The world had shrunk to a single point.
Kael.
The heat of his mouth claiming mine, the firmness of his hands on my skin, the way his breath mixed with mine. Everything was him. Everything was this suspended moment where nothing else existed.
Until I knew it was about to end.
The sound of hurried footsteps. A rustling among the trees.
"Kael."
His name was spoken with urgency.
Kael tensed against me, his body rigid, his lips still brushing mine as if he didn’t want to let go. As if he couldn’t.
For a single second, his forehead rested against mine. Just one second where I felt his unsteady breath, the control he was struggling to regain.
Then, with a forced exhale, he pulled away.
The cold struck my skin instantly.
I blinked, trying to process what had just happened.
One of his w
