Life in Draft Mode: BOOK 1

REACHING THE PEAK

Maya’s hands flew to his shoulders for balance, her nails digging into his skin as the intensity reached a breaking point. Elias wasn't being gentle anymore; he was moving with a raw, primal energy that demanded she keep up.

He reached up, one hand tangling in the hair at the nape of her neck to pull her head down, meeting her lips in a kiss that tasted of salt and desperation. The friction was electric, a building storm that finally broke over them both.

Maya's head fell onto his shoulder, her body trembling as she collapsed against him, her breath coming in short, ragged hitches. Elias held her tight, his own body rigid as he finally let go, his heart hammering a frantic rhythm against her ribs.

The room went quiet, save for the sound of two people trying to remember how to breathe. Elias smoothed his hand down her spine, his touch now infinitely tender.

The frantic energy of the morning finally began to settle, replaced by a comfortable, heavy warmth. Elias didn't pull away immediately; instead, he held Maya against his chest, his fingers tracing lazy, lingering patterns down the curve of her spine as their breathing hitched back to a normal rhythm.

"I think," Elias murmured, his voice sounding like gravel and velvet, "that qualifies as a successful start to the day."

Maya let out a weak, muffled laugh against his shoulder, her muscles feeling like jelly. "If 'successful' means I can't feel my legs, then yes, Mr. Clark. You’ve outdone yourself."

With a reluctant groan, Elias finally shifted, bracing himself on his elbows to look down at her. Her hair was a wild halo on the pillow, and her cheeks were flushed a deep, healthy rose. He leaned down, planting a soft, lingering kiss on her forehead before finally swinging his legs off the bed.