As the dessert plates were cleared, Leora gave us a mischievous look. "You two don't have to head out, you know. We've got plenty of rooms here. Feel free to stay the night."
"Thanks, Grandma," Ciara replied, surprising me a bit by the casualness of her tone. She sounded genuinely comfortable with the offer, and maybe even a bit relieved.
Leora smirked, that twinkle in her eyes only growing. "Well, well, Ciara. Don't get too comfortable in there, though. Remember, Aeliana does have work tomorrow, Ican't have my assistant showing up half-dead from... activities."
I felt my cheeks burn, and Ciara gave a dramatic groan, rolling her eyes at Leora's suggestion. "Really, Grandma?" she drawled, shooting her an exasperated look. But her lips quirked up in amusement, and I caught the faintest blush dusting her cheeks too.
Leora only chuckled, patting my shoulder with a grin as she leaned over. "I'm just looking out for both of you. Enjoy your night, lovebirds. We'll see you in the morning."
With one last wink, she and Zephara headed out, leaving Ciara and me alone in the dim glow of the room, where the atmosphere suddenly felt softer, warmer.
Ciara sighed, looking at me with a fond smile as she stood and held out a hand. "Ready?"
I nodded, slipping my hand into hers. Her grip was firm, comforting, and as we walked through the castle halls, I felt the quiet reassurance of her presence.
She guided us to one of the guest rooms, its large windows casting the faint silver light of the moon across the space.
The room was cozy, decorated with dark, elegant drapes and plush furniture that added to its warmth.
There was a massive bed with a thick, dark green comforter that looked far too inviting. Ciara turned to face me, pulling me close with a gentle, lingering touch.
"You know," she murmured, tracing her fingertips along my cheek, "I could get used to this."
Her words sent a flutter through me, and I couldn't help but laugh softly, brushing a stray lock of her white hair from her forehead. "Staying here?"
"Yeah," she whispered, her voice warm, but there was a seriousness in her gaze. "And... just being with you. The fact that this doesn't feel strange at all, you know? It feels... right."
I held her gaze, my heart swelling. "I feel the same way," I replied softly, leaning into her touch. "Like we were meant to be here. Together."
Ciara's smile softened, her gaze flickering down to my lips, and she brushed a gentle kiss against them, lingering for a moment.
Her hands slipped around my waist, drawing me closer as we kissed again, slower, more deeply. Each moment felt like it held a thousand unspoken words, a thousand promises between us.
We broke apart, both of us slightly breathless, and I could feel my cheeks warming as she led me to the bed.
We sank into the soft blankets together, her arms wrapping around me in a way that made everything else fade away. It was just the two of us, cocooned in warmth and each other's presence.
She brushed her hand along my back, her voice soft. "You know, when I thought about the future... I never imagined this, not in the way it's happened. Not with someone who makes me feel so... complete."
I rested my head on her chest, listening to the steady beat of her heart. "You've got a funny way of showing it, you know," I teased gently. "You were... kind of the opposite of what I'd imagine my future would look like."
She laughed, her fingers gently tracing patterns on my back. "I know. I was... a lot." Her voice softened, a note of vulnerability threading through her words. "But then you came along, and all of that... all of the things I thought I wanted just didn't matter anymore. It's different with you."
I smiled against her chest, feeling a warmth that went all the way through me. "I wouldn't want you any other way."
Ciara kissed my forehead, pressing me closer to her. "I'm glad. Because I'm not planning on letting you go any time soon."
We lay there, holding each other in the comfortable silence that had grown between us, a kind of silence filled with the gentle promise of the future ahead. Eventually, Ciara broke the quiet, her fingers tracing small circles along my arm.
"You know, I thought I'd feel... I don't know, scared, maybe? About the future. But lying here with you, it's like none of those fears exist anymore." She paused, her voice turning thoughtful. "It's like, for the first time, I feel... ready. Really ready."
Her words made my heart swell, and I tightened my arms around her, burying my face in her shoulder. "Me too. You make me feel like I can handle anything. Even... even the teasing from Leora."
Ciara chuckled, her hand drifting up to brush through my hair. "Don't worry. I'm the one marrying you, not Leora. You're safe from her... mostly."
I laughed softly, but the sound was muffled as I nuzzled deeper into her embrace.
The quiet stretched on, and we simply held each other, feeling the warmth of our closeness. It was in moments like this that I felt the most content, the most at peace.
Eventually, Ciara's hand drifted to my cheek, tilting my face up to meet her gaze. There was a tender expression in her eyes, one that made my heart skip a beat.
"Thank you," she murmured, her voice a soft whisper.
I blinked in surprise. "For what?"
"For being here. For... changing everything." She leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to my lips. "I didn't know I could be this happy. But now... now I don't want anything else."
I reached up, brushing my hand along Ciara's cheek, tracing the curve of her jaw, feeling the warmth radiating from her skin.
"Me neither," I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. Her eyes met mine, holding that tender gaze a little longer, and I saw something flicker there—a spark, a familiar mischievous glint that always seemed to surface right before she kissed me.
Her hand slid to the back of my neck, guiding me closer as our breaths mingled in the small space between us. She leaned in, capturing my lips in a soft, lingering kiss that sent a thrill down my spine.
I felt her smile against my mouth, and her fingers tangled in my hair as she deepened the kiss, the warmth of her touch spreading through me.
Every gentle press of her lips seemed to say what we'd left unspoken, the unspoken promises and quiet yearnings that built with each passing moment.
Her hands slid around my waist, drawing me closer until there wasn't an inch of space between us. The feeling of her touch, the weight of her arms around me, was enough to make my heart race, and I found myself lost in her, wrapped up in the closeness, the intensity of her kiss growing with each second.
Her fingertips brushed along my back, leaving a trail of warmth that made me shiver, and her lips moved slowly, savoring each moment as if she wanted to make it last forever.
I couldn't help but let out a soft laugh against her mouth, the giddiness bubbling up in me as I ran my fingers through her hair.
Ciara chuckled softly too, the sound low and warm, but she didn't pull away; if anything, she held me even closer, her kisses growing bolder, filled with a playfulness that matched the spark between us.
But then, as I felt her lips brushing down my jaw, a voice—a very familiar, very amused voice cut through the haze. "Just sleep already," Leora's voice echoed from the doorway, her tone filled with a mixture of humor and exasperation.
We both froze, Ciara's lips pausing against my skin, and I couldn't help but stifle a laugh, my face flushing bright red. Ciara sighed, leaning her forehead against mine with an embarrassed smile, her voice a soft grumble. "Next time, we're locking the door."
Ciara sighed, muttering something under her breath, clearly both exasperated and amused by her grandmother's impeccable timing.
She pressed a final, lingering kiss to my forehead before pulling me close, her arms wrapping around me tightly. "Guess that's our cue," she whispered, the hint of laughter still in her voice.
I smiled, resting my head against her chest, listening to the steady beat of her heart. The warmth of her body, her scent, everything about her wrapped around me like a comforting blanket.
With each passing moment, the world outside faded, leaving just the two of us, tangled together in the quiet of the room.
Ciara's fingers traced lazy circles on my back, her breathing slowing, becoming softer, deeper. She kissed the top of my head, a gentle touch that made my heart feel full, the perfect end to a long, beautiful day.
"Goodnight, Aeliana," she murmured sleepily, her voice a soothing balm in the darkness.
"Goodnight, Ciara," I whispered back, my eyes already growing heavy. And in that moment, everything felt perfectly right as we drifted off to sleep, holding each other close.