Saint

16 | Cerise

"Then come closer."

Her heart sounded like it was beating in her ears.

Is this a good idea?

Cerise's chocolate eyes grew wide. Her shaky hand rose to her mouth as she stared at Saint who wore a matching expression.

Had she finally lost it?

His seafoam green orbs turned moonrock.

I work with him.

She likes him so much.

There's still a lot I don't know about him.

She knows that she likes the feeling of his arms wrapped around her.

What if he doesn't want a relationship? Just an experimental kiss?

What if he does?

What happens after?

Hopefully, his question is answered and then he helps her with a curiosity of her own. For example...

Can he make her eyes roll back?

It's not too late to back out.

She doesn't want to.

I really don't want to.

In truth: She was tired. She was tired of always wanting to take the smart route. Tired of wondering about consequences or what could have been. Cerise was sick and tired of missing out on the thrill of taking risks.

"You didn't mean to say that," Saint's deep voice filtered through her ears, muting the sound of the rippling water as he slowly approached her.

"I...I think I did actually." She looked off to the side trying to collect her thoughts.

"Cerise." He lingered in front of her legs and planted his hands on the cool granite stones surrounding the pool, trapping her sides and becoming the center of her attention. The only way out was back.

"Saint," She mimicked him. "This is becoming..."

"Too much?"

"Not enough." She admits with a racing heart, "I don't know what this is. And that scares me. What about the future? I don't want to have any more regrets."

"The fact we even consider the future is enough for me."

We? Does he honestly worry as much as I do?

Her lips parted to say anything. To feel like she had tried to fight the pull that had rapidly formed between them.

"Stop thinking."

His hand lifted off the granite stones to rest upon hers. His fingers wrapped around her palm and pulled it to his neck, he slightly inclined his head up but refused to break their eye contact. His hand guided hers until her fingers felt his pulse. Saint tediously relaxed his hold, his hand sliding down her wrist until his thumb rested on the strong rhythm beating under her skin.

Two hearts. Fiercely pounding like drums on a battlefield. A reminder that they're alive. Present in the moment, senses heightened yet dulled only in the proximity of each other.

Two minds. Dreaming of one another. Of a future neither previously imagined possible, but too weak to foresee if their dreams would come true.

Two bodies. Yearning for each other's touch.

Her fingers twitched in his hold before his hand glided up her arm. Tracing a path until his hand was holding her chin and pulling her down closer to his level.