"Cervini?" He called out again, trying to get her attention.
A clearer voice came from behind, and she finally recognized who it belonged to. Her heart ached suddenly.
"Daniel—Daniel, I'm here—" she shouted back.
"Wait there, don't move…" Daniel slid down toward her.
Finally, he reached her side. With the light from his flashlight, he saw her tear-streaked face and the dirt smeared all over her. Looking at her disheveled appearance, the scolding he had planned to give her evaporated. He pulled her into an embrace, and his reprimands turned into tender whispers: "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid… Cervini, I'm here…"
Cervini clung tightly to his neck, tears streaming down her face, soaking into his shirt and igniting his warm body.
Daniel's lips explored her ear, then moved to her cheek, and finally found her lips.
Cervini didn't resist; she let him kiss her, filled with all his affection and love. He kissed her gently…
