Denera I missed his touch so badly. His kiss deepened, his hand moving to the back of my neck, pulling me closer. I responded in kind, my arms wrapping around him, holding on as if letting go would mean losing his touch forever. There was a desperation in our kiss, a need that had been building for so long, finally finding its release. When we finally pulled away, both of us were breathless, our foreheads resting against each other's as we tried to catch our breath. Rockan's hands were still on me, his touch grounding me, reminding me that this was real, that he was real. "Denera," he whispered, his voice rough with emotion. "I've been waiting for this moment, for the ceremony to be over, so I could finally hold you like this. But I also don't want to rush you. We have all the time i

