Tam heard her breathing hitch, and for a moment, his brain was still, a place of calm and serenity, before the storm of thoughts unleashed again. But it was enough time to make a decision, to assess the distance between their faces, to forget everything about families or duties or scraping a living in a world where life was hard. Her uncovered eye was shining, and even though he wasn’t sure how she was going to react, he shrugged the notion away. Wasn’t life supposed to be lived? Wasn’t that what they said? That a life filled only with worries and hard work, was not lived to the fullest? Did he want to waste his life, refraining from getting what he wanted and shying away from his dreams and desires? ”No,” he said aloud, just as much to answer her as to answer his inner monologue. He kept hold of the boots, tugging them towards his chest, so she had to let go or follow. And then his hot gaze swept over her cheekbones, her eyepatch and then finally landing on her lips. Angling his face down, he let his lips descend on hers, demanding rather than asking.