Chapter 86
Chapter 86
Athena’s POV
My eyes fluttered open to find myself still wrapped in Tristan’s arms. He was fast sleep, his face relaxed in a way I hadn’t seen since I came back. The tension lines around his eyes had smoothed out, and his breathing was deep and ven.
I studied his features in the morning light filtering through my bedroom curtains He looked like someone who hadn’t slept this peacefully in forever.
There was something younger about his face when he wasn’t carrying the weight of everyone else’s problems on his shoulders.
Memories of our night together flooded back, making my cheeks burn hot with embarrassment and something else I didn’t want to name.
If I’d thought our first time together five years ago was incredible, last night had been something else entirely.
It was Mind – blowing and breathtaking, literally because I lost my breath multiple times.
I couldn’t believe how thoroughly he’d satisfied me, how many times he’d brought me to heights I’d never experienced before.
With Daxon, pleasure had always been something I had to find for myself afterward, alone and ashamed.
But Tristan had made me feel like I was the center of his universe, like nothing else mattered except making sure
felt good.
The memory made my body tingle all over again, but it also filled me with a sadness so deep it felt like drowning.
Because it would never happen again.
The thought settled on my chest, making it hard to breathe. Whatever had happened last night was a mistake, a moment of weakness brought on by
nightmares and something else.
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Tristan would never have kissed me under normal circumstances. He’d only done it to wake me up from my bad dream.
I knew he’d regret it when he woke up. I was actually shocked to see him still here, still holding me like I was something precious instead of something he
needed to escape from.
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Maybe he hadn’t left because he didn’t want to hurt my feelings. Maybe he was trying to spare me the humiliation of waking up alone after giving myself to
him so completely.
I didn’t want his pity. I couldn’t bear it if he started blaming himself again, treating me like I was fragile and broken. I wasn’t sure I could survive another
conversation where he explained why we couldn’t be together.
I carefully untangle myself from his arms, trying not to wince even though my body felt like I’d been thoroughly and wonderfully used.
Every muscle ached in the best possible way, reminding me of everything we’d done together.
I needed to use the bathroom and figure out how I was going to handle this situation. How do you face someone the morning after you’ve crossed every line
you swore you’d never cross?
I slipped into the bathroom and stared at my reflection in the mirror. I looked lit someone who’d been thoroughly satisfied, which I absolutely had been.
My lips were still swollen from his kisses, and there were small marks on my neck where he’d been particularly enthusiastic.
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19:37 Tue, Jan 6 T
Chapter 86
TIRA
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I splashed cold water on my face and brushed my teeth, trying to wash away the ste of regret that was starting to build in my mouth. By the time I’d showered and gotten dressed, Tristan had already left my room.
Today was Saturday, which meant neither of us had any excuse to leave the hous The garage was running smoothly enough that we didn’t need to be there every day unless something urgent came up.
I needed to act like an adult about this. We had to talk it out, clear the air, and move forward without making things weird between us. We lived in the same house, for crying out loud. I couldn’t hide in my room forever.
I went downstairs to the kitchen and decided to make breakfast. Cooking always chlmed my nerves, gave my hands something to do while my mind tried to sort through complicated emotions.
I was halfway through preparing scotch eggs when I felt Tristan’s presence behing me. My entire body tensed, but I forced myself to take a deep breath before turning to face him.
“Good morning,” he said, his voice coming out husky and deep in a way that made my knees weak.
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Sara Lili
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.