Cel stood before me, periwinkle eyes wide with that perfect blend of fear and desire. My hands found her waist, feeling her shiver beneath the thin fabric of her nightdress.
"We can stop anytime," I said.
"I don't want to stop." Her voice was soft but resolute. "I want to forget."
I pulled her closer, one hand sliding up her back while the other cupped her face. "Then forget."
Our lips met, and I kept it gentle at first. No need to rush this. Cel wasn't like Natalia who wanted possession or Skylar who needed dominance. She needed something else entirely – freedom from herself.
The Nectar hummed between us as I deepened the kiss, and she gasped into my mouth. Her hands clutched at my shoulders, uncertain where to settle.
"Relax," I whispered against her lips. "You're thinking too much."
"I always think too much."
I smiled. "Then I'm not doing my job right."
