~Elara~
Unlike our first kiss in the alley—desperate, a ploy to escape pursuers—this was deliberate. A claiming.
My body responded instantly, arms winding around his neck, pressing closer. Heat flared between us.
His tongue traced the seam of my lips, demanding entrance I willingly gave. I tasted him—cedar and rainwater and something wild—as his hands roamed my body with growing urgency. His arms encircled my waist, lifting me effortlessly until my legs wrapped around his hips.
"Elara," he breathed against my lips, a question in my name.
"Yes," I answered, beyond caring about consequences or complications. In that moment, I wanted only this—his hands on my skin, his mouth on mine, the intoxicating heat building between us.
He carried me back inside, our mouths never breaking contac
