She seemed so shocked and even hurt, that he felt that pang in his chest grow to a fissure. He lifted a hand to press against the center of his chest as if he might be able to soothe that emotional hurt, but it did nothing to help.
And then the mistletoe quite clearly trapped them in this moment and, sighing, he took a step back toward her. "Silviya, I would never wish to hurt you or cause you any distress or turmoil. I value you far too much not only as a friend but as an individual, but..." Another step toward her. "...I'm not certain we have a choice but to kiss if we want to free ourselves from the mistletoe."
He leaned in then, close enough that his nose nearly brushed hers, though he hesitated, closing his eyes. "I'm afraid I won't want to stop," he admitted on a breath that was almost too soft to make out in the noisy ballroom.