Chapter 40: Can I Join You?
Stefan’s jaw clenched slightly, like he was fighting some internal battle—but it only lasted a second. His hands rose, one cupping her cheek, the other sliding to her lower back, guiding her closer. His touch was unhurried, but firm and certain.
Ruby found herself shifting, straddling his lap instinctively, needing to be near him—with him—not just in proximity, but in soul. She knew she was dancing on a razor-thin line between lies and truth, but in that moment, all she could focus on was him—his touch, his need, the way his breath deepened with every inch of closeness.
His lips found hers again, this time bolder, hungrier. Their mouths moved in sync, a rhythm that grew with each heartbeat, with each brush of skin. Ruby let her hands roam, exploring his broad shoulders, the firm lines of his chest beneath his shirt.
"God..." he whispered between kisses, his fingers brushing along her spine. "You feel like something I dreamed about but never thought I’d touch. You feel different today."
His words undid her as she let loose all her reservations.
Ruby moaned softly into his mouth, and that sound—low, real, raw—made Stefan grip her tighter. She could feel the tension coiled in his body, the restraint but she didn’t let him go.
He broke the kiss again, breathing hard. "If this is too much—if you want to stop—just say so."
"I don’t," she said, voice trembling. "I don’t want to stop."
Though she knew it was barely a week she had married him and shouldn’t be doing this as it was still to early, she just couldn’t help.
A question crossed her mind about what she’d do in the coming year when she was already losing herself this way but then, she didn’t care.
He reached up slowly, his hand finding the curve of her neck, his thumb brushing just beneath her jaw as if memorizing the shape of her. "You’re so beautiful," he murmured. "Every time I touch you, it feels like the world quiets down."
Ruby bit her lip, overwhelmed by the gentle intensity in his voice.