"I know," he admitted, the air drawn from his lungs with one sharp twist, overwhelmed by the weight of the trust and the faith she had in him, given without ever being earned. He wondered if he would ever feel worthy of this, and feared that day, if it ever came, because it would mean he'd given in to arrogance and hubris all over again.

He kissed her, the flat of her belly, catching a drop of water from her navel.

"Come over," he murmured, "I'll make another sandwich. I burned this one."