Lying there in the darkness, I felt the warmth of Ciara's body close to mine, her arms gently around me. But the truth was, I hadn't been asleep at all. I'd been pretending this entire time, every word she whispered, every little movement, I'd heard it all.
I didn't know whether to laugh or bury my head deeper into the pillow from embarrassment. When Ciara had lifted me earlier and carried me to her room, I had to bite my lip to keep from giggling like an idiot.
And then, when she kissed my forehead so softly, the butterflies in my stomach were relentless. But what really got me was her conversation with Leora.
Leora. Of all the people to pop in and tease us, it had to be her. I almost lost it when she joked about us getting married.
My heart was pounding, and I could feel my face heating up, trying to keep my breathing steady to maintain the illusion that I was fast asleep. Marry? After everything that had happened between us, the idea was... well, kind of ridiculous. But at the same time...
Nope. I wasn't going to entertain that thought.
Ciara had seemed a little off after that, though. I could feel her tension beside me, and it wasn't just because of the awkward situation with Leora.
There was something else, something deeper. It was almost like she was holding back some sort of hunger or need. She always had that fiery intensity about her, but tonight, it felt... different.
Still, as much as my mind raced with questions and awkward thoughts, I couldn't deny how safe and comfortable I felt being wrapped up with her like this.
She shifted again slightly, and I instinctively moved closer to her, not wanting to break the warmth we shared.
"Okay, Aeliana," I thought to myself, "just act natural. You're supposed to be asleep. It's totally fine. Nothing to worry about."
But my thoughts betrayed me, racing back to Ciara's words, and the way she had looked at me earlier. The way her eyes softened when she kissed my forehead. It was… different.
She thought I was beautiful. That's what she said. I wasn't supposed to hear that, and yet, now it was stuck in my head like a song I couldn't stop humming. Beautiful? Me?
I mean, Ciara was the kind of person who could make anyone feel small, not because she meant to, but because of her sheer presence.
She was all confidence, fire, and strength. And me? I was the awkward one who got tangled in her own thoughts and couldn't figure out how to handle someone like Ciara.
But right now, I didn't feel awkward. I felt… calm. And that was probably the scariest part.
I shifted slightly, and my forehead brushed against her shoulder. The movement must've been subtle, but Ciara stirred a bit, her grip around me tightening just a little.
I couldn't help the small smile that formed on my lips. She was so warm, and despite everything, I felt an overwhelming urge to just stay in this cocoon we had somehow created.
Was it weird that I didn't want this moment to end? The idea of waking up tomorrow and having to face her, to face the reality of whatever this was between us, made my stomach churn.
But here, in the safety of the dark, in the quiet of the night, none of it seemed so complicated.
Then, of course, my body betrayed me. A small giggle slipped out. I pressed my lips together tightly, hoping she wouldn't notice. But then she stirred again, and I felt her tense for a moment.
"Aeliana, are you awake?" she whispered softly, her voice laced with a hint of curiosity.
Crap. I froze. Did she catch me? Was I about to have to explain myself? My mind scrambled for a way to get out of this without dying from embarrassment. Should I pretend I was still asleep, or just come clean?
"Say something!" I scolded myself. But instead of responding, I remained perfectly still, trying to keep my breathing steady. Maybe if I didn't move, she'd assume I was fast asleep and drop it.
Ciara let out a soft sigh, and for a brief moment, I thought I was in the clear. But then she muttered under her breath, "You're a terrible actress, Aeliana."
I felt my heart leap into my throat. Well, there went my plan. I opened my eyes slowly, peeking up at her through the darkness. Her face was so close, and even in the dim light, I could see the hint of a smirk tugging at her lips.
"Okay, fine," I whispered, trying to sound nonchalant. "I was pretending. But you made it so hard to stay asleep."
Her eyebrows shot up in mock surprise. "Oh? And what exactly was so hard to sleep through? Was it me carrying you like a princess, or Leora planning our wedding?"
I groaned, covering my face with my hands, my cheeks burning. "Both! And you have to admit, Leora was being ridiculous. We are not… I mean, we barely…"
Ciara laughed softly, the sound vibrating through her chest. "Relax, Aeliana. I know we're not getting married tomorrow. But you can't deny that the idea was hilarious."
"Hilarious is one word for it," I muttered, peeking at her through my fingers. "Terrifying might be another."
"Terrifying?" she asked, a teasing lilt in her voice. "You think being married to me would be terrifying?"
"Not terrifying in a bad way," I backpedaled quickly, not wanting to offend her. "Just… intense. Like everything with you."
Her gaze softened a bit, and for a moment, the teasing faded. "Intense isn't always a bad thing, you know."
I swallowed, unsure of what to say to that. She was right. Intense wasn't bad. But it was confusing.
Being this close to her, hearing her say things like that, made it hard to think straight. I wasn't used to feeling this way unsure, vulnerable, and yet drawn to her in ways I couldn't explain.
And then, as if she sensed my discomfort, she shifted again, pulling me a little closer. "Don't overthink it, Aeliana," she whispered, her breath warm against my ear. "Let's just… enjoy this."
I closed my eyes, exhaling slowly. She made it sound so simple. Maybe it was. Maybe I was the one complicating everything.
After all, we were just two people lying together, sharing a quiet moment. No need to analyze every word or every feeling.
The steady rhythm of Ciara's breathing began to lull me into a comfortable haze. Her arms around me, the warmth of her body against mine, it all felt so natural, so easy. Maybe, just maybe, I didn't have to figure everything out tonight.
I could feel the weight of sleep pulling at me again, this time for real. The exhaustion from the day and the emotional rollercoaster I'd been on finally catching up to me.
As I snuggled closer to Ciara, I felt her press a soft kiss to the top of my head. It was such a tender gesture that it made my heart ache in the best way.
I didn't say anything there was nothing left to say. We had already said so much without words.
For now, this was enough.
And as the darkness gently wrapped around me, I let myself drift off, Ciara's presence beside me the only thing grounding me in this moment of peace.
This night, with all its awkwardness and warmth, was something I'd remember for a long time. Even if I didn't fully understand what was happening between us, for the first time in a long time, I didn't feel the need to rush it.
Finally, I allowed sleep to claim me, a small smile on my lips, knowing that tomorrow would come soon enough.
As I nestled deeper into Ciara's arms, the warmth between us only seemed to grow. Her steady breathing was like a quiet rhythm, pulling me further into a comfortable haze.
It was impossible not to feel safe like this, completely wrapped up in her embrace. I shifted slightly, letting my head rest on her shoulder, and she instinctively tightened her hold on me.
It was strange this feeling of being so close to someone, yet not feeling awkward or out of place. It felt… right. Like this was where I was supposed to be all along. I couldn't help but smile softly, my cheek brushing against her.
I thought back to Leora's teasing earlier, the ridiculous talk of marriage. At first, it seemed absurd, but now, lying here with Ciara, maybe it wasn't such a crazy thought.
We balanced each other out in so many ways. Her strength, my lightness. Her fire, my calm. Maybe, just maybe, marrying Ciara wouldn't be such a bad idea after all. We were, a perfect match.
With that thought lingering in my mind, I let myself drift off, feeling more at peace than I had in a long time.