Chapter 83 Lost In Him
Malia's POV
Then his lips settles on mine.
The kiss is soft, tentative, nothing like Aiden's hungry intensity or Rowan's restrained passion. This is gentle exploration, careful and reverent, like he's memorizing the moment, cataloging every sensation. His lips are warm and slightly chapped, tasting faintly of the strawberries we shared moments ago.
I let myself sink into it, my hands finding his shoulders, feeling the subtle tension in his muscles, the way he's holding himself back even now. When I part my lips slightly in invitation, he makes a small sound—half surprise, half relief—and deepens the kiss just a fraction, his tongue tentatively touching mine.
His hands slide from my face to my neck, his fingers threading into the hair at my nape, and the kiss shifts. Still gentle, but more confident, like he's finding his footing. I can feel his heart racing where our chests are pressed together, can feel the slight tremor in his hands.
When I run my tongue along his bottom lip, he gasps softly against my mouth, and I take the opportunity to deepen the kiss further, showing him what I want. He follows my lead beautifully, learning quickly, responding to every shift and change with increasing confidence.
We break apart slowly, foreheads resting together, breathing uneven, sharing the same air in the small space between us.
"I've never..." he whispers, and I can hear both wonder and uncertainty in his voice.
"I know."
"Was it okay? I don't really know what I'm doing."
I smile against his mouth, my lips brushing his as I speak. "More than okay. You're a quick learner."
"I've always been good at studying things that matter," he says with a hint of his dry humor returning, and then we're both smiling, then laughing, and then kissing again.
This time he's more sure of himself, his hands sliding from my hair to my waist, holding me like I'm something precious but also like he never wants to let go. The flowers sway around us, their sweet scent mixing with his—soap and earth and something uniquely Cian.
His kisses trail from my mouth to my jaw, tentative and exploratory, and when he reaches the sensitive spot just below my ear, I gasp softly. He freezes.
"Did I—is that okay?"
"Very okay," I manage, and I feel him smile against my skin before he kisses that spot again, more deliberately this time.
We stay like that for long minutes, learning each other through touch and taste and the soft sounds we can't quite suppress. His hands never wander beyond my waist, never push for more, but the restraint somehow makes everything more intense—the promise of what could be, the respect in every careful movement.
When we finally separate for real, the sun has shifted, casting longer shadows through the trees. Cian's eyes are bright, his usual composure slightly undone—hair mussed from my fingers, lips slightly swollen, cheeks flushed—and I realize I've never seen him look more alive, more present, more... here.
"Thank you," he says quietly, his hand still resting on my waist like he can't quite bring himself to let go completely. "For giving me a chance. For not laughing at my awkwardness. For... this."
"Thank you for showing me this place. For being patient with everything—the bond, the complications, me figuring all this out. For being you."
We gather our things slowly, reluctant to leave the sanctuary we've found. As we walk back down the trail, his hand finds mine, our fingers intertwining naturally, perfectly, like they were designed to fit together.
The bond hums contentedly in my chest—not pulling in different directions anymore, but settling. Like pieces fitting together in ways I hadn't expected, creating something more beautiful than I imagined.
When the villa comes into view through the trees, Cian pauses, tugging gently on my hand to turn me toward him one more time.
"No matter what happens next," he says, brushing a leaf from my hair with his free hand, "no matter how complicated this gets or where it leads, I'm glad we had this. I'm glad you're in my life, Malia."
I squeeze his hand, rising on my toes to press one more soft kiss to his lips. "Me too.”