Then, he moved lower, kissing my stomach, the tops of my thighs....

Then, he moved lower, kissing my stomach, the tops of my thighs....
Amara's POV

The Surprise

By the time I had finished eating, showered, and dressed, Caden was nowhere to be found.

I searched the entire house. No sign of him.
Where was he?

Just when I was starting to get frustrated, my phone chimed with a text.

Come outside.

Caden.

I slipped on a pair of shoes and headed out the front door, curious.

My jaw dropped.

A horse-drawn carriage was parked in the driveway, decorated with a garland of flowers. Caden stood next to it, dressed in a suit and tie. He held a bouquet of roses in one hand and a picnic basket in the other.

My face grew hot.

He was insane. Absolutely, utterly insane.
I marched up to him, crossing my arms.
His eyes sparkled with amusement.
I shook my head.

He grinned.

I sighed.

Then, I grabbed the roses and kissed him.

After All...

It was a perfect day—blue skies, gentle breeze, the smell of fresh earth and blooming flowers. We strolled through the town, stopping for a bite to eat, admiring the architecture. He held my hand the entire time, stealing kisses when he thought no one was looking.

I couldn’t stop smiling.

The picnic was a simple affair—baskets of fruit and sandwiches, bottles of cold cider. We sat on a checkered blanket under a shady tree, laughing and talking and basking in the sunlight.

And when the sun started to set, Caden took my hand again, leading me back to the carriage.

He was so sure of himself. Of me.

And somehow, after all the chaos, I found that I was too.

I trusted him.

That was the scariest part.

That Night...

It was almost midnight when we arrived home. We were both exhausted, but content, a little tipsy from the cider and the way we couldn't keep our hands off each other.

"I'm gonna grab a shower," Caden said, kissing my neck. "Don't fall asleep."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, yeah."

He chuckled, heading toward the bathroom.
I kicked off my shoes and headed into the bedroom, peeling off my clothes and tossing them onto the chair. Then, I slipped into a loose shirt and a pair of shorts and flopped onto the bed, sighing.

God, it had been a good day.

After a while Caden came.

He was only wearing a towel, and his hair was wet, dripping little droplets of water onto his bare shoulders.

I stared.

"See something you like?" He smirked.

I scoffed, turning away. "Don't flatter yourself."

He chuckled, pulling on a pair of sweatpants and joining me on the bed. I rolled onto my side, facing him, and he propped his head up on his elbow, gazing down at me.

"Today was nice," he murmured.

I nodded. "Yeah. It was."

"We should do it again sometime."

"Maybe."

He chuckled, brushing a strand of hair away from my face.

"What?"

"Nothing. You're just cute when you pretend not to care."

I blushed. "Shut up."

He closed the distance between us. His kiss was soft, coaxing, and I melted into him. He was on top of me . My hands slid up his back, pulling him closer.

The kiss deepened.

His hand slipped beneath my shirt, skimming over the skin of my stomach, my waist, my chest.

My breath hitched.

He paused, waiting.

I arched against him.

That was all the invitation he needed.
He trailed kisses down my jaw, my neck, his fingers caressing my breasts. He nipped at my collarbone, and I moaned, arching into him.

"Fuck," he whispered, his lips brushing against the shell of my ear. "You're perfect."

My body burned, ached, desperate for him.

"Caden," I breathed.

"I know." He pressed his forehead against mine. "I know, Amara. Just trust me."

And I did.

So, I closed my eyes and let myself fall.

All of Me

Caden's hands roamed my body, exploring every inch, committing it to memory. His lips trailed down my neck, over my collarbone, and when he closed them over my nipple, I moaned.

"Fuck," I whimpered.

He chuckled, moving to the other one, teasing me until they were stiff peaks. Then, he moved lower, kissing my stomach, the tops of my thighs, the inside of them.

"Caden..."

"Shhh," he murmured, hooking his fingers under the waistband of my shorts and pulling them down. He tossed them aside and settled between my legs, his breath warm against my core.

"Oh God..."

"Relax," he coaxed, his thumbs tracing circles over the skin of my thighs. "I've got you, Amara."

And he did.

He kissed and sucked and licked until I was trembling, a whimpering mess. And when I finally came, he held me, stroking my hair, whispering sweet nothings until the aftershocks faded and I came back to myself.
I could feel him, hard against my thigh.
"Caden," I whispered, my hands gripping his shoulders.

"What?"

"Please..."

He understood.

His hands gripped my hips, and he pulled me closer, his cock pressing against my entrance. I could feel his restraint, the way he fought to keep himself under control.

"I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't," I promised.

He kissed me, soft and slow, his lips lingering.
"Promise me," he whispered.

"I promise."

And with that, he slowly pushed inside.
It was an odd sensation—the way my body stretched to accommodate him, the way he filled me, the way it made me ache in the best possible way.

He stayed still, letting me adjust, his thumb tracing soothing circles against the skin of my hip.

"Are you okay?"

I nodded, my fingers digging into his shoulders.

"Amara—"

"Move."

He hesitated.

"Caden, please—"

He did.

At first, his movements were slow, careful. But soon, we found a rhythm, and our bodies moved together, a perfect, intoxicating harmony.

"Fuck," he hissed, his fingers digging into my skin. "You feel so fucking good."

His words sent a surge of heat through me, and I arched against him, urging him on.
"Harder," I pleaded.

He growled, his movements becoming more erratic. "You're fucking perfect."

"Caden..."

"You're mine," he grunted, his fingers tightening. "Say it."

"Yours," I gasped. "I'm yours."

My admission sent him over the edge. He groaned, his hips jerking against mine, and the pressure inside me reached a crescendo, spilling out in a wave of pleasure that left me trembling and boneless.

He held me as the aftershocks rippled through us, his lips pressed against my forehead, his heart pounding against mine.
"I love you," he whispered, so quiet that I almost didn't hear it.

My heart skipped.

"I know," I murmured.

He chuckled.

"I don't...I can't..."

He brushed his lips against my temple. "It's okay. I'm not going anywhere."

I exhaled.

We stayed like that for a long time, just holding each other, our breathing and heartbeats syncing. And when sleep finally claimed us, it was a peaceful, blissful surrender.

I Was Afraid.

The next morning, I woke up to an empty bed and the smell of pancakes.

I padded into the kitchen, stifling a yawn.
Caden was standing by the stove, flipping pancakes and humming to himself.
I smiled, leaning against the doorway and watching him. He looked so at ease, so comfortable, like he belonged here. Like this was his home.

"Morning," he said, catching my eye.

"Morning."

"Sleep well?"

"Like a rock."

He grinned. "Good."

I walked over to the counter and hopped onto a barstool, resting my chin on my hands.
"Something on your mind, princess?"

"Hmm." I studied him. "You really love me, huh?"

His grin widened. "You're just figuring that out now?"

"Caden."

"I do. Very much."

"I..."

"What is it?"

"I'm scared," I admitted softly.

"Of what?"

"Of this. Us. Everything."

"Hey." He walked over, cupping my face. "You don't have to be afraid. Not with me."

"I know, but—"

"No buts." He kissed my forehead. "We'll figure it out. Together."

"How can you be so sure?"

He smiled. "Because I love you, Amara. And you love me too, even if you won't admit it."
I huffed.

"Just give us a chance," he said, his thumb brushing over my cheek. "That's all I'm asking."

I bit my lip.

"Okay?"

"Fine."

"Say it."

"Say what?"

"You know what."

I rolled my eyes. "You're insufferable."

"But you love me anyway."

I sighed. "Fine. I love you too."

"See? That wasn't so hard."

"Shut up."

He chuckled, kissing me.

And I decided to let go.

Just this once.

Just for him.