Elara was still sitting on the couch, her hand held in Dareth's, as if she were only now truly arriving in this evening - in this honest, sheltered moment. The tea's steam had begun to fade, but the scent of warmth still lingered in the air - along with something else: a quiet, unspoken, pulsing attraction neither of them could deny anymore.
"I'm beginning to feel that you do," Dareth repeated softly, and after a brief pause, added, "And if that's too fast for you, then it will stay just a thought. You don't have to answer. But... you should know that what I feel doesn't come from the bond. It was there even before."
Elara tilted her head slightly, her brows furrowing as she looked at him.
"When?"
Dareth replied with a small, almost sheepish smile.
"The first day you walked into my of
