Page 53 of Veil of Ashes

His hand rises, fingers brushing my cheek, light as a whisper, like he’s testing the edge of something fragile. I’ve spent years fortifying walls, guarding myself against storms like him. But tonight, I cracked the door open, and he’s here, a force I can’t turn away. My skin hums where he touches, a spark I lean into instead of fleeing.

I tilt my head, meeting his gaze. His eyes are deep, unguarded, catching the moonlight that spills through the window, silver and thin. He leans closer, lips hovering near mine, a silent question hanging in the air. Then he presses forward, kissing me gently, a tentative brush that tests my resolve.

I surge into him, kissing back harder, and the softness fractures, giving way to hunger. My hands find his chest, fingers curling into the torn fabric of his shirt, pulling him closer. His arms slide around me, firm and warm, drawing me tight against the solid heat of his body, grounding me in the chaos of my need.

He pulls back just enough to speak, his breath hot against my lips. “If I stay,” he says, voice low and gravel-rough, “I won’t hold back.”

I hold his stare, my fingers tightening in the fabric, anchoring myself to him. “I don’t want you to,” I say, my voice steady, cutting through the quiet. “I just want you. All of you.”

His eyes flare, a spark of something wild, and he nods once before claiming my mouth again, deeper this time, the kiss fierce and consuming. His hands roam my back, bunching the thin shirt I wear, fingers grazing the bare skin beneath. I press closer, feeling the hard planes of his chest, the reality of him steadying the storm inside me.

My lips part, and his tongue slips in, hot and seeking, tasting of whiskey and raw desire. A soft moan escapes me, unfiltered, vibrating between us. His fingers dig into my hips, a grip that’s both anchor and flame, keeping me tethered while setting me alight.

I slide my hands up his chest, tracing the lines of muscle beneath his shirt, brushing the scars I’d only glimpsed before. He shifts, kissing me with an edge that steals my breath, a hunger that mirrors my own. My nails graze his collarbone, a quiet demand for more, for everything.

His mouth trails to my jaw, lips slow and deliberate, leaving a path of heat across my skin. I tilt my head back, offering more, shivers cascading down my neck as his breath fans warm against me. The need I’ve buried for so long claws its way free, sharp and insistent.

I tug at his shirt, impatient, wanting it gone. He steps back just enough to comply, yanking the fabric over his head and tossing it to the floor. The moonlight catches his bare chest, illuminating jagged scars that tell stories I can only guess at. I reach out, fingers hovering over a mark near his ribs, the rough texture beckoning.

He watches me, chest rising fast, his silence an invitation. My fingertips brush the scar, feeling its ridges, and he flinches—not from pain, but from the intimacy of the touch. My hand flattens against his skin, absorbing the heat, the faint pulse beneath. He steps closer, hands sliding to my waist, lifting the hem of my shirt.

The fabric inches up, cool air kissing my stomach, my thighs. I raise my arms, and he pulls it off slowly, letting it fall in a soft heap. I stand bare before him, shadows draping my skin, his gaze tracing every curve, every line, with a reverence that makes my breath catch.

His hands find my hips, pulling me close, skin meeting skin. The roughness of his calloused palms scrapes lightly, sending sparks through my nerves. My breath hitches, loud in the quiet, as his touch ignites something deep within me.

He leans down, lips brushing my collarbone, each kiss a spark that builds the fire. I arch into him, hands gripping his shoulders, fingers sinking into muscle. His mouth moves lower, teasing the curve above my chest, stoking the heat pooling in my core.

A soft moan spills from me, my fingers tightening on his shoulders. His hands slide higher, thumbs brushing the sides of my breasts, grazing just enough to make me gasp. I press closer, craving the contact, the truth of his touch against the ache inside me.

“Kieran,” I breathe, my voice trembling, a whisper heavy with everything I feel. He lifts his head, kissing me deeply, claiming my mouth with a need that mirrors my own.

I thread my fingers through his hair, tugging lightly, and he groans, the sound rumbling against my lips, sinking into my core. His hands slide down, cupping my ass, lifting me slightly, and I wrap my arms around his neck, pressing my chest to his, feeling the heat bloom where our skin meets.

The mattress waits behind us, blankets tangled, beckoning. He guides me toward it, his lips on my neck again, teeth grazing faintly, sending a jolt straight through me. I tilt my head, giving him more, my hands roaming his back, tracing the lines of muscle, learning the map of him.

The moonlight widens, painting us in silver and shadow, our heartbeats racing, wild and loud, drowning out the desert’s stillness. His fingers brush my sides, and I shiver, leaning into the touch, wanting it to linger, to build.

I pull back just enough to meet his eyes, our chests heaving. His hands stay on me, steady and sure, and I feel the weight of this moment—not just desire, but something deeper, something that cuts through the walls I’ve built.

I step back, guiding him to the bed, and he follows, the mattress dipping as I straddle his hips, my bare skin brushing his. I feel him beneath me, hard and straining through his pants, and my pulse surges, raw need flooding my veins. I grind down slowly, deliberately, feeling him twitch against me, the friction sending a spark through my core.

His groan rumbles low, hands sliding up my back, fingers digging into my skin as he pulls me closer. I tug at his hair, tilting his head back, and lean in, sucking his bottom lip. The kiss turns fierce, all teeth and tongue, a collision of want.

Without warning, he shifts, his hands gripping my hips as he rolls us, pinning me beneath him. My back hits the mattress, the blankets soft and cool against my skin, his weight heavy and hot above me. I wrap my legs around his waist, heels pressing into his lower back, urging him closer. His mouth finds my neck, teeth scraping lightly, the sensation shooting straight to my core, making me gasp.

My hands move to his jeans, fingers clumsy with urgency as I fumble with the button, then the zipper. He lifts his hips, helping me shove the fabric down, kicking them off in a swift motion. They hit the floor with a soft thud, and he settles back over me, bare now, his cock thick and heavy, brushing my inner thigh. I reach down, wrapping my hand around him, stroking firmly, feeling him pulse hot and hard in my grip.

“Fuck, Syl,” he growls, voice raw, hips jerking into my touch. I tighten my grip, thumb circling the tip, slick with precum, and he shudders, his kiss turning sloppy, tongue diving deep, tasting of salt and need.

I push against his chest, rolling us again, and he lets me, landing on his back with a soft grunt. I straddle his hips, my pussy hovering just above his cock, wet and aching, the heat of him teasing my folds. His hands grip my ass, squeezing hard, trying to pull me down, but I hold back, a smirk curling my lips.

“Not yet,” I murmur, voice husky, leaning down to kiss his chest. My tongue traces the line of a scar, then flicks over his nipple, circling slowly before I bite, sharp enough to draw a hiss from him. His hips buck, cock jerking beneath me, and I laugh, low and throaty, reveling in the control.

I slide lower, kissing down his stomach, tasting the salt of his skin, the faint musk of him. My hands brace on his thighs, spreading them wider, and I settle between them, looking up at him. His eyes burn, locked on mine, breath ragged as I lean in, lips brushing the head of his cock.

I start slow, tongue swirling around the tip, tasting him salty and hot. He groans, loud and deep, hands fisting the blankets as his hips lift to meet my mouth. I take him deeper, lips stretching wide, throat relaxing as I move, wet and deliberate, spit slicking his shaft.

“Goddamn,” he rasps, voice breaking, one hand tangling in my hair, guiding without forcing. I hum, the vibration making him twitch, and suck harder, cheeks hollowing, drawing him in until he hits the back of my throat.

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