With that, she stepped out into the hallway, her heart pounding with anticipation. The path to Roq’s quarters seemed both endless and too short. Every step took her closer to a future she was only now allowing herself to imagine.
As she approached his door, Mila took a deep breath. This wasn’t about duty or political alliances anymore. This was about two people who had found something unexpected and beautiful in each other. It was about taking a chance on love, on partnership, on a future that was brighter together than it could ever be apart.
TWENTY
With newfound courage burning in her chest, Mila raised her hand and knocked on Roq’s door.
A few moments later, the door creaked open and there he was, Roq, standing before her in nothing but a towel. His hair was damp from the shower and droplets of water clung to his defined muscles, making Mila’s mouth water. She couldn’t help but stare, her eyes drinking him in, moving from his broad shoulders down to his chiseled abs and-
“Hi,” she managed to say as she locked gazes with him.
Roq smirked, his dark eyes dancing with mischief as he raked his gaze over her. Slowly, he extended his arm, snaking it around her waist and pulling her inside, kicking the door firmly behind them.
The room was filled with the heavy scent of his cologne, mixed with a hint of fresh soap, sending Mila’s senses into overdrive.
In this moment, all Mila could think about was him, the heat between them, and the hunger she knew they both craved to satisfy.
“Mila.” He breathed her name like a prayer, his voice low and husky as he claimed her lips.
The kiss was hungry, passionate, the pent-up desire between them igniting into a raging inferno. His hands were everywhere, exploring her curves, memorizing every dip and swell. Mila arched into his touch, her own hands fumbling with the knot of his towel, desperate to feel his heat against hers.
As the towel pooled on the floor, Roq’s hands continued their exploration, undressing her slowly, teasingly. With each item of clothing that slipped to the floor, Mila’s arousal built, a fire kindling deep inside her belly. His hands were strong yet gentle, teasing her with just the right amount of pressure, sending shivers down her spine.
Finally, they reached the bed. The sheets were cool against her heated skin as Roq kissed his way down her body, a trail of fire in his wake. His lips moved from her collarbone, to where her pulse raced at the base of her neck, and then lower along the swell of her breasts. He took his time, savoring every inch of her, leaving her begging for more.
Mila felt more alive than she had in years. And in this instance, all she wanted was Roq.
As Roq’s mouth closed over her nipple, Mila’s back arched, and a moan escaped her lips. Her fingers dug into the sheets, trying to ground herself as pleasure coursed through her. She had never felt anything like this, this heady rush of desire and all-consuming need.
Their gazes locked, and in his eyes, she saw a reflection of her own need. His desire burned just as brightly as hers, and in that second, nothing else mattered but the two of them. In this stolen moment, they were not the leaders of warring factions, but simply two people caught in the throes of lust, of love.
Roq’s hand slid between her thighs, and Mila gasped, her hips arching off the bed, aching for more. He chuckled, a low, deep sound that sent chills down her. Slowly, sensually, he stroked her, his touch featherlight yet firm, expertly teasing herto the brink of ecstasy. Mila’s nails raked the sheets, leaving behind half-moons as she fought to keep herself together.
“Roq,” she breathed, her voice a hoarse whisper. “I... I can’t...”
He looked up, a wicked grin on his face. “Can’t what, Mila? Tell me what you want.”
“I... I want you,” she panted, her cheeks flushing a deeper shade of red. She needed him inside her, needed to feel his heat, his strength, his love.
Roq’s grin widened, and in one fluid motion, he sheathed himself inside her, filling her completely. Mila gasped, her eyes flying shut as she adjusted to the intrusion. He felt... right, like he was always meant to be inside her, claiming her as his own.
Slowly, he began to move, his hips rolling in a practiced motion that had the world spinning around her. Faster and faster he went, their moans mingling in the air, their bodies joined as one. Mila’s climax built, a slow, steady burn that started in her toes and worked its way up, engulfing her in a wave of pleasure that threatened to drown her.
“Roq,” she moaned, her nails digging into his back, her hips bucking against his. “Oh gods, Roq, I’m... I’m...”
With one final, powerful thrust, Roq buried himself deep inside her, and together, they shattered, their cries of ecstasy mingling as they were lost in the bliss of one another’s arms.
TWENTY-ONE
Now that the essentials of surviving were once again easy to come by and the threat of being killed was over, it was time to get to work. They needed to figure out how to adapt the purification system and the nano-regenerative technology to do what they needed before time ran out.
As they made their way to Roq’s private laboratory, the soft brush of her arm against his as they walked and the gentle pressure of her hand in his sent sparks of electricity through him. He marveled at how quickly she had become an essential part of his life and how naturally they fit together.
The lab doors slid open with a soft hiss, revealing the state-of-the-art facility that had once been Roq’s solitary domain. Now, with Mila by his side, it felt like a shared space – their space. Holographic displays flickered to life as they entered, bathing the room in a soft blue glow.
“Home sweet home,” Mila quipped, a teasing smile playing on her lips. She released Roq’s hand to move toward one of the workstations, but not before trailing her fingers along his arm in a touch that was both casual and intimate.
Roq watched her for a moment, admiring the graceful way she moved, the confident set of her shoulders as she beganpulling up data on the nearest screen. He allowed himself a moment to marvel at how far they’d come – from reluctant political allies to... this. Whatever this was. He hadn’t said the words yet, but in his heart, he knew. He was in love with Mila Arison.