Chapter 62 Mine in the Morning Light
LEITANA
The room was warm, too warm, but I didn’t mind.
Something heavy and solid wrapped around my waist, pressing me close. Hot breath fanned the back of my neck. Sunlight slipped through the curtains, painting soft gold on my skin.
I blinked slow, waking up little by little.
Then it hit me.
I wasn’t alone.
Since coming to America, the big bed had always been empty except for me.
Except that one night after the piano… when he stayed long enough to make my body sing.
Heat rushed to my cheeks at the memory.
My eyes drifted down.
His arm.
Strong, veined, wrapped tight around my waist. His hand rested flat on my stomach, fingers relaxed but firm, like he claimed that spot even in sleep.
I bit my lip hard.
Back in the orphanage, we all slept close on mats, bodies pressed together for warmth. Marita always squeezed too tight. But this… this was different.
This was Ravial.
My stomach fluttered funny, warm and strange.
I turned careful in his arms. His hand tightened for a second, but his face stayed peaceful, eyes closed, long lashes dark against his cheeks.
I had never seen lashes so long on a man.
He was beautiful.
Truly handsome.
I shifted again until I faced him fully.
I stared, couldn’t help it.
“Even in sleep yu truly fine,” I whispered, not meaning to say it out loud.
My hand moved on its own, tracing slow down his smooth cheek.
A shiver pulled low in my belly.
Perfect straight nose.
Firm lips, pink and soft-looking.
God really take time create dis face.
The more I looked, the more a sour feeling creeped in.
He must have plenty women admire him.
Want him.
The thought taste bitter on my tongue.
Jealousy.
I didn’t like it.
“Wat wrong with mi,” I mutter to myself, hand still rubbing his face softly.
I knew I wasn’t the first woman he has laid with.
That thought made the jealousy bite harder.
“But mi give him mi chastity,” I said, not realizing the words come out loud, a pout forming on my lips.
My fingers drift lower, brushing his lips without thinking.
Then his voice, low and rough with sleep.
“If you want to kiss me, little lamb… do it.”
My hand jerked away like I touched fire.
Eyes wide, face burning, I stare at him.
He watched me, eyes hooded, dark and heavy.
“Mi…mi sorry!” I rush out, voice small. “Mi no mean wake yu… mi no mean touch yu face like dat… mi jus’...”
He didn’t move.
Just looked at me, that half-lidded gaze pinning me to the bed.
My heart beat loud in my ears.
He reached slowly, caught my wrist gently, and guided my hand back to his cheek.
Then lower.
Till my fingers rest on his lips again.
His eyes never leave mine.
“I said,” he murmur, voice husky with sleep, “kiss me.”
I swallow hard.
And leaned in.
Slow.
Shy.
My lips brush his, soft, careful.
He let me.
Then his hand tightened at the back of my neck, holding me exactly where he wanted.
And he kissed me back.
Not soft.
Not careful.
Deep.
Slow.
Hungry.
His tongue slid against mine, tasting, claiming.
Heat exploded low in my belly. My fingers curled into his shirt.
I pulled away gasping, cheeks burning hotter.
“Mi… mi mouth no wash yet,” I whispered, embarrassed. “Morning breath…”
Ravial didn’t speak at first.
He just rose up on one elbow, leaning over me, body casting a shadow that swallowed the morning light.
His blindfolded gaze pinned me to the bed.
My chest heaved, heart racing.
He leaned down.
First kiss.. light, on the corner of my mouth.
“Quiet,” he murmured against my skin.
Second kiss….firmer, lips parting mine.
“I don’t care.”
Third, deeper, tongue teasing the seam of my lips until I opened for him.
“I want you exactly as you are.”
Fourth, slow, deliberate, sucking gently on my bottom lip.
“Every taste.”
Fifth, possessive, hand sliding into my hair, angling my head.
“Every breath.”
Sixth, chaste turned filthy, tongue stroking mine until I whimpered.
“Every sound you make when you want more.”
I did want more.
My hands slid up his chest, pulling him closer.
He gave it to me.
Kissing me until my head spun, until the only thing left in the world was his mouth on mine.
And I forgot about morning breath.
Forgot about everything.
Except him.
I felt like I was being kissed to the very edge of my life. His lips moved against mine, fast and deep, tongue tangling with mine until I couldn’t think straight. I just lay there, giving everything back, small gasps and moans slipping out whenever he let me breathe for a second.
Five minutes, maybe more and my chest burned.
“R… Ravial,” I gasped, pushing weakly against his chest. I couldn’t get enough air. My lungs felt tight, desperate.
He didn’t stop.
I pushed harder, panic rising. “Ravial!”
He pulled back at last.
A thin string of saliva connected our lips for a moment before it broke.
I gulped air, body shaking, trying to fill my lungs again.
He looked down at me, eyes hooded, breathing steady—like he hadn’t been affected at all.
“You should not be real,” he said quietly, voice rough, fingers tracing through my hair.
My chest still heaved. I stared up at him, dazed.
Before I could speak, he slid an arm under me and lifted me off the bed like I weighed nothing.
I gasped, hands clutching his shoulders. My legs wrapped around his waist on instinct.
He pressed one short, firm kiss to my lips, almost gentle, then pulled away and carried me toward the bathroom.
In the bathroom, he set me down on the wide marble counter, cool against my thighs.
He turned on the shower, steam already starting to fill the air.
Then he looked at me.
“I’m enrolling you at Juilliard Extension,” he said, calm and matter-of-fact.
I blinked, confused. “Juilliard… what dat?”
“It’s the continuing education program at Juilliard,” he explained, voice low. “The best music school in the country. In New York. They offer private lessons, classes, piano performance, theory, whatever you want. For adults. For people like you.”
My mouth fell open.
“Mi… learn piano? Proper?”
He nodded once. “Proper. With teachers who trained the best in the world. You’ll go twice a week. More if you want.”
I stared at him, heart racing again but for a different reason now.
“But… mi no good enough. Mi only play small hymn from orphanage. Old piano, out of tune.”
His hand cupped my cheek.
“You played like you were born to it,” he said. “And I want more.”
I swallowed, eyes wide.
“Yu… yu do dis for mi?”
He leaned in, lips brushing mine once, soft this time.
“Everything for you.”