Daemond's hands slid up from Mahnoor's waist, gently cradling her face as his eyes locked with hers, the intensity in his gaze almost overwhelming. His fingers trembled slightly as they traced the curve of her jaw, his expression unreadable but filled with something raw—something neither of them could quite put into words.
Mahnoor's heart pounded in her chest, her breath coming in shallow waves as she stared up at him. She could feel the tension radiating off of him, the weight of everything they'd been through, and now, the possibility of something entirely new between them.
"You're making my heart race," she whispered, her voice barely audible as she searched his face for some clue to what he was thinking.
"Good," Daemond murmured, his thumb brushing lightly against her cheek, a soft smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "I want it to."
And then, without another word, he leaned in, pressing his lips to hers in the gentlest of kisses—so soft, it felt almost like a question. It wasn't the hurried, desperate contact of their past encounters, but something far more deliberate, as if he were tasting her for the first time. His lips moved slowly, tentatively, savoring the feel of her mouth against his as if he were trying to understand what it meant to kiss her—what it meant to kiss a woman, to kiss her.
Mahnoor's entire body reacted to the touch, her heart pounding even harder now as she melted into him. His hands, still holding her face, were warm, steady, and careful, as if he were afraid of breaking something fragile between them. Her own hands slid up his chest, fingers brushing against the fabric of his shirt as she pulled him closer, deepening the kiss ever so slightly.
The softness of his lips against hers, the warmth of his body, the tentative way he kissed her—it all sent shivers down her spine. It wasn't like the other times, when desire and confusion had driven them into reckless actions. This was different. This was Daemond exploring something he had never allowed himself to feel before, something he was just beginning to understand.
As the kiss lingered, Mahnoor could feel the shift in him—his resistance fading, replaced by curiosity and maybe even a hint of desire. His hands slid from her face to her shoulders, then down to her waist, pulling her closer as he kissed her a little more confidently now, still soft, still slow, but with more purpose.
She moaned softly against his mouth, her fingers tangling in the back of his hair, and he responded by pressing his body closer to hers. The world around them seemed to disappear, the only thing that mattered being the connection between them, the way they fit together in that moment.
For Daemond, it was like nothing he'd ever experienced before. Kissing a woman, kissing Mahnoor, was unlike anything he had known. It wasn't just about the physical sensation; it was about the way she made him feel—confused, yes, but also wanted, cared for, and seen in a way that no one else ever had.
When they finally pulled apart, both of them were breathless, their foreheads resting against each other. Daemond's eyes remained closed for a moment, as if savoring the aftertaste of the kiss, while Mahnoor searched his face, waiting for him to speak, to tell her what was going through his mind.
He opened his eyes slowly, his expression soft but still filled with that same intensity. "I've never..." he started, his voice low, almost hesitant. "I've never felt like this before, with anyone. Not like this."
Mahnoor smiled, her heart fluttering at his words. "Maybe it's because this is different," she whispered, her hand still resting on his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath her palm. "Maybe we're different."
Daemond nodded, his eyes never leaving hers as he leaned in again, pressing one more soft kiss to her lips. This time, it felt like a promise—one of uncertainty but also of possibility.