Kaelen
The intimacy with Celestine, I knew, was a masterclass in controlled seduction. I didn't know the exact mechanism of her power, but she possessed an innate, profound understanding of my vulnerabilities. She only had to perform a simple, elegant tilt of her head, allowing the thick, rich fall of her hair to move just so, or trace a single, warm fingertip along the edge of my jawline, and every last particle of resolve I had foolishly walked in with would instantly dissolve into warm air. She knew precisely where to touch, exactly how to look at me, and I would inevitably fall into her without putting up the slightest resistance.
When she teased me, I was compelled to follow her lead. When she pulled me closer, the external world closed violently around us, shrinking into a singular
