Chapter 50
50
~Elara’s POV
He stared at me, unsure what to say. “What do you mean?” He asked softly.
I took a deep breath, trying to steady the shake in my voice. “I… I thought… that you hated me. That you were disappointed in me… because I’m not the type of woman you I trailed off, feeling my cheeks heat up.
“You thought that?” His lips curled into a small smile as he touched the tip of my nose. “I’ve told you before… erase that thought from your mind p>
I nodded quickly, feeling a little foolish, but also relieved that he didn’t look angry or disgusted. “I… I will p>
“Good.” He let out a soft chuckle, and for a moment, it felt like the tension in my chest was melting. Then he looked at me seriously. “Shall we go home p>
I blinked. “Yes… Yes, let’s go p>
He offered me his arm, which I took gratefully, and we walked out together. The drive was quiet, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. I stole glances at him, noticing the calm look in his eyes, and I felt that strange warmth in my chest again.
When we reached home, he led me straight upstairs to our room. “Bathroom first,” he said, gesturing toward the ensuite. “Take a bath, wash off everything from today. You need it p>
I nodded, feeling grateful, and stepped inside. The warm water felt like a small comfort, and I let myself linger under the stream a little longer than usual. My mind wandered, thinking about everything that had happened, the cafeteria, the people, their cruel words, and how he had handled it all.
When I came out, drying my hair, I noticed the dining set neatly arranged on the table in the room. He was already there, standing a little behind it, arms crossed, watching me with that familiar, calm look.
“You won’t be going downstairs to eat,” he said softly. “I don’t want you to be stressed p>
I smiled faintly. “Thank you… I appreciate that p>
We sat, and as we began eating, he looked at me seriously. “Elara… maybe it’s better if we make our marriage public. People would stop treating you this way if everyone knew p>
I shook my head firmly. “No… I’m not ready for that. I… I just want to be me, quietly p>
He nodded slowly, studying me. “Then you need to speak up. Fight back if anyone belittles or bullies you. Promise me you’ll do that p>
I looked at him, feeling the weight of his gaze. “I promise p>
He reached across the table, brushing my hand gently. “Good. That’s all I ask. You’re strong, Elara. You just… sometimes forget it p>
I smiled softly, feeling that strange flutter in my chest again. “I’ll remember. I promise p>
After dinner, we decided to watch a movie in the room. I leaned back against the pillows, trying to relax, but I could still feel the tension in my shoulders.
He sat closer, and then, without warning, he reached out and kissed me. A soft, gentle kiss at first, and then he pulled back slightly to see my reaction.
I smiled, turning toward him instinctively, deepening the kiss. My heart raced, my chest tightening in a way that felt both terrifying and thrilling.
He chuckled against my lips, pulling back just enough to look at me. “You’re a good learner,” he said softly.
I laughed nervously, breathless. “I… I My voice faltered, and I pulled back a little more.
He tilted his head, sensing my hesitation. “Do you want to… take it further?” he asked gently.
I shook my head quickly, a little scared. “No… I’m not ready yet p>
He laughed softly, that warm, reassuring laugh I had come to love. “It’s okay, Elara. You don’t have to be. We’ll take our time p>
After he laughed and assured me it was okay, I stayed pressed against him for a moment longer. The heat of his body, the steady rhythm of his breathing, it was comforting, grounding.
Then, almost instinctively, our lips met again. This time, there was no hesitation. Our mouths moved together with more confidence, more urgency, and I could feel the way his hands rested gently on my shoulders, then slid down to my waist.
I wrapped my arms around him, clutching him close. “Darlon I whispered between kisses, my voice trembling.
He pulled back just slightly, enough to look into my eyes. “Yeah p>
“I… I just… I don’t want to stop,” I admitted softly, a little breathless.
He smiled, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “We don’t have to p>
We kissed again, longer this time, slower, letting the moment out, letting the world outside the room disappear. I could feel the warmth in my chest growing, a mix of comfort and something more, something I wasn’t quite ready to name yet.
Finally, we pulled back slightly, resting our foreheads together. I could feel the rapid beat of his heart through his chest, matching my own.
“Are you okay?” he asked softly, his thumb tracing gentle circles on my arm.
I nodded, leaning into him. “I… I’m okay. Better than okay, actually p>
He chuckled, that low, warm sound that always made me melt. “Good. Because I’m not letting you leave my side for the rest of today p>
I laughed softly, resting my head against his shoulder. “I think that’s fine p>
After a few minutes, he shifted slightly, tugging the blanket around us, and we both leaned back against the pillows. I grabbed the remote from the nightstand. “What movie should we watch?” I asked quietly.
He nodded, smiling. “Romance p>
We settled in, my head resting on his chest as the screen flickered to life. His hand found mine again, fingers intertwining, and I let myself relax fully for the first time all day.
Now and then, he’d brush his lips against my temple or kiss the top of my head, and I felt a strange, fluttering warmth spread through me. I wanted to say something, but the words didn’t come. So I just stayed there, letting the quiet moments, the soft touches, and the gentle laughter of the movie fill the room.
A scene on screen made me laugh, and he laughed with me, his chest shaking slightly under my head. I tilted my face up toward him. “You’re… really something,” I whispered.
He smirked down at me, eyes twinkling. “And you’re amazing, Elara. Don’t ever forget that p>
I smiled softly, leaning back against him. The rest of the movie passed in a blur of half-watched scenes, soft kisses, and whispered words. I could feel my heart slowing, my breathing steadying, and a calm, happy warmth settling over me.
We laughed together, and then, gradually, the movie faded into the background. We didn’t need it anymore. The room was quiet except for our steady breathing and the soft brush of hands and lips.
I rested my head against him again, feeling a strange mix of shyness and exhilaration. “I… I think I like this,” I admitted softly, just above a whisper.
He kissed the top of my head, a slow, gentle motion. “I think I do too,” he said. “And you don’t have to be afraid of anything with me. Not ever p>
I closed my eyes, letting his words sink in. For the first time in a long time, I felt… safe.
We stayed like that, tangled together, soft kisses here and there, until the credits rolled and the room was quiet. I realized then, with a strange, happy flutter in my chest, that I never wanted this feeling to end.