Page 81 of The Light Within

“Julien, if this was meant to be a special moment, you’re spoiling it. Shut your mouth.”

“Non. But now, seriously.”

Julien caught his chin, tipping his face up. In this light, his grey eyes were the colour of moonstone. Moonstone that reflected the twinkling stars.

The volume of Julien’s voice dropped low to say, “I don’t know if I believe in destiny, but you are the most compelling case for it I’ve ever seen.”

Cinn’s heart skipped all the beats. Every single one.

It was a sentence he never expected to hear aloud, even though it was the exact one Julien had written at the bottom of the letter he’d written to him.

Cinn had always believed love was something you made work, not something that was written in the stars. But here, in the quiet glow of Paris, Julien’s words felt like the universe’s own whisper. Like the moment was… predetermined? Like they were always meant to find each other.

“You’re biting your lip again,” Julien said, nudging his thumb against Cinn’s lip. “What are you so worried about?”

“How much I like you.”

The honesty spilled from his mouth before he had a chance to censor it. If Julien was hurt by the statement, he concealed it.

Julien brushed his knuckles against the edge of Cinn’s chin. “That’s one thing you don’t need to worry about. But you don’t need to take my word for it.” He pressed his lips against Cinn’s. “I plan to spend every day proving it to you.”

As their lips met, time paused, the world around them fading into a velvety blur.

Slow. Tender. Exploratory. The kiss was like the first light of dawn breaking through after a long night. It was a slow dance in the quiet of their secluded spot, a melding of breaths and hearts in the gentle illumination of the tower’s lights. Julien worked his way under Cinn’s hoodie to press a cold hand against his spine, but the cool touch heightened the warmth being shared between their mouths. Each touch of their lips was a promise, an exchange of unspoken dreams of the future. It was their own brand of communication, their kisses brimming with everything they hadn’t said out loud.

But… if Julien had been brave enough to ask his question, surely Cinn could be brave too?

Breaking the kiss, Cinn pulled away, gaze steady as he searched for the exact right words, a surge of emotion pressing at the edge of his resolve. He started to speak, but just as the first syllable left his lips, Julien’s hand gently cupped the back of his neck, pulling him closer, making the moment stretch into a quiet, charged pause.

Cinn’s heart raced with a mix of exhilaration and sheer terror, his breath catching in his throat as the weight of unspoken words pressed heavily on his chest.

He had to say it. He wanted Julien to know.

Fuck, why was he shaking this much? It was just one tiny sentence!

A deep breath.

He took the plunge.

“Julien, I—”

A sudden, harsh voice came from behind them.

A figure emerged from the shadows, wearing a sharply pressed uniform, a handheld radio transceiver clipped to his belt.

His flashlight swept over them, revealing a stern expression as he barked, “Restez où vous êtes, la police arrive!”

twenty

Cinn

Cinn’s gaze shot straight back to Julien. Surely his maverick new boyfriend would have some sort of cunning plan up his sleeve for this very scenario. Some sort of elaborate lie. Or a hefty bribe.

“Run!”

Julien snatched Cinn’s arm and yanked him towards the other staircase, swift and decisive. The guard let out a startled yelp, and from the corner of his eye, Cinn saw the walkie-talkie short-circuiting, sparks flying.

Without missing a beat, their feet pounded on the spiral staircase, their footsteps creating a loud rhythmic clatter as they flew down it so fast it felt like flying. Each step blurred into the next as they plunged into the darkness, Cinn’s breath coming in ragged gasps. The distant hum of the city below grew louder. Where the fuck was the bottom?

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