The Tale Of Hearts

Chapter 111

Hazel's POV

I felt it first, a warm finger gently tracing my cheek, then brushing against my lips, slow and deliberate. A soft kiss landed on my cheek, then another on the corner of my lips, sending a wave of heat through me even in the haze of sleep. The warmth surrounding me was comforting, pulling me further into a deep sleep but the teasing touch refused to let me drift back into oblivion.  

A faint stir escaped me as the warmth and the soft kisses continued and I felt the touch of finger glide down, tracing the line of my jaw with a tenderness that made me hummed in response but soon my breath hitch as I began to wake more, everything from last night came crashing back into my mind like a tidal wave, the memories flooding me with both embarrassment and something I couldn't name. 

I froze, keeping my eyes closed, though I was acutely aware of every single movement of his touch but I wasn't ready to face him, not after what happened. My cheeks flushed so hot, I thought they might burn but I kept my eyes closed, feigning sleep, hoping he'd give up his torment and let me recover from the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside me. His finger, however, had other plans. It slid down my jaw, agonisingly slow, and paused at my neck, his touch sending shivers through me. I tried to remain still, though my breathing uneven,  my heart pounded loud enough that I feared he could hear it.

"You're not fooling me," he murmured, his voice low and laced with amusement. My heart stuttered at the sound, but I stubbornly stayed quiet. Then he leaned closer, his breath warm against my ear. "I know you're awake, love," he whispered, his tone teasing, "but if you want to keep pretending, I can play this game too." His finger resumed its tortuously slow journey, sliding along my collarbone, his lips pressing soft kisses to my neck. I held my breath, refusing to give in while clutching the sheet so close to my chest as if it can shield me from him, but the way his touch lingered just below my collarbone and began to dip lower had my resolve wavering.

"You're really going to pretend you're asleep?" he mused, his finger now tracing maddeningly close to my chest, his lips brushing against my jawline. "I can keep going, you know." A soft sigh escaped me before I could stop it, and I felt him smile against my skin. 

"Ah, there it is," he said, his voice dripping with smug satisfaction. I couldn't take it anymore. My eyes flew open, and I found him staring at me with that infuriatingly mischievous smile, his face far too close, just like last night and My gaze dropped to his lips, now caught between his teeth, and something stirred low in my stomach, knowing exactly what those same lips had done to me last night. My cheeks burned an even deeper shade of red. Mortified, and instinctively tried to hide my face in my hands. But before I could, he caught my wrists, pinning them gently above me as a low chuckle rumbled from his chest. "You're so easy to read," he teased, his voice low and filled with amusement leaving my flushed face to buried in hiding chest, hiding in his intense gaze but he didn't let me escape.

My cheeks burned hotter as his smirk deepened, his gaze dipping deliberately over my flushed face. I tried to look anywhere but at him, but it was impossible when he was so close, his presence overwhelming. "Good morning," he drawled, his voice rich with amusement. "Sleep well?"

"I_I" I started, but the words caught in my throat when he leaned closer, his lips brushing the shell of my ear. I was too flustered, too caught off guard. Instead, I turned my face away, desperately trying to hide the obvious redness creeping across my skin. "Oh no, love," he teased, reaching out to gently tilt my chin back toward him. "Don't hide. I like seeing you blushing like this." His finger brushed against my cheek, tracing the line of my jaw, and then his thumb lightly skimmed my bottom lip. My breath hitched, and I froze, my mind utterly blank, unable to think of a single response. I gasped, trying to twist out of his grip, but he only chuckled and let go, leaning back as if he'd won some sort of unspoken battle.