Page 133 of Veil of Dust

The river hums outside. The storm passed hours ago. All that’s left is the sound of crickets, the murmur of water, the weight of her beside me.

It’s enough.

We’re not running.

We’re here.

Together.

We slip behind the curtain near the storeroom, the fabric heavy, parting soft under my hand, shielding us from the bar’s hum, carving out a space that’s ours, only ours.

My pulse is steady, my heart open, her warmth beside me, her presence a vow I’ll never break. No walls, no fear, just you, just me.

No rush, no hiding, just us, deliberate, certain, the bar’s laughter faint beyond the wall, a reminder of what we’ve saved, what we’re building. This moment, this space, belongs to our love, to our choice, to the peace we’ve earned.

“Take your time,” I say to her, my eyes on her, gray and glowing, her curls loose, her smile soft, inviting, promising everything.

She leans back on the counter, wood solid beneath her, her body relaxed, open, a sanctuary I’m invited to worship, to cherish. Her gray eyes hold mine, steady, loving, seeing me, all of me, scars and soul, and choosing me still.

“You’re my haven,” I say almost reverently, my hands steady, my breath even, stepping closer, feeling her warmth, her truth, before I touch.

I undress her like a prayer, slow, reverent, my fingers brushing her shirt, lifting it gently, baring her skin to the candlelight, golden and warm. Each button, each fold, is a vow, a moment I savor, her breath hitching, her eyes never leaving mine.

“You’re beautiful,” I say in between gasps, my hands careful, tracing her collarbone, her waist, feeling her pulse, her life, under my touch. Not just here, but always, in every way.

Her moan is soft, drawn from deep, a sound that’s love, that’strust, spilling free as my hands slide lower, peeling away fabric, finding her, warm, real, mine.

“Feel me,” I say, my lips grazing her neck, slow, deliberate, tasting her, jasmine and salt, a flavor that’s home, that’s us.

We move slow, deep, purposeful, my hands guiding her, her body answering, a dance we’ve learned through fire, through blood, perfected in love. I press closer, lifting her gently, her legs wrapping around me, her warmth drawing me in, explicit but tender, a union that’s truth, that’s trust.

“Stay with me,” I say, my breath warm against her shoulder, my hands steady, holding her hips, finding her rhythm, slow, deep, every touch saying stay, every gasp saying yes.

Her hands grip my shoulders, nails light, grounding, pulling me closer, her moans soft, rising, a song that’s ours, that’s love, filling the space, drowning the jazz, the bar, the world. I move with her, deliberate, feeling her, every pulse, every shudder, a vow I answer with my body, my heart.

“You’re mine,” I blurt out, my lips finding hers, kissing slow, deep, tasting her moan, her love, our bodies joined, explicit in their need, gentle in their truth.

“Yes, my love, I am,” she replies.

Every touch says stay, my hands tracing her spine, her curves, learning her again, loving her again, each moment deliberate, each caress a promise kept. Every gasp says yes, her breath mingling with mine, her body tightening.

This is real, I can feel it, my rhythm steady, her warmth surrounding me, her eyes glowing, gray and endless, holding me as we move, as we love.

Love seals it, not with fire but with breath, with the slow build of heat, of trust, of her body answering mine, explicit, open, unafraid. We climb together, not rushing, not chasing, just being, just loving, our breaths syncing, our hearts one, a peak that’s not the end but the beginning.

“I’m cumming,” I groan, my body trembling, hers trembling, our love a fire that burns gentle, that holds, that frees.

She shudders, a soft cry escaping, her hands tight, her eyes locked on mine, gray and fierce, loving me through it, pulling me with her, into her, into us. I follow, my breath hitching, my body hers, giving, loving, sealing our peace with every pulse, every breath.

We’re whole. Together

My arms around her, her body close, our warmth shared, our love a vow that needs no words, no war, just this.

Later, I watch her through the doorway, mingling with the people we bled to protect, her curls loose, her laugh free, her presence a light that fills the bar that fills me. Her smile is easy, warm, unguarded, a gift to the room, to the city, to me.

She is so undeniable, I think to myself, my heart full, my body still humming, her light my anchor, my reason, my home.

We’re hunted still, a truth that lingers, a shadow that waits, but it’s faint, distant, powerless against this moment, this place, this love.

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