Steel Rose

Chapter 35

Ptolemus Pov

I had taken a few heartbeats to watch her sleep. The memory of her body pressed against mine some long night ago running through my head. The heat of a blush when my body reacted to the softness of her curves, the silk of her hair. I gazed at curve of her cheeks, and the quiet purr of her sleep.

But looking at her even now those thoughts are not far from my mind. The sunlight is surrounds her in a heavenly halo, her eye glistening as she looks at me. Now that I have her attention, I seem to be at a lost of words. She makes me so weak, so helpless in the best and worst of ways. Any other man, I would pity.

She raises an eyebrow, "Well?" she drags.

I blush, "I was going to tell you about Elane," I tell her, "I really was. I just, I couldn't find the right moment to tell you. We've had so many, too, I know. My engagement was set before I even met you. It meant very little to me, then and it still does. But when I met you, everything just seemed to change. You opened my eyes to what I could have, to what I wanted." I bit my lip shaking my head.

Her gaze on me wavers, but doesn't back down. Her shoulders relax, but not enough for my liking. She prideful and stubborn, I'll give her that. And even now, I know she has too much respect for herself to be thrown for a loop again. The information is sensitive and valuable. She is too valuable to me. I have to tell her, I have to.

"You have every right to be upset," I step towards her and this time she doesn't move away. "I don't blame you for that. And I do trust you. I trust you with my life." I cup on of her cheeks in my hand, "You practically already saved it once," I chuckle trying to let in warmth between us. It works.

"Ptolemus-," she starts placing her hand over mine, looking me in the eye, "I believe you," she says and I feel my heart stumble, "Just tell me," her eyes deepen and if I look close enough I could swear I see fire. "Tell me she means nothing to you. It means nothing."

I dip towards her, resting our heads together so our noses skim. I feel her body relax against mine, as I inhale her wonderful lavender scent. "I love you." I whisper to her. I keep her to me in case she pulls back, she doesn't. Her eyes widen and her gaze falls to the floor. It feels like a weight has been lifted and I have been liberated. "You don't have to say it back," I tell her. "Elane means nothing," I tell her, "Like you said, she is Evangeline's, not mine."

She smirks, "Right," she nods slightly.

When our eyes meet I see her forgiveness. I feel a thousand things I don't know most of them. "I've never felt this way about anyone before," I tell her. "You make me weak."

And like that for a few brief seconds the world was right. I understand more of my sister now. I understand the sacrifice, the heartbreak. But moments like this make it all worth it.

"You love me," she gasps her eyes watering.

"I love you," I tell her again the words like sugar on my tongue.

I take her entire face in my hands, not daring to look away. Not ever wanting to move from this instant . But even now, I know this won't last, so I savor it. I lean towards her with purpose. I feel like a man starved when our lips touch. She is my reward, my first love. And when she returns my passion I feel infinite.

Belle Pov

The saying goes, The eyes are windows to the soul. Its true. But it's the window to so much too. I don't know what, but more. So much more that shapes a human. As he spoke I felt his truth, I heard his regret, his plea for my forgiveness. And in his eyes I saw it. I gave it to him.

I love you. The words float across my mind. I didn't say it back, and I don't feel pressured to. Our kiss is like nothing we've shared ever before. It's soft, unrushed. So sure. I feel his love pour through his touch. He feels it through mine.

A familiar and welcomed fire ignites in my core. I don't care anymore. I feel myself bend to my desire. I wrap my arms around his broad shoulders tangling my fingers in his hair. I let this velvet strands glide through my grip. In return his hands slide from my face trailing down my body to my waist.

We pull away, but not far so we share the same air. "Isabelle," he groans his throat bobbing with his own restraint. "Isabelle," he says again my name floating past my eyes like a melody on the winds. I see his want too.

"Ptolemus," I mummer back the snap gone from my voice.

Our eyes never leave each other as he lean towards each other again. Neither of us hesitates as we find ourselves making away to his bedroom. I don't second guess as he lays me down on his sheets, our lips never parting. With my hands I memorize every curve, line and texture of his skin. As he does to me.

It started off slow. We took our time. By his touch time froze, by his kiss time no longer existed. Our hearts beat in tune, our pulses thumping in song.

In a way, it was like falling. Falling through an endless starlit sky. No fear of below because it doesn't exist either. We would always be falling, paper cranes in the night.

Silk whispered against my skin, a sweet smell filling my nose. I inhale, taking it all in. Taking him in. I hum at the long glide of his tongue and curse the cool air that slides between out bodies. I need him closer. Close enough to mold our bodies together. Close enough to share our thoughts. I need to be one.

I gaze into the abyss of black, knowing what they read. Knowing such words in a language only understood in the now. In the world that is us. He whispers my name against my skin like a last breath unwasted. He says words only meant for us. In our place, here with each other.

And when we meet together it's like first and last. The end and the beginning. Like strength and surrender melded into one.