Between our hands

Chapter 77: The Morning Light

The next morning, the soft sunlight began to filter through the bedroom curtains, enveloping the space in a warm and peaceful golden glow. Samy, who had woken up well before dawn, lay still, keeping watch over Maëlle, who was still deeply asleep. The calm in the room felt almost unreal after the intense emotions of the previous day.

He observed her with infinite tenderness, his gaze lingering on every detail of her relaxed face. Her slightly parted lips, the peaceful rise and fall of her chest, the way her lashes fluttered slightly under her closed eyelids... He found himself smiling at such serenity. He brushed her forehead with a gentle kiss, careful not to wake her, and his fingers glided slowly through her hair in a light, almost unconscious caress.

Maëlle, still immersed in deep sleep, had found refuge against him, her body curled around his in an instinctive embrace, as if, even in the unconsciousness of slumber, she sought his warmth and protection. Samy loved feeling the softness of her skin against his, every touch reinforcing this new and precious closeness between them. He closed his eyes for a moment, savoring this shared moment of calm, like a truce suspended in time.

His fingers, with infinite delicacy, traced down her arm, brushing against her smooth skin. Each gesture, no matter how slight, was imbued with an almost palpable intensity, as if this simple contact contained all the love and protection he felt for her. He cherished these moments of tranquility, where they didn’t need to say anything, where everything was expressed through these silent gestures. That morning, he felt closer to her than ever, enveloped in the softness of their budding intimacy.

Maëlle began to stir gently, her eyelids fluttering slightly as she slowly awakened. Her eyes finally opened, immediately landing on Samy, who looked at her with that benevolent expression, that calm smile that said everything without needing words. She propped herself up slightly, a still-sleepy smile on her lips, and before uttering a word, she lifted her hand to caress his cheek, her thumb gently tracing the line of his jaw.

— “Good morning…” she murmured softly, her voice still heavy with sleep, her gaze locked onto Samy’s. He smiled back at her, his eyes sparkling with discreet yet sincere affection.

— “I love you…” he replied in a whisper, his voice low and soothing, as he returned her gesture, tenderly stroking her cheek in turn.

Maëlle nestled against him again, burying her face in the crook of his neck, feeling the reassuring warmth of his skin against hers. His calm and steady breath brushed against the base of her neck, and Samy instinctively tightened his embrace slightly, feeling his heart race at their closeness.

— “I could stay here forever…” Maëlle murmured, eyes closed, savoring the moment.

Samy smiled softly, amused by her comment, secretly sharing that desire. He pressed his lips to her hair in response, his fingers tracing light patterns on her back, his other hand resting comfortably on the curve of her waist.

— “I’d agree with that…” he replied softly, his voice tinged with sincere affection. “I could watch you sleep forever.”

Maëlle lifted her head and locked her gaze with his, her eyes sparkling with a playful glimmer mixed with tenderness.

— “Don’t say things like that... You know you’re going to make me melt,” she whispered before leaning in to place a soft and delicate kiss on his lips.

The kiss was tender, almost shy, but full of sweetness and promise. Every movement was a silent declaration of everything they felt for each other, of that affection that was only growing between them. Samy responded to the kiss with equal delicacy, their lips pressing against one another with perfect harmony.