The first thing Seraphine felt was warmth.
The second was the weight of an arm draped possessively over her waist, holding her in place.
Her eyes fluttered open, and for a moment, she forgot where she was—until the scent of him, the feel of his bare skin against hers, brought everything crashing back.
Kaelith had claimed her. Completely.
The night before had been a blur of fire and need, of whispered names and broken restraint. She had fought him, pushed him, made him earn every gasp, every moan—only to find herself unraveling in his arms just the same.
And now, there was no undoing what had happened.
She turned her head slightly, her gaze landing on the man beside her. He was still asleep, his usually sharp features softened in the morning light. He looked…peaceful.
Vulnerable.
She should have used this moment to slip away, to put distance between them before reality came crashing in.
But as she shifted, Kaelith's grip tightened around her, pulling her back against him.
"Don't," he murmured, his voice rough with sleep.
Seraphine froze. "You're awake."
His lips brushed against the nape of her neck, sending a shiver through her. "I am now."
She swallowed, her body betraying her as it melted against his. "Let me go."
Kaelith let out a low chuckle, his fingers tracing lazy circles over her bare skin. "After last night? Not a chance."
Heat rushed to her cheeks, but she refused to let him see her flustered. "It doesn't change anything."
His grip on her tightened. "You keep telling yourself that, Princess."
Seraphine exhaled sharply, forcing herself to ignore the way his voice—low and laced with amusement—sent a thrill through her.
She needed to regain control. She needed to remember who they were outside of this bed.
Because if she wasn't careful…
She might start to believe that this meant something.
To be continued…
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