CHAPTER 25
Amara paced around the room, glancing nervously at the bunch of Peonies on the coffee table.
She picked one up, twirling it between her fingers, lost in thought.
She whispered. “Why is he sending me flowers now?” She sighed shaking her head.
What if they were from someone else? Was she reading deep into things more than she should?
She was being paranoid. Deciding to not think about this, she left the flowers in the vase and was about to sit when the house phone started ringing. Amara frowned and picked it up.
“Hello?”
“Baby?” She heard a slurred voice from the other side. Frowning, she asked.
“Who is this?” She asked confusedly.
“She doesn’t even recognize your voice, dude? You sure she’s your wife?” A manly voice chuckled from the other side. Amara’ s eyes widened when she realized who it was. Feeling embarrassed, she quickly spoke.
“Rafael?” The men on the other side chuckled. Amara could hear Rafael’s slurred voice and stumbling curses as he snatched the phone from his friend.
“I’ll be…late. Don’t wait…for me. Okay?” He tried to sound as sober as he could. But Amara knew he was drunk as hell. She felt her heart sinking as she looked at the food on the table. “Okay.” She said despite the heaviness in her voice. Rafael chuckled.
“Did you miss me?”
Amara clenched her jaw shaking away her tears.
“Come back soon.” She gritted before hanging up. Miss him? Amara wanted to yell. For how long would she keep up with this? Was her life before the accident the same? Staying home all day doing nothing. She tried to reason but she couldn’t find any excuse to look away from Rafael’s actions.
One time he acts like she is his world and the other he leaves her alone. This loneliness was killing her inside. Not to mention how she was slowly getting consumed by her thoughts.
Amara set the phone down by the peonies on the coffee table before heading to the bedroom when the doorbell rang.
Frowning she glanced at the clock. It was the last nine. Who it must be? She wished when the bell rang once again. Amara swallowed hard and took an uncertain step towards the door and then another her heart racing with each step.
She palmed the handle and tried to hear any noise from the other side. But there was none. The bell rang again; this time she yelped with surprise. And slowly rotated the door knob. With their heart pounding heavily, she opened the door and sneaked.
Her eyes widened in shock. Amara's heart skipped a beat.
A rush of emotions surged through her, surprise, confusion, and a tinge of something she couldn't quite name.
It was as if time had held its breath for that moment, leaving her in stunned silence at the unexpected sight of him after more than a week.
Amara couldn’t describe what she felt at that moment seeing Kaelith standing before her, the man she had been thinking about non-stop, looking as handsome as ever. It had been over a week since they last saw each other, and she couldn't deny the rush of emotions that flooded her body.
"Kaelith," she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper. Her mind was flooded with memories of their last encounter, and she couldn't help but feel a tingling sensation in her stomach as his grey eyes raked over her.
Kaelith' gaze locked onto Amara with an intensity that spoke of a smoldering desire.
A subtle fire flickered in the depths of his orbs, revealing an unspoken yearning that danced with the raw and sensual seduction only she could ignite.
He let his eyes wander down her body—the soft pastel pink dress touching the floor sweeping with her stumbling steps, the small squeezable waist wrapped in a ribbon he so badly to unwrap like a gift.
Her glistening lips and slender neck invited him to do sinful things to her. And then her eyes. So soft and enchanting.
He held her gaze, his eyes dark with intensity, and Amara could feel her heart racing. She wanted to say something, anything, but her mind was blank, consumed by his presence. Her words are stuck and tongue-tied. She licked her dry lips unconsciously taking a step back as he took one forward.
Her hand left the knob and Kaelith grabbed the knob before closing the door behind. It felt like a cat was chasing a mouse.
"Amara," Kaelith drawled, his voice low and sensual.
“What…” she swallowed the lump. “What are you doing here?”
"You really want to know?" His words sent shivers down her spine, and she felt her body react to his strong body. His dark grey suit complimented his sharp gaze, the shite crisp shirt added singleness to his dangerous aura. Dangerous and sensual. “That’s one dangerous question, sweetheart.”
Amara tried to step back, to regain her composure, but she found herself unable to move. She was entranced by Kaelith, by the way he looked at her, by the way he was chasing her with his predatory steps. His lips curled in a smirk as she stumbled.
Amara's heart raced as his dark eyes looked at her with longing and desire.
"I-I wasn’t expecting you," she whispered, her voice shaky and filled with both uncertainty and anticipation.
“Trust me, neither was my self-control,” He stepped closer, his hand reaching out to brush a strand of her hair behind her ear. "And yet… here I am.”
His fingers brushed her temple.
“You’re cold," he muttered. “Amara.”
Her heart fluttered at the sound of her name on his lips. She knew she shouldn't have these feelings for him, especially considering she was married to his brother. But she couldn't deny the emotions between them.
Her heart flew as her feet seemed to take her toward him. His hand moved and before Amara could realize, his arms were wrapped around her waist as he pulled her toward him. Her eyes widened and at the same moment, her heart skipped a beat as he cupped her cheek.
Just like the sky enveloped the moon in its embrace, Kaelith embraced her.
As he leaned in closer, she felt the familiar heat and tension between them. She wanted to resist, but her body betrayed her as she leaned into his touch. His lips brushed against hers—gentle yet full of passion and Amara forgot how to breathe.
And for a moment she forgot who she was, what her name was.
She went limp in his arms as his lips moved and a throaty grin left his mouth as if he tasted the sweetness of heavens and fires of hell altogether.
The beast inside him growled as he pulled her impossibly closer and pushed his mouth into her mouth.
Sin and virtue. Heaven and hell. Salvation and damnation.
The kiss intensified as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer against him. Amara felt his teeth biting into her mouth.
Amara couldn't resist him any longer. With their bodies pressed against each other, the kiss grew more urgent and passionate. Every touch, every caress, ignited a fire within him that he couldn't ignore.
Amara's head was filled with conflicting thoughts and emotions. She knew this was wrong, but at this moment, nothing else seemed to matter. She was lost in Kaelith, in his touch, in his scent, in him.
As the kiss deepened, she felt a sense of regret and desire that she hadn't felt in a long time. And in that moment, she didn't care about the consequences. She just wanted to be consumed by the intense passion between them. Burn in the fire that now consumed her wholly.
When she felt her breath shortening, both panting and breathless, reality came crashing back. Amara's guilt and doubts flooded in, making her step back and break their embrace.
The blood inside Kaelith’s veins roared with the touch of her lips. The fire spread everywhere starting from his toes and rising to his chest as he looked at her flushed cheeks. His breaths frenzy and heavy as he went to kiss her again when her trembling hands stopped him. Kaelith almost laughed.
What would these small hands do? Stop him? If he wanted, he would’ve already ripped her clothes off and would already be deep inside her.
But he controlled.
"We can't do this," she gasped, trying to gain control of her racing heart and swirling thoughts. Kaelith looked at her with a mixture of desire and fire in his eyes.
"I know," he murmured, his hand caressing her cheek. “That’s the tragedy of you… every part of me knows you’re the one thing I should never touch, yet, somehow, you’re the only thing that’s ever felt like mine.”
Amara's hand was on Kaelith' chest, feeling his steady heartbeat. Kaelith’s hooded eyes gazed at her swollen lips and chest heaving up and down and he leaned in to kiss her again when she shook her head and stepped back.
“I'm married to your brother.”
Kaelith grabbed Amara by the waist and pulled he closer yearning a gasp from her. “It doesn’t matter.”
Amara's breath hitched as Kaelith' lips lightly brushed against hers. She knew this was wrong, but she couldn’t resist the intense attraction she felt for him.
She struggled to break away.
“This is forbidden.” She stuttered feeling her heart racing.
‘Some sins are worth every scar they leave behind.” Kaelith narrowed his eyes as they burned with fierceness.
“Moreover, what kind of husband leaves his wife all alone to get drunk in a local bar?
What kind of husband doesn't care about you like I do?” Amara's walls started to crumble as Kaelith' words hit her. She knew he was right. But this couldn’t excuse the thing she just did.
Guilt started to hit her as the daze of desire faded.
Kaelith sensed her conflict as he cursed under his breath backing away.
“Right, this was wrong. All of this is wrong.” He muttered trying hard not to look her way. His words stirred pain inside Amara as she turned around and bit her lips.
“Fuck!” She heard him curse as she heard his footsteps and the door opened and then with a slam, it was shut.
Amara lost it. The balance of her emotions as a tear escaped her eyes and it slowly rolled down her cheek as she glanced at the table with the vase of peonies.