As soon as the words "Stay with me" left my lips, I felt a rush of heat crawl up my neck. It was impulsive, unguarded, and completely unlike me. But the words had escaped before I could stop them, a plea born from a longing I hadn't fully acknowledged until this moment.
Ciara's eyes flickered with something,surprise, maybe, or was it amusement? Either way, her lips curled into that familiar smirk, the one that made my heart skip a beat and my stomach twist into nervous knots.
"You missed me, didn't you?" she teased, her voice low and husky, like she was savoring every syllable.
I rolled my eyes, trying to muster up some semblance of my usual composure. "Don't flatter yourself," I retorted, but the slight quiver in my voice betrayed me.
Ciara's smirk widened, and she stepped closer, closing the distance between us. The air in the room seemed to grow thicker, charged with an energy that was both thrilling and terrifying.
Her presence was overwhelming in the best way, like she commanded all the air around her and left me breathless in her wake.
"Come on, Aeliana," she drawled, her fingers lightly brushing a strand of hair from my face. "Admit it. You couldn't stop thinking about me."
I should've been annoyed by her arrogance, but instead, I felt a laugh bubble up from somewhere deep inside me. How was it that she could so effortlessly get under my skin and make me want to kiss that smug look off her face all at once?
"Maybe I did," I said, surprising even myself with the honesty of my words. The way her eyes widened just a fraction, as if she hadn't expected me to admit it, made me feel a tiny bit triumphant.
But that feeling was fleeting, quickly replaced by a surge of something much more intense when she leaned in, her lips hovering just above mine.
The room was quiet, save for the sound of our breaths mingling together. I could smell the faint scent of smoke clinging to her clothes, the remnants of the day's battle, but beneath it was something uniquely Ciara—wild, untamed, intoxicating.
"You don't know how much I missed you," I murmured, the words spilling out before I could think twice. "I kept telling myself that I didn't, but…"
I couldn't finish the sentence, because Ciara chose that moment to close the gap between us, capturing my lips with hers in a kiss that was both tender and demanding. It was like she was claiming me, reminding me of every reason why I had been thinking of her non-stop, even when I tried to focus on anything else.
My hands found their way to her shoulders, pulling her closer, desperate to feel the solidity of her against me, to remind myself that this moment was real. She responded in kind, her arms wrapping around my waist, holding me as if she never wanted to let go.
But just as quickly as she had pulled me in, she pulled back, her breath warm against my lips as she looked at me with those sharp, penetrating eyes that always seemed to see right through me.
"So, you did miss me," she said, her tone teasing, but there was a softness in her gaze that belied the cocky grin on her face.
I huffed, feeling my cheeks flush. "I said maybe."
"Uh-huh," she murmured, leaning in to nuzzle my neck, her breath sending shivers down my spine. "You're cute when you're flustered, you know that?"
"Ciara!" I tried to sound indignant, but the giggle that escaped me ruined any chance of that. She was impossible, and yet, I couldn't imagine wanting anyone else by my side. Her teasing was a part of who she was, and I found myself loving every maddening minute of it.
"Relax, princess," she whispered against my skin, pressing a light kiss to the sensitive spot just below my ear. "I'm not going anywhere. Not unless you want me to."
"I don't," I whispered back, barely recognizing my own voice. It was soft, almost pleading, but there was a certainty to it that I hadn't felt in a long time. "I don't want you to go."
Ciara pulled back to look at me, her expression uncharacteristically serious. For a moment, we just stared at each other, the weight of everything unsaid hanging between us. It was as if we were standing on the edge of something, something terrifying and wonderful all at once.
She reached up, brushing her fingers along my cheek, her touch surprisingly gentle. "You have no idea how dangerous it is to say something like that to someone like me," she said, her voice low, almost a growl.
"Maybe I do," I replied, holding her gaze. "But I'm not afraid."
Her eyes darkened, and for a moment, I thought she might kiss me again, but instead, she chuckled softly, shaking her head. "You're something else, Aeliana."
I smiled, feeling a warmth spread through my chest at the way she said my name, like it was something precious. "I could say the same about you."
We stood there in silence for a while, just holding each other, the world outside the room fading away until it was just us.
I could feel the steady beat of her heart beneath my hand, and it was comforting in a way I hadn't expected. Ciara was a force of nature, wild and untamable, but in this moment, she felt safe like home.
"Are you hungry?" she asked suddenly, pulling back to look at me with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
I blinked, caught off guard by the question. "I—uh, I guess so?"
"Good," she said, her smirk returning full force. "Because I'm starving, and I could use some company while I raid the kitchens."
"Raid the kitchens?" I echoed, trying to keep up with her sudden shift in mood. "Isn't that against the rules?"
Ciara shrugged, already heading for the door. "Since when do I follow the rules?"
I couldn't help but laugh, shaking my head as I followed her. This was what I loved about her, her unpredictability, her refusal to be anything other than herself. It was exhilarating, and more than a little terrifying, but I couldn't imagine wanting anything else.
As we made our way through the castle, the halls quiet in the early evening, I found myself glancing at her out of the corner of my eye.
She was humming softly to herself, a tune I didn't recognize, and there was a lightness to her step that I hadn't seen in her before. It was like the weight she usually carried had been lifted, if only for a little while.
When we reached the kitchens, she pushed open the door with a flourish, grinning at me over her shoulder.