Warmth came with the morning, and it eveloped Ava who stirred slightly in Maximus's arms. She blinked slowly and her hazy vision cleared on his face.
"Good morning." His deep voice resounded in her ears.
"Good morning," she said with a small smile, but she never would've prepared herself for the kiss that came next.
Maximus tucked away the strands of hair on her face behind her ears to deepen the kiss. She froze, but the feel of the softness of his lips against hers drove away her shock.
The tenderness of how his tongue danced on hers made her breath hitch, and her fingers instinctively curled into the fabric of his shirt.
The kiss was sedative, deliberate, like Maximus was savoring every second, every tiny gasp she made. His hand slid to the small of her back, pulling her closer, and warmth bloomed in her chest.