Between our hands

Chapter 81 : Between Words and Glances

Dusk cast its last golden rays through the thick curtains of the suite, bathing the room in a soft, soothing light. A calm enveloped the space, a welcome contrast after a day filled with emotions and encounters. Maëlle fell onto the edge of the bed, her tired muscles gradually releasing their tension. She untied her shoes with a sigh of relief, feeling the coolness of the floor beneath her bare feet—a moment of respite that felt infinitely precious after so much movement and protocol.

Samy, leaning against the couch near the window, watched her in silence, a playful smile stretching across his lips. He had this unique way of looking at her, with a tenderness tinged with mischief, as if he discovered her for the first time at every moment. His fingers absentmindedly slid through his tousled hair, adding to the relaxed and intimate image he formed with her.

"You know," he said, breaking the tranquility of the room with a soft voice full of implications, "I feel like you spend so much time with everyone else that sometimes I wonder if you’ve forgotten about me." The tone was light, almost teasing, but behind those words lingered a discreet truth, a sincere need to reclaim those moments when she belonged only to him.

Maëlle looked up at him, an amused smile forming on her lips, and pretended to shrug off his words. "Oh really? Jealous, are you? Of the time I spend with my family? It seems to me that you're the one I spend the morning, the afternoon, and even the night with..." She stood up, her feet gliding silently, and approached him with feigned nonchalance, her gaze locked onto his, sparkling with shared amusement. The bond that united them was palpable, like a silent dance that only they could understand. She slipped against him, her figure fitting perfectly in Samy's embrace, as if the outside world no longer mattered at that moment.

The scent of Samy, that familiar fragrance, filled the air, creating a bubble of comfort around them. She briefly closed her eyes, savoring the warmth of his body against hers. Every movement, however small, felt like an invisible caress, a constant reminder of the tenderness they shared.

"I'm not jealous," he replied with a smile, resting his chin on the top of her head, his arms tightening around her a little more. His voice had softened, almost a whisper against her hair. "But I love these moments when you’re only mine." A light kiss brushed her hair, a silent promise of everything they shared, of all they meant to one another.

Maëlle's smile widened, a sweet warmth spreading in her chest. She didn’t need words to understand what he meant, to feel the intimacy that connected them. She grabbed her phone from the coffee table, the screen casting a dim glow in the room. "Let’s see what my ‘other admirers’ want," she joked, stealing a quick glance at the numerous notifications that had accumulated throughout the day.

Messages scrolled at a dizzying speed under her fingers until a suddenly familiar and unexpected name appeared. Alexandre.

A discreet frown crossed her face. Alexandre. An old high school classmate. Why was he writing to her now, after so many years without a word?

She showed the screen to Samy, who, already curious, leaned slightly to read over her shoulder. He squinted, an amused glint in his eyes, but Maëlle could sense his body tense imperceptibly beside her.

Alexandre:
"Hey Maëlle! Long time no see! I saw you on social media, and it seems like a lot is happening in your life. Tell me what you’ve been up to!"

Samy let out a slight sigh as he leaned back against the couch, his arms still wrapped around Maëlle’s waist. "Who’s this guy again?" he asked, his tone deliberately detached, but she felt the question weigh lightly on her heart. His fingers glided over her jaw, a gesture both affectionate and somewhat possessive.

Maëlle shrugged, her smile returning with a nonchalant lightness. "An old high school friend," she said as her finger slid over the screen to type a quick reply. "We weren’t really close, just acquaintances. Nothing serious."