Sanctuary of my heart

Chapter Six

The air inside the treehouse felt thick, dense with things unsaid. My hand still rested in Kael's, the warmth of his touch a tether in the midst of my chaos. I hadn't expected to feel this, this ease, this strange calm with him. Somehow, being in his presence made the world outside fade, made everything that had been pressing down on me for so long feel... lighter.

I lifted my gaze, meeting his. The dappled light from the leaves outside filtered through the open window, casting faint shadows across his face. For a moment, neither of us moved. The air between us felt charged.

Kael's eyes dropped to my lips ,just for a second. But that was all it took for something inside me to shift. A spark ignited, something deep and unfamiliar but undeniable. It made my skin tingle, my breath catch, and suddenly, I was teetering on the edge of something I didn't understand but desperately wanted.

"I..." I started, my voice catching in my throat. I wasn't sure what I wanted to say. Maybe I didn't want to say anything at all. Maybe I just wanted to feel.

Kael didn't move, didn't rush me. He just watched, waiting. There was a kind of patience in him that unnerved me, yet it was that same patience that steadied me. He was giving me space, letting me decide. Whatever happened next, it was up to me.

The thoughts racing through my head twisted and tangled until I couldn't think anymore. And maybe that was the point. Maybe I didn't need to think. Before I could talk myself out of it, I shifted, just slightly. Barely enough for anyone to notice, but Kael noticed. I saw the subtle change in his posture, felt his grip tighten just a little on my hand.

I turned my hand over in his, letting my fingers thread through his. His touch sent a jolt up my arm, a shiver that made my heart pound even harder. And then, I wasn't sure who moved first. Was it me? Was it him? I couldn't tell. All I knew was that suddenly, the small space between us disappeared.

Kael leaned in, his forehead gently pressing against mine. His breath, warm and steady, fanned across my skin. The world outside, the wind in the leaves, the distant chirp of birds, the whisper of the trees, it all faded into the background. All I could hear was the rush of my heartbeat, the sound of our breaths mingling in the small space between us.

My eyes fluttered closed as Kael's hand moved to my cheek, his thumb brushing softly over my skin. It was a touch so gentle, so tender, that it made my breath hitch in my throat. I felt a shiver roll down my spine as his fingers trailed along the side of my face, his touch almost reverent.

"Lyra..." His voice was barely a whisper, but it sent a tremor through me, his breath brushing against my lips.

And then, his lips were on mine.

The kiss was soft at first, a tender exploration, like neither of us was quite sure how to proceed. His lips were warm, gentle, the slightest pressure as they molded against mine. It wasn't rushed or desperate, but slow, deliberate like he was savoring every second of it. The sensation was intoxicating, making my head spin and my knees feel weak, even though I was already sitting.

His hand slipped from my cheek to the back of my neck, his fingers threading through my hair as he deepened the kiss. It was then that the world around us completely vanished, everything fading into the background until there was nothing left but him,his warmth, his touch, his lips.

The kiss shifted, becoming more urgent, more certain. I felt his breath quicken against my skin as his lips pressed more firmly against mine, a quiet hunger building between us. My hands gripped his shirt, pulling him closer, wanting to feel more of him, to lose myself in this moment. He responded, his hand tightening in my hair, the other sliding around my waist, pulling me flush against him. The heat of his body seeped into mine, and I melted into him, forgetting everything but the feel of him, the taste of him.