As Anthony crushed her against him - but the loveliest, wave breaking against a shore sort of crush - Padma imagined herself the heroine Costanza of Aster Song's The Endless, blessed with the gift of All Sight, seeing forwards and backwards in time all at once, but rarely the gravity of the living moment. Kissed in a manner not unlike this, Costanza had thought her heart stopped in such a deep, slow moment.
And then, as Anthony's hands trailed and his mouth wandered, Padma was just Padma, desperately ignorant and absolutely trusting. Her eyes closed, heart like a hot coal.
She processed his statement word by word and then all at once.
"Let's," was all she managed, hand finding his and looping her arm tight against him.