The reaction is instant and electric. Her body stiffens beneath me, her back arching off the bed as her mouth parts in a silent cry. She trembles violently, and before I fully grasp what's happening, she's coming apart in my hands.
I freeze for a moment, stunned. Did she just—? My hand is drenched, and her chest is heaving as if she's just run a marathon. Her eyes are glazed, unfocused, and she looks utterly wrecked.
I can't help the deep chuckle that rumbles from my chest, a mix of pride and disbelief. I lean in closer, brushing my lips against her flushed cheek. "Are you alive?" I tease, unable to resist.
Her lips move, but the only thing that comes out is a soft, incoherent murmur.
I sit back on my heels, grinning like an idiot. I feel like a god—no, better than a god. A man who just discovered a treasure he didn't even know existed.
