Chapter 33

Avah's Pov

I felt a hand glide from my shoulder, down my arm, and settle at my waist. The warmth of his touch seeped through my skin, sending a shiver down my spine. I kept my eyes closed, feigning sleep, hoping he'd let me stay cocooned in the haze of early morning.

But then, his lips, warm and deliberate, pressed against my bare shoulder. Slowly. Reverently.

A quiet gasp escaped me before I could stop it.

Roman exhaled against my skin, his breath warm and steady. I knew he was watching me, waiting. A part of me wanted to keep up the act, but my body betrayed me, drawn to him like gravity.

I shifted, but before I could move away, he turned me effortlessly, rolling me onto my back. His dark gaze held me captive, heavy-lidded with something unspoken, something that made my breath stutter.

His fingers traced the curve of my face, the line of my jaw, the soft dip below my lips. Then, as if savoring the moment, he brushed over my eyelids before lingering at my mouth. His thumb pressed gently, parting my lips just enough to make my heart skip.

The silence between us was thick, humming with something electric.

And then, he kissed me.

Slow and deep, his lips molded against mine, coaxing rather than demanding. My fingers found his bare shoulders, anchoring myself as the kiss grew deeper, more urgent.

His hand slid to my waist, pulling me closer until there was no space left between us. My pulse raced as he kissed me like he was mapping me, memorizing every sigh, every shift of my body against his.

We kissed until we were breathless, until the air between us was too thin, too heated.

When he finally pulled back, just an inch, his forehead resting against mine, I could feel his smile against my lips.

His fingers toyed with the hem of my silk nightdress, a silent question in his eyes. My breath hitched as he slowly lifted it, his touch sending shivers down my spine. Inch by inch, the fabric slid up, baring my skin to the cool morning air and to his scorching gaze.

And then, it was gone.

He hovered above me, his eyes dark and intense, drinking me in like I was something sacred. I should have felt shy under his heated gaze, but instead, a delicious warmth spread through me.

Then, still watching me, he reached for the waistband of his pajama pants.

It wasn’t rushed.

He pushed them down, slow and deliberate, like he knew exactly what he was doing to me. My eyes followed the movement, drawn to the way his muscles flexed, the way his skin gleamed in the dim morning light.

My gaze traveled up, from his strong legs to the sharp dip of his V-line, then to his toned abs, lingering on the ridges and valleys of muscle. His chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, but his eyes, they burned with something raw.

He was beautiful.

And he was mine.

Roman leaned in, his body pressing against mine, his heat wrapping around me like a blanket. His lips found mine again, but this time, there was no teasing, no hesitation. Just raw, unfiltered need.

His kiss was deeper, slower, more consuming. His tongue traced the seam of my lips, coaxing them open, and I gave in willingly. The moment our tongues met, a low sound rumbled in his chest, vibrating through me.

His hands moved, trailing down my sides, mapping every inch of bare skin with a reverence that sent tingles down my spine. When his fingers found my waist, he gripped it, pulling me flush against him. I gasped against his mouth at the sensation of his bare skin against mine.

Roman pulled back slightly, his lips hovering just above mine, his breath warm and ragged. "You're intoxicating," he murmured, his voice husky, filled with something dangerously close to worship.

Then, before I could catch my breath, his lips traveled downward.

Soft kisses against my jaw.

A slow, lingering one at the base of my throat.

Then lower.

Each kiss felt deliberate, like he was taking his time memorizing every part of me, as if he wanted to carve himself into my skin. His lips found the sensitive spot just above my collarbone, and he sucked lightly, making my fingers tighten in his hair.

"Roman," I whispered, not even sure what I was asking for.

He lifted his head, his eyes dark, filled with heat. "Say my name again," he murmured, his voice thick with desire.

He kissed me again, this time with even more intensity, as if he couldn’t get enough. His hands moved, exploring, teasing, setting my skin on fire.

And then, just when I thought I might lose myself completely in him, he pulled back slightly, his forehead resting against mine. "Tell me if you want me to stop," he said, his voice strained, his control hanging by a thread.

But stopping was the last thing on my mind.

"No, I want you," I moaned.

Roman groaned at my words, his grip on me tightening. His lips crashed against mine, hungry and desperate, as if he had been waiting for this moment forever. His hands roamed my body, igniting a fire under my skin, making me arch into his touch.

His kisses grew rougher, more demanding. He tasted like control and desire, a dangerous mix that left me breathless. When he pulled back slightly, his dark eyes locked onto mine, filled with an intensity that made my stomach flip.

"You have no idea what you do to me," he rasped, his voice thick with restraint.

I reached up, threading my fingers through his hair, pulling him closer. "Then show me."

A growl rumbled deep in his chest as he obeyed, his lips trailing down my neck, across my collarbone, leaving a trail of heat in their wake. His hands moved with purpose, stripping away the last barriers between us.

My body reacted to every touch, every kiss, every whispered promise against my skin. My fingers dug into his shoulders as he hovered over me, his breath hot against my lips.

"Are you sure?" he asked, his voice laced with need but also something gentler, concern.

I met his gaze, my heart racing. "I've never been more sure of anything."

A slow, wicked smile spread across his lips before he claimed my mouth again, pulling me deeper into his warmth. His body pressed against mine, our breaths mingling, heat pooling between us. The world outside faded away, leaving only the soft rustling of sheets and the sounds of our shared desire.

Each touch, each movement sent shivers down my spine, pulling me under, drowning me in pleasure. I held onto him, my nails raking down his back as waves of sensation crashed over me. Roman was relentless yet careful, pushing me past the edge until I was trembling beneath him.

His name fell from my lips like a prayer, and he answered it with whispered reassurances, with kisses that stole the breath from my lungs. We moved together, the rhythm building, every moment more intense than the last until I shattered, my body arching against his.

Roman followed soon after, a deep, guttural sound escaping his lips as he buried his face in the crook of my neck, his body tense before he finally collapsed beside me, pulling me into his arms.

My body was spent, my limbs heavy, but a deep satisfaction settled in my chest. Roman brushed damp strands of hair away from my face, his lips pressing gently against my temple.

"You did great," he murmured, his voice thick with exhaustion and something softer—something warm.

I smiled sleepily, my body sinking into the mattress, into his warmth. My eyes fluttered shut, and the last thing I felt was the steady beat of his heart against my back before sleep claimed me.