Forbidden Embrace

Haunting thoughts

The dimly lit room was filled with a tense energy, the air thick with unspoken emotions. Rybak lay sprawled on the bed, his body glistening under the soft light, muscles taut with a mixture of desire and frustration. Rafael hovered over him, his eyes dark with longing as he traced the lines of Rybak’s torso, feeling the warmth radiate from his skin.

“Are you sure you want this?” Rafael murmured, his voice low and sultry, though his own heart raced with the thought of Daphne lurking in the corners of their minds.

Rybak swallowed hard, his mind battling against the tidal wave of guilt and yearning. “I... I need this,” he breathed, but the truth was layered—he needed to escape the ache that Daphne’s absence had carved into him.

As Rafael leaned down, capturing Rybak’s mouth in a heated kiss, Rybak’s thoughts flickered to Daphne. The way she laughed, the way her eyes lit up when she talked about her dreams—it felt like a dagger in his heart. He kissed Rafael back fervently, but with each touch, he could almost hear her voice whispering in his ear, a haunting melody he couldn’t shake.

Rafael pressed deeper into the kiss, igniting a fire within Rybak that had long been dormant. Their bodies entwined, a tangle of limbs and breath, as Rafael’s hands roamed down Rybak’s sides, exploring the landscape of his body with a possessive hunger. But even as they moved together, Rybak found himself drifting. “God, Rybak,” Rafael murmured against his skin, lost in the sensation yet drowning in memories. “You feel so good.” But as he continued, he couldn’t help but imagine Daphne’s face, the way her eyes sparkled with mischief.

“Daph—...” Rybak gasped between kisses, the name slipping from his lips unbidden.

Rafael paused, his breath hitching. “What? You can't stop thinking about her?” he asked, his tone a mix of challenge and concern.

“ How did you know that, I can’t stop thinking about her,” Rybak admitted, his voice raw with vulnerability. “I pushed her away... and now she’s gone.”

Rafael’s expression darkened, but he continued to move against Rybak, creating a rhythm that was both urgent and tender. “You can’t let her haunt you like this. We have each other right now,” he urged, his words brushing against Rybak’s ear, igniting both desire and conflict within him.

But the more Rafael touched him, the more Rybak felt the weight of what they were doing. Their connection was electric, a spark that momentarily drowned out the pain of loss, but the shadows of his memories lingered, taunting him.

“You're thinking about her , aren't you? Rafael breathed, his hands firm on Rybak’s hips as he guided their movements, each thrust a desperate attempt to push Daphne from his thoughts. Each thrust becomes a desperate plea to forget.

But Rybak couldn’t. As Rafael pushed deeper, his body responding to the pleasure, he found himself imagining Daphne beneath him instead. Her soft gasps, the way her body responded to his touch, the heat of her skin—he longed to have her back, to taste the sweetness of her laughter.

“God, I wish it were her,” Rybak confessed, his voice shaking with a mixture of passion and heartache. “Tell me you also want her,” Rybak gasped, his voice a mixture of pleasure and challenge. “I want you,” Rafael replied, but the words felt inadequate, as if they were missing the weight of truth. He tried to drown out the guilt gnawing at him, to focus on the way Rybak’s body moved beneath him, how they fit together like pieces of a puzzle.

“Why can’t I stop thinking about her?” Rybak muttered, frustration seeping into his voice

Rafael looked up at Rybak , a storm of emotions churning inside him. “We  don’t know,” he admitted, the truth hanging heavy between them. “I’m sorry,” Rafael sighed, his forehead resting against Rybak’s. “It’s just... she’s always there, in the back of my mind. I try to push it away, but it keeps creeping back in.”

Rybak's expression softened, a mix of understanding and sadness. “You loved her. It’s okay to feel that.” But I’m here with you now,” Rafael insisted, his heart pounding in his chest. “I want this. I want you.”

“Then show me,” Rybak challenged, his voice low and sultry, urging Rafael to reconnect, to cast away the thoughts of Daphne for the moment.

With a determined breath, Rafael pressed his lips to Rybak’s again, pouring everything he had into that kiss. He felt Rybak’s hands grasping his shoulders, pulling him closer, as if anchoring him in the present. The connection was electric, a heat that seared through him, but still, the shadows of memory loomed large.

As their bodies moved together, Rafael closed his eyes, trying to conjure only the sensation of Rybak—his warmth, his scent, the taste of his skin—but even as he surrendered to the rhythm, he couldn’t shake the weight of guilt. Why can’t I be here fully? he thought. Why does she still haunt me?