~CELINE~
The moment stretched between us, taut as a bowstring. I could feel Ragnar's eyes on me, intense and questioning. My breath caught in my throat as his hand moved slowly, deliberately toward mine where it rested on the sofa cushion. The nearly imperceptible brush of his fingertips against my skin sent electricity racing up my arm.
"Celine..." he murmured, my name sounding different in his deep voice, almost like a caress.
The sound of it broke whatever spell had fallen over me. I pulled back slightly, not dramatically but enough to create distance. The flash of disappointment in his eyes was unmistakable, though he masked it quickly.
"It's been a long day," I said, my voice not quite steady. I tucked a curl of behind my ear, needing something to do with my hands. "The ceremony,
