Faelan was so stunned that he made no effort to push her away this time, and it wasn't until she'd already kissed him that he even recovered enough to think about kissing her back. She was on his lap again, touching him, telling him that she didn't care, and as shocked as he was, nothing could have struck him more deeply than being told that he was trusted. He had lied to her for weeks, and she was telling him that she trusted him, and she didn't seem afraid at all.
"I don't want out," he finally said, his voice hoarse, and his hands moving with no conscious thought, pulling her close into a clutching embrace. He hadn't known how good it would feel to have the news off his chest, but even better was the fact that her reaction was so entirely opposite of what he'd expected. He knew he should protest, argue that he was dangerous and undeserving, but he just held on to her, feeling relieved and stupid for having doubted her.