"Don't be sorry," Cecilia murmured. She studied their hands, running her thumb back and forth across his skin. It was helping to center her, at least a little. She was still reeling from all this new information, trying to figure out what to do. She still felt like she ought to put a stop to it for his sake, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. He said nothing had to change, but here she was, holding his hand. She'd sought him out. She was always finding little excuses to touch him. She didn't see that going away anytime soon.
"It was definitely a surprise," she finally said, smiling lightly. "It's very sweet. Romantic, even. Nothing I would have expected." She was still studying their hands, as if fixated. "I'd been trying to convince myself you didn't want me. It felt so much easier to deal with if it was one sided, and you didn't feel the way I did."