here with her was perhaps the closest he'd ever felt to having a home.
He turned his head slightly and kissed her lips, softly at first, hesitant and questioning.