Honestly, Heather couldn't remember being so happy. There had been little moments here and there that made her smile, that made her feel good, but they didn't compare, they didn't even come close. The only event that this one rivaled was when she'd found out her father was alive again, and to her, that had been almost a miracle in itself. Then again, so was this, considering.
Her eyes remained closed for a second or two when he pulled away, but slowly opened just in time to see the look in his eyes as he told her, for the first time in person, that he loved her.
Smiling instantly, she felt her chest lightening and her stomach twisting with pleasant excitement. "I love you, too," she told him as earnestly as she possibly could. "I love you, Sam."