His Shortcake

Chapter 14

Tamara Ramirez

The kiss was a lingering dance of sweetness and passion, Dustyn's lips moving with a deliberate tenderness that left me breathless. His right hand traced gentle caresses along my arm, while his left secured itself at the nape of my neck, holding me close as if he feared I might disappear if he let go. I mirrored his movements as best I could, feeling like a novice trying to keep up with an experienced dancer.

Time seemed to stand still as we remained locked in that kiss, my mind swirling with the echo of his words from moments before. The confession I had so anxiously awaited was no longer a mere possibility—it was a reality. I was relieved and elated to know that Dustyn's feelings mirrored my own. The anxiety of confessing had been worth it.

When he finally pulled away, our foreheads rested against each other, our noses almost touching. His smile was serene, his eyes closed as if he were savoring a dream. The closeness of our faces, the warmth of his breath, and the lingering taste of his kiss created a cocoon of intimacy around us.

"Dy..." I called out softly, my voice wavering with the intensity of the moment. His eyes slowly opened, locking onto mine with a look of wonderment, as if he were still processing the significance of what had just happened.

"I love you, shortcake," he declared, his voice gentle and filled with sincerity.

The words struck me with such force that I was momentarily stunned into silence. My mouth opened, but no words came out—only a gasp of astonishment as I tried to grasp the magnitude of his confession. The realization that Dustyn felt this way about me, that he loved me, left me both overwhelmed and elated.

His eyes sparkled with amusement at my stunned reaction, but instead of pressing me for a reply, he offered a comforting reassurance. "It's okay. We'll get there," he said softly, his words a soothing balm to my nervousness.

The assurance in his voice, coupled with the warmth of his gaze, calmed my racing heart. In that moment, surrounded by the festive noise of the party and the soft glow of the New Year's lights, everything felt right. The future, with its uncertainties and promises, seemed a little less daunting with Dustyn by my side.

We remained close, savoring the shared intimacy of the moment. The world outside faded into the background, leaving just the two of us in a cocoon of love and mutual understanding.

"Earth to Mara?" Artemis's voice jolted me back to reality. She was staring at me with confusion, while Apollo looked on with concern.

I must have spaced out for too long.

Since we got back from vacation, I've been drifting off frequently. I couldn't stop thinking about that kiss—it was my first, and it felt incredible. Even a week later, it was still like floating on cloud nine, replaying in my mind and making me reminisce about Dustyn's soft and gentle lips on mine.

"What have you been thinking about? You've been spacing out a lot lately," Artemis asked, her curiosity unabashed even in the library where we were supposed to be studying and avoiding the prying eyes of our classmates.

My schoolmates weren't subtle about the ring on my finger. They stared and gossiped openly, and even some of my professors glanced at it before catching themselves and continuing their lectures. As days passed, the weight of the ring seemed to grow heavier, and there was no way to hide it from anyone.

Alec, on the other hand, had taken protection to a whole new level. He assigned two bodyguards to keep watch over me while I was at school. He wasn't discreet about it either—when I asked him why, he just smiled, ruffled my hair, and walked away.