Then he starts to move.
It's slow at first, shallow thrusts that let me get used to the feel of him. But soon that changes, his movements becoming deeper, more insistent. The wall at my back keeps me steady as he takes me, his hands on my lower back guiding my movements to meet his.
The fairy lights catch on the sweat beading on his skin, making him glow like something magical. His muscles flex with each movement, the power in his body evident in every line. I've never felt so safe and so desired all at once.
His mouth finds mine again, our kiss messy and desperate. I can taste myself on his lips, feel the way his breath comes faster with each movement. His hands slide up to cradle my face, his thumbs brushing my cheeks as he kisses me like I'm something precious.
The angle changes, his thrusts hitting deeper, and I groan into his mouth. He swallows the sound, his own groan vibrating against my lips. His hands move back to my waist, his fingers digging into my skin as he takes me harder, faster.
I can feel it building, that delicious tension coiling tighter with each movement. My breath comes in gasps, my body moving against his instinctively. He's right there with me, his own breath rough against my skin.
"Maya," he growls, the sound sending a thrill through me. "Come for me."
The words push me over the edge, my body tightening around him as pleasure crashes through me. He follows with a groan, his body shuddering against mine as he finds his own release.
We stay like that for long moments, our breath the only sound in the room. His forehead rests against mine, our skin slick with sweat. I can feel his heartbeat against my chest, or maybe that's my own pulse I'm hearing.
Slowly, carefully, he lowers me until my feet touch the ground. My legs tremble, my body still humming with the aftershocks of pleasure. His hands stay on me, holding me steady as I find my balance.
When I look up at him, his expression is one of awe. He cups my face in his hands, his thumbs brushing my cheeks. "You're incredible," he says.
I grin, feeling powerful and desired and so many things I don't have words for. "Right back at you."
He kisses me then, slow and sweet, his hands cradling my face like I'm something precious. When he pulls back, his forehead rests against mine, our breath mingling between us.
The fairy lights catch on the sweat cooling on our skin, casting everything in a soft glow. His apartment, this moment all feels magical, like we've stepped outside of time itself.
His hands slide down to lace with mine, his thumbs brushing my knuckles. The touch is so gentle, so at odds with the strength I know he possesses. It makes my heart ache in the best way.
"Stay," he says. Not a demand, but a plea.
I don't have to think about it. There's nowhere else I'd rather be. "Always."
The word hangs between us, full of promise. He kisses me again, slow and sweet, before leading me toward his bedroom. Our bedroom, maybe. If I'm brave enough to hope for that.
The sheets are cool against my skin as we climb under them, our bodies fitting together like we were made for this. His arms wrap around me, holding me close, and I realize something with a start.
This is home.
Not my apartment with its perfect quiet and carefully cultivated solitude. Not even this building with its quirky neighbors and shared spaces. But this—his arms around me, ourbreath syncing as we drift toward sleep, the way his heartbeat steadies mine.
I turn in his arms to face him, my hand finding his chest. His skin is warm under my palm, his heartbeat strong and sure. He looks down at me, his expression soft in the dim light.
"Maya," he says, my name a question and a promise.
I don't have words for what I'm feeling, so I kiss him instead, pouring everything into the touch. He responds instantly, his hands cradling my face as he kisses me back, slow and deep.
When we break apart, our foreheads rest together, our breath mingling between us. There's so much we need to talk about, so many uncertainties still hanging over us. But right now, in this moment, none of that matters.
There's just us. Our hearts beating together. Our breath syncing as we drift toward sleep. Our bodies fitting together like we were made for this.
CHAPTER 18
URSAK
Dawn creeps through the windows of 4B like a cautious visitor, painting everything in shades of gold and amber. I've been awake for hours, watching the light slowly chase away the shadows, memorizing the way Maya's hair catches the morning glow where it spills across my pillow.
She shifts in her sleep, one hand reaching across the space where I was lying. Even unconscious, she searches for me. The sight tightens with something I'm still learning to name.
