A symphony of fast, labored breaths, hushed gasps, and low moans filled the air of the elegant villa. Celine and Nathan were a force of nature unleashed. It was as if a massive dam of pent-up emotion and undeniable yearning had burst open, flooding all their senses and drowning out the world.
Nathan swept her up and carried her to the living room couch, his mouth never leaving hers. Every kiss was a release of the control he had maintained for so long, a torrent of desire pouring into her. He yearned for her with a primal intensity. Celine melted instantly, her legs turning to liquid with every warm, consuming touch of his lips.
She clung to him—a fierce, clinging embrace that was a silent promise of eternal endearment. She met his kisses with an equal, ravenous passion. His hands began to explore, caressing her softly, tracing every curve and hollow of her body with a devastating tenderness that left her breathless. They became a single, tangled entity where the space between them ceased to exist. He dove into her, and together, they soared to a sweet, shattering ecstasy.
Exhausted and profoundly satisfied, he rested on top of her. He gazed down, his eyes tender, before lowering his head to press a reverent kiss upon her forehead. Celine, her entire body humming, playfully stroked his arm.
But a greedy, consuming desire was bubbling up from her belly; she wanted more. She wanted to be selfish, to feel the entirety of him again and again, and she didn't care if it was wrong. She pulled his face down and kissed him, a deep, demanding renewal. Nathan responded instantly. He rose from the couch, reached for her arm, lifted her, devoured her with his mouth, and carried her swiftly toward the nearest bedroom.
He laid her gently upon the bed, handling her as if she were porcelain that might shatter at the slightest touch. But Celine wouldn't release him; instead, she forcibly pulled him down, drawing him close. Her hands explored every magnificent inch of him. He crashed into her—softly at first, then hard and fast—and she accepted him completely, wholeheartedly. They took brief, panting breaks, but the yearning was too excruciating, and they burned for each other ceaselessly, driven by an urgency that felt like their last chance. They only stopped when the very last ounce of energy was completely drained from their bodies.
Lying there, utterly spent, Celine couldn't believe how much she had given, and yet, how much more she still felt capable of giving. Nathan, equally overcome, had never known a high like this existed. As the first faint light of day cracked across the eastern sky, they drifted off, the sound of their soft, synchronized breaths ushering them into a deep, sated slumber.
It was late afternoon when Nathan finally stirred. Celine was still curled sweetly against his chest. He looked down at her, completely mesmerized. He reached out and gently traced the line of her jaw, then kissed her forehead again. In that moment, he understood what it truly meant to love someone: it was a depth of devotion that exceeded any logical explanation.
Celine's eyes fluttered open, and she smiled at him—a genuine, radiant smile. She reached up and pulled him down for a kiss.
"Hungry?!" she asked, her voice a little rough.
"Famished," he replied, showering her bare shoulder with a cascade of soft kisses.
They eventually got up, wrapping themselves in thick blankets like ancient robes, and padded into the kitchen to consume the leftover lemon cake. They were giggling, stealing kisses over the frosting, and heavily intoxicated with pure, unrestrained adoration. After the cake, they decided on the shower. The rhythmic beat of the water drizzling mixed with low whispers and bursts of laughter. Sweet, labored breaths echoed in every corner of the steamy, fogged room.
When they emerged, a deep, quiet satisfaction was brimming on their faces. They stayed together, entirely lost in their own perfect world. If it were up to them, they would remain in that intimate bubble forever.
Celine had completely surrendered to Nathan. Her heart, her body, and her soul craved only him. Nathan knew, with a certainty that settled deep in his bones, that his new purpose was to cradle the woman in front of him with unwavering love and devotion. They didn't need words; simply being together made them understand each other.
Later, lying on the sofa with her head resting on Nathan's lap, she watched as he gently scratched her back. A sudden, odd thought occurred to her. She asked him if he would be happy to see someone special he hadn't seen in a while. Nathan frowned, surprised by the abrupt question.
"That depends, bub," he answered, his fingers pausing. "If we truly ended things on good terms, then I would be happy to catch up." He offered a confident smile. "Why do you ask all of a sudden? If you are thinking it's an ex of mine, I would definitely be happy to see them, and proud to introduce you to them." He finished with a loving kiss to her hand.
"Nothing, just wondering," Celine said, a content smile settling on her lips, reassured by his answer.
In the early evening, Letty and the rest of the staff returned to help Nathan and Celine pack up and tidy the villa. They decided to stay for one more night, unwilling to break the spell just yet. Celine felt like she was floating on cloud nine; Nathan, right beside her, made her feel entirely complete, knowing she could express her true self and be loved for it. She treasured every passing minute, carefully filing it away as a core, priceless memory.
By the time they finally left the villa, they truly looked like a couple returning from a long, blissful honeymoon—inseparable and utterly relaxed. But life had to resume. Nathan dropped her off at her house. He asked if she wanted him to stay, but Celine gently declined, knowing she had already stolen so much of his time away from his work. He gave her a final, lingering kiss goodbye.
Celine was all smiles as she opened her front door. The smile left her lips, however, when she stepped into the living room and noticed her mother had a visitor. Dinah was sitting comfortably on their sofa, chatting with Lauren.
What is she doing here?
Why is my mother entertaining her?
Celine's entire mood shifted one hundred and eighty degrees, the joy draining from her face.
"Mom, I'm back! I didn't know you had a guest," Celine said politely, forcing a polite mask over her profound disappointment.
"Hi, Celine! Yes, your Aunt Dinah wanted us to know how your Uncle Roy is doing," Lauren responded kindly, rising to hug her daughter. "She was here to apologize, too, for how she treated us a while back…"
"Yes, Celine! I realize I was being hard on all of you," Dinah chimed in, managing to sound both deferential and profoundly impenitent. "But that was only because of the stressful situation Dean and I were in."
Celine was speechless, stunned by Dinah's lack of genuine remorse, but more shocked that her mother had allowed this intrusion.
"By the way, Celine, I'm pretty sure you'll be pleased to hear that Dean broke off his engagement with Denise," Dinah announced, a strangely proud tone in her voice.
Celine froze. The words hit her with the force of a physical blow. Her strength gave out, and a wave of nausea rolled over her, her stomach churning violently. She nearly fell, managing to grab the sturdy edge of the sofa just in time to steady herself.
Dinah, oblivious to Celine's distress, continued rambling about how Dean was finally seeing his "truth" and realizing who he truly loved.
Celine couldn't listen to another word. Gathering the last of her self-control, she politely excused herself. She went straight to her room, shut the door, and collapsed onto her bed.
Dean was serious.
She finally accepted that Dean had meant every word he'd said that night in the woods. She started sobbing uncontrollably—not because she was happy that Dean regretted losing her, but because she was finally happy with Nathan, and a paralyzing fear gripped her: the fear that Dean might now cause trouble for them.