Chapter 39 The Space Between Heartbeats
Evie:
The moment the door clicked shut, the world fell quiet.
No music. No whispers. No rituals.
Just him and me.
Grayson stood a few steps inside my room, shoulders tense, chest rising and falling too quickly. The moonlight spilled through the window, painting his profile in silver.
He didn’t move. Neither did I.
My heart fluttered painfully, every memory of what he’d done and not done swirling into a storm behind my ribs.
He swallowed.
“Evie…” His voice cracked.
My fingers curled at my sides.
He took one slow step toward me.
“Please tell me if you don’t want me here,” he said softly. “I will leave.”
My breath trembled. He had never given me a choice before.
“I want you here,” I whispered.
Something raw flickered across his face, relief, guilt, longing, fear, all tangled together. He moved closer, slow enough that I could have stepped away at any point.
I didn’t.
When he stopped in front of me, he didn’t reach for me. He just… hovered his hand near my cheek, fingers trembling.
May I?
His eyes asked the question before his lips did.
“Can I…?” His voice broke. “Can I touch you?”
Every instinct in me screamed: Be careful. Be smart. Be distant.
But my wolf nudged softly and whispered,
He’s trying, moonlight.
Let him try.
So I nodded.
He exhaled shakily, as if releasing something he’d been holding for months. His hand rose again, slow, hesitant, and brushed my cheek with the lightest touch imaginable.
Like he expected me to break. Like he was afraid he might. I sucked in a sharp breath.
Grayson froze instantly. “Evie.. did I... ?”
“No,” I whispered, placing my hand over his. “No. It just… surprised me.”
His palm warmed against my skin. My heart stumbled. He looked at me like he was memorizing something precious, something he thought he would never be allowed to touch again.
His thumb stroked my cheekbone, gentle, reverent.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered into the quiet.
“I’m so sorry, Evie.”
My throat closed. He leaned closer, slowly, watching my eyes for any sign of fear.
I didn’t flinch.
His forehead touched mine. A soft, trembling contact. I felt his breath brush my lips. I felt his wolf press into mine, seeking closeness, warmth, forgiveness.
“Tell me to stop,” he murmured. “Please. If you need me to stop.”
I didn’t. I couldn’t.
“Grayson…” My voice cracked. “I don’t want you to stop.”
His breath shuddered out.
He lifted my face between both his hands, carefully, like I was made of moonlight and glass, and brought his lips to mine.
The first kiss was soft.
Barely there. A question. A hope. A trembling apology. My heart broke and rebuilt itself all at once.
His lips brushed mine again, a little firmer this time, a little more sure, but still gentle. His hands slid to cradle my jaw, his thumbs trembling as if the memory of hurting me lived in every muscle.
I leaned into him, unable to resist. The bond hummed, warm, bright, awakening, curling around my ribs like silk.
He kissed me again, slower, deeper, but still achingly respectful. His breath mingled with mine. His hands traced the line of my neck like a vow.
When I whispered his name against his mouth, he inhaled sharply, like it hurt him, and healed him at once.
He gathered me into his arms then, pulling me against his chest in a desperate, careful embrace. His chin rested against my hair.
“I won’t rush you,” he murmured, voice raw.
“I won’t hurt you again. Not ever. Just… let me hold you. Please.”
I closed my eyes. Letting myself melt into him felt like stepping off a cliff.
Terrifying.
Dangerous.
Beautiful.
His arms tightened around me, slow and steady, as if memorizing every inch of my body, not with hunger, but with reverence.
And the fear I had carried for weeks… loosened.
Just a little.
Just enough to breathe.
He lifted my face again and kissed my forehead—slow, lingering, sacred.
Everything inside me softened.
We stood like that for a long moment, wrapped in moonlight and breath and the quiet ache of almost-forgiveness.
Then he whispered, voice trembling:
“Evie…Let me love you the way I should have from the start.”
I nodded.
And when he guided me gently toward the bed, every motion careful and deliberate, every touch a question, every kiss an apology.
His lips met mine again, a gentle kiss that deepened as our tongues touched. I could taste the remorse, the longing in his kiss. It was sweet, tender, and it made my heart ache.
I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him closer, wanting to be as close to him as possible.
As we broke apart, he trailed kisses down my neck, his hands exploring my body. I gasped as his lips found the sensitive spot beneath my ear, my body arching into his touch.
"Grayson," I moaned, my hands clutching at his back.
"I've missed you, Evie. My wolf missed you."
His hand slid down to my hip, his fingers tracing the curve of my waist. I could feel his heartbeat, feel the desire pulsing through him.
I wanted him, all of him.
His hand moved lower, his fingers slipping beneath the waistband of my panties. I gasped as he touched me, my body arching into his touch.
"Grayson," I moaned, my eyes fluttering closed.
"Look at me, Evie," he murmured, his voice low and husky. "I want to see you."
I opened my eyes, my gaze locking with his as he touched me. I could see the desire in his eyes, the remorse.
"I want you, Grayson," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
He smiled,
"Good. Because I'm going make love to you, slowly and gently, like I should have."
I gasped as he slipped a finger inside me, his thumb circling my clit. The sensation was exquisite, a slow burn that built and built until I was panting, my body writhing beneath him.
"Grayson," I moaned, my hands clutching at his back.
He continued to touch me, his fingers moving inside me, his thumb circling my clit. I could feel the pleasure building, a slow burn that made my body ache.
"Grayson," I moaned, my body tensing. "Please. I can't take much more."
He smiled, that made my heart pound. "Come for me, Evie. Come for me now."
And I did. I came with a cry, my body arching into his touch, my eyes locked with his. It was intense, overwhelming, and it left me trembling in his arms.