The wake-up after a confession is always the sweetest. Morvienne stirred slowly, the haze of sleep clinging to her as she felt the warmth of another body pressed against her back. Before she could fully open her eyes, she felt a soft, unhurried press of lips against her skin.

Kael started with her neck, his kisses light and lingering, before moving up to her cheek and the tip of her nose. Morvienne's eyelashes fluttered, her mind slowly registering the sensation. She felt Kael dive deeper, burying his nose into the crook of her neck and inhaling her scent deeply as if she were the only source of oxygen in the...