he leans close to me, his breath soft on my cheek.

"i want to be with you forever," he says quietly.

i squirm just a little, caught between the happiness that he would commit his life to me and the brief thought that he might not really mean it.

"forever is a long time," i finally reply, wishing i could say all the things in my head in such a simple sentence.

he smiles at me, his eyes sparkling. "i know," he says. "i want to be with you for a long time. and maybe more."