Facing it Together

The commander decided to be vague. He wanted to keep what he was feeling close to his chest so he wouldn't burden Celia with unnecessary weight.

"Ask me how I feel about anything," he said. "You'll find that I've remained the same." 

He could feel her eyes on his face and knew it was ridiculous that a grown man couldn't meet her gaze so he decided to make the eye contact that scared him so much. When their eyes met, he couldn't help the small smile that pulled at his lips uncharacteristically. 

Celia's heart thumped erratically. Even though there was a breadth of space between them, she still found him unnerving. 

When Callum gave her such charming smiles and had grown into such an undeniably handsome man, it made her realize that she wished he had been just a bit older so their lives would have lined up more perfectly.