𝙱𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚁𝚘𝚢𝚊𝚕 𝚅𝚎𝚒𝚕

CHAPTER 31

He watches as you get up, a small smile playing on his lips. He stays on the bed, his eyes tracing your movements as you find your clothes and start dressing. He doesn't say anything, just silently admires the sight of you, the soft candlelight casting shadows on your skin.

You feel his gaze on you, the weight of it both reassuring and thrilling. You feel strangely exposed, yet oddly comfortable under his watchful eye. It's a strange feeling, to be so vulnerable with someone, yet completely safe with them at the same time.

Once you're fully dressed, you turn back to him. He's still sitting on the bed, the sheet pooling around his naked waist, his chest and shoulders bare. The sight of him, so unguarded and casual, sends a shiver down your spine, reigniting the embers of desire in your stomach.

He stands up slowly, the sheet dropping, leaving him completely bare. Despite yourself, you can't help but let your eyes roam over his body, appreciating the chiseled muscles and the strength that's so natural to him. He doesn't seem to mind your staring, in fact, he seems to relish it, a smirk playing on his lips.

He saunters towards you, his movements slow and purposeful. His eyes are still dark with desire, the embers of passion now flickering back to life. He stops right in front of you, his body so close you can feel the heat radiating from his skin, yet not touching you.

He reaches out, his fingers trailing along your collarbone, sending a surge of electricity over your skin. "You make me weak," he whispers, his voice low and gruff. "When you look at me like that, I just want to throw you back onto the bed and-"

He trails off, his hand moving to cup your cheek, his thumb brushing against your lips. "But I can't," he continues, his voice filled with equal parts resignation and desire. "We need to get back before sunrise, your parents are worried."

You nod, your thoughts a tangle of exhaustion and renewed desire. You know he's right, that you're on borrowed time already. But that doesn't stop the pang of disappointment that courses through you, the want to ignore reality and continue in this bubble of intimacy and closeness.

He reluctantly pulls away from you, the loss of his touch sending a pang of cold through your body. He starts to dress, pulling his clothes on with practised ease. As he buttons up his shirt, he glances over at you, a rueful smile on his lips.

"Don't look so disappointed," he teases, fastening the last button on his shirt. "I'll have plenty of time to fuck you over and over after our wedding."

Your cheeks flush at his crude words, a mixture of embarrassment and arousal swirling in your belly. "You're relentless," you say, trying to sound annoyed but failing to hide the hint of amusement in your voice. "Let's go, I'd like to thank Nancine for sticking up for me."

He moves around the room, gathering your discarded clothes and items, meticulously packing them into your bags. As he works, he glances over at you. "Alright princess, let's go."

You move towards the door, adjusting your cloak once more for warmth. He follows, slinging your bags over his shoulder with ease. He holds out his hand for you to take. "Ready?"

You take his hand, the feel of his palm against yours familiar and reassuring. You give him a small nod, your stomach fluttering both with anticipation and a hint of nerves. "I'm ready."

He squeezes your hand lightly in response, his grip strong and comforting. With a final glance around the room to make sure nothing is left behind, he opens the door, ushering you to the hallway of the inn.

The hallway is dimly lit, the only source of light coming from a few flickering torches. You two start walking, the sound of your footsteps echoing against the walls. The inn is quiet and the only other sound is the soft murmur of crickets outside.