Page 181 of The Heart of Winter

We told each other stories about our families. I got a rare glimpse into what life had been like for a family like the Lowens. It was surreal, hearing how he grew up, being one of the heirs to that kind of wealth.

I now pieced this information together with what I already knew about Jacob, how strict and disciplined he was. I could only imagine how that kind of attitude would affect young children when it came from both parents.

It was the complete opposite of my own upbringing. In my family, there had been so much freedom. If you wanted to study, you could. If you didn’t, no one forced you, as long as you just barely passed your classes.

During one of our conversations, Sariel admitted, "I hope we’ll be together, Winter. That you’ll help me with DevApp. Because I know you have the right personality for it."

I smirked. "Are you telling me that, along with your hand, you’re also offering me a kingdom?"

"Yes," he said, deadpan. "The mighty castle of DevApp. Will you accept the dowry?"

I laughed, but didn’t answer.

Because in the end, our future together depended not only on what was going to happen to us here on the island, but also on whether this quiet suspicion I had—this feeling in my gut—was actually real.

It was constantly on my mind.

Were Sariel and I just temporary lovers? Or was there a powerful biological magic binding us together… for life?

God, that would be a miracle.

But I was afraid to fully believe those suspicions, and I noticed that Sariel didn’t bring it up either.

Even though there were already more than a few clues pointing in that direction, like the mysterious leg healing, neither of us said it out loud, to affirm it.

Maybe that was for the best. I decided not to examine it too closely, afraid we'd discover something that would disprove it and shatter this sweet illusion.

On the evening of the fourth day, Sariel and I had sex for the first time since his heat.

I was beyond relieved, because I’d been feeling it build up inside me—wild and hungry—something I’d never felt before, not even at the beginning with Finn.

But that nice evening that concluded with four orgasms wasn't the end of it!

On the morning of the fifth day, I woke up with a burning desire for sex. I just wanted to fuck, hard and long!

There was no other way to describe it. I needed to feel him deep inside me or… to sink into him myself. It didn't matter. I just wanted to be close, pressing against his firm, slender body, merging with him.

This hunger consumed me so much that I hardly recognized the old Winter in the new, naughty me.

So, early in the morning, I embraced him from behind and whispered in his ear that I wanted to enter him, and Sariel didn't mind!

Two minutes later, I slid into his hole… rocking in a rather intense rhythm right from the start, my blood boiling, my appetite for carnal pleasures crazy intense.

We both climaxed embarrassingly quickly, yet another element that was so noteworthy about our relationship, these sweet, effortless orgasms.

I’ve always needed some time, and certainly a lot more foreplay, but here? I got turned on so easily and orgasmed in a flash, sometimes even before I was mentally ready, my body just raced in that direction.

During the day, I felt a constant urge to be near Sariel. I tried to fight it, acting like I always did, keeping a neutral demeanor. But something in me was demanding more.

I also noticed his glances, the way he looked at me when he thought I wasn’t paying attention. A few times, he even took deep breaths when he was close to me, like he was… smelling me. His expression carried this strange disorientation, as if he didn’t understand what was happening either.

Just to see what would happen, I started paying more attention to scents too, focusing on them, sniffing his skin… and I began picking up on weird little nuances I’d missed before. Like how my own scent had shifted slightly. Was that… a hint of mint?

Even Sariel’s natural peppermint smell had changed a bit; now there was a subtle lavender note to it. Mine.

Interesting.

I had no idea what to make of it, or… did I? I just didn’t feel like thinking about it too deeply. Everything was developing slowly and organically, no questions asked, no doubts resolved, nothing clear. We both just let it roll.

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