The world beyond their intimate bubble—the gentle crackle of the hearth, the distant city sounds—faded into a distant hum.
The space between them was no longer empty air but a charged field, pulling them together.
For a breath that stretched into an eternity, they simply looked, their gazes locked in a silent conversation of want and wonder.
Iris watched, mesmerized, as the intensity in Riley's eyes softened into something equally powerful: a smoldering, possessive tenderness that promised both respect and ravishment.
Then, breaking the spell with a slow, deliberate movement, Riley leaned back.
His fingers, which had moments before been tangled in her most delicate parts, went to the fastenings of his own robes.
The first clasp gave way with a soft click, and the rich, crimson fabric, once a symbol of his station, now seemed an intolerable barrier.
