Chapter 8 – Fire Between Them
The kiss hadn't left Aria's mind since last night. Every brush of her lips felt haunted by Damien's touch, every heartbeat echoing the memory of his mouth on hers. She tried to focus on her notes, her books, her lectures — but it was useless.
And when she walked into the dimly lit study lounge and saw him waiting again, leaning casually against the window with that quiet intensity in his gaze, she knew she was lost.
"You came," he said, his tone low, rougher than usual.
Her lips curved in a faint smile. "So did you."
The moment stretched, their eyes holding. Then, without another word, he crossed the room in three strides and pulled her against him.
His mouth claimed hers, urgent and demanding this time. There was no hesitation, no testing. Just raw hunger. Aria melted into him, her hands clutching at his shirt as if afraid he might disappear.
The kiss deepened, tongues brushing, teasing, igniting sparks that spread through her body like wildfire. She gasped softly, and he took the opportunity to explore further, his lips devouring hers, his hand sliding into her hair to hold her still as if he couldn't bear to let her go.
Aria's body pressed to his instinctively, her curves molding against the hard planes of his chest. His other hand slid down her spine, slow, deliberate, until it rested at the small of her back — pulling her even closer.
She moaned softly into his mouth, the sound swallowed by the heat of their kiss. Her fingers gripped his shoulders, then trailed down to his chest, feeling the strength coiled beneath his shirt.
"Damien…" she breathed when his lips broke from hers, only to trail fire along her jaw, down her neck. Each kiss was softer, wetter, more dangerous, making her knees weak.
"You taste…" his lips brushed her skin again, "…better than I imagined."
Aria shuddered, her hands sliding up into his hair, tugging lightly, urging him closer. He groaned against her throat, the sound vibrating through her, low and primal.
His hand at her back slid lower, curving over the swell of her hip. Her body trembled, heat pooling in her core, every nerve alight with need. She pressed herself against him shamelessly, feeling the undeniable evidence of his own restraint fraying.
For a moment, she thought he would give in. That they would tumble past the point of no return, right there against the wall.
But then Damien stilled, his lips hovering at her collarbone, his breath ragged.
"Not yet," he whispered, voice strained, as if he were forcing himself to stop. He lifted his head, his eyes dark, burning with desire. "If I start, Aria… I won't be able to stop."
Her chest rose and fell rapidly, her lips swollen, her body shaking with need. "Maybe I don't want you to stop," she whispered back.
He closed his eyes briefly, a pained smile curving his mouth, and pressed one last bruising kiss to her lips before stepping back.
The distance between them felt like torture.
But she could see it in his eyes, the way his body still leaned toward hers, the way his hands clenched as if holding back with everything he had — this wasn't the end.
This was the fire before the inferno.