Chapter 153

A day later, the late afternoon sun filtered softly through the curtains of Viktor’s new apartment, wrapping the bedroom warm, golden haze. We had barely left the bed since morning – only long enough to eat leftovers and brew fresh coffe before crawling back under the sheets. The outside world felt distant, unimportant. Right now, nothing existed except t

two of us.

I lay on my side facing him, our legs loosely intertwined beneath the thin sheet. Viktor’s new glasses rested/forgotten or nightstand. His hair was adorably messy from sleep and from my fingers running through it earlier. He watched me wit that quiet, intense gaze that always made my stomach flutter like I was the center of his entire universe.

“You’re staring,” I whispered, a small, teasing smile playing on my lips.

“Can’t help it,” he murmured, his voice low and husky. “I still can’t believe you’re really here with me… alive, warm, rine again.”

Before I could respond, he closed the small distance between us and captured my mouth in a slow, deep kiss. It began gently, just the soft press of lips – but quickly grew warmer as he tilted his head, deepening it. I sighed into him, my han sliding up his chest to rest over his steady heartbeat. His skin was warm, the faint scars from the accident still slightly ten under my fingertips, a silent reminder of how close I had come to losing him.

His hands began to wander with tender confidence. One slipped under the hem of my loose t-shirt, palm gliding slowly u my bare back, tracing the curve of my spine. The other cupped my waist, fingers gently squeezing as if he needed to reassure himself that I was solid and real. I shivered at the touch, instinctively pressing closer until there was no space left between our bodies.