Dusk and Desire - A Mattheo Riddle Story

Stay

After several, very satisfying hours, Mattheo finally rolled off of Nora, his cheek red from where she'd slapped him after he called her "his whore". Needless to say, Mattheo liked that slap very much so he'd received plenty during their time together—something Nora was probably a little too happy to do.

And then there it was. The moment.

Nora's hazel eyes turned onto him with a softness she so rarely possessed. Her mussed hair floated around her head like a golden halo and her lips were soft, an expression on her face something like that could be described as that slight second before someone smiled.

Mattheo reached out his finger and ran it down her cheek, caressing the soft, flushed skin. Instead of pulling away like she might have before, Nora turned on her side, facing him as he stroked her.

"Stay," he whispered after a few moments of silence. "Please. Stay."

He expected her to refuse. He expected her to put up a fight, for him to beg her and for her to leave as she always did, hair put together and robes straightened out. He expected for her to do anything other than softly say, "Okay."

"Okay?" he asked in disbelief. "Really?"

A soft smile graced her face for a fleeting moment. "Yeah. Okay."

Mattheo couldn't help it. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her so their bodies were flush as they faced each other before kissing her long and slow. Finally, he pulled back and rested his forehead against hers. "Thank you."

Nora smirked. "Don't thank me just yet."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. You might kick me out when you find out how much I steal the blankets."

He laughed and nuzzled her neck with his nose. "You can steal them all you want as long as you stay."

The little notch appeared back on her forehead as she stared at him, those hazel eyes muddied with confusion. "Why do you want me to stay with you so badly?"

"Well, this might come as a shock but I actually like you, Nora Rosier," he teased.

Tonight must have been a night of surprises because a faint pink blush spread all along her cheeks and nose. Instead of haughty words, her eyes darted down as she mumbled, "I didn't know that."

His eyebrow quirked. "You thought I invited every girl to stay the night in my bedroom?"

Her eyes narrowed. There's the Nora I know and lo– He stopped himself before he allowed himself to think that word. Because if he did, there was no going back. When Mattheo Riddle loved, he loved hard. He'd steal the damn sun for the people he cared about. Mattheo had already allowed himself to love Nora Rosier once. If he did it again... there was no going back. He had to be sure she truly wanted this before he allowed himself to think the four-letter word that had the power to destroy him.

"I prefer not to think about you and your other girls," Nora said with a glare that was as cold as her tone.

But he just smiled and pulled her even closer, kissing her cheek while her hands instinctively moved to his hair, playing with one of the curls on the base of his neck. "Princess, the only girl I have is you."

"Your future wives beg to differ," she muttered sullenly under her breath.

He grinned. "Would you like to be my future wife, Nora?"

"W-what?" she exclaimed. The blush was back. "What are you talking about?"

Mattheo's grin spread even more. "I am more than happy to put a ring on your finger the moment you ask me too. Just think—you won't even have to change your initials."