Page 60 of Crowned

I nod, giving him permission, and he carefully lifts the fabric over my head, leaving me feeling exposed but not vulnerable. With Vance, there’s no room for doubt. The way he looks at me, his eyes dark and filled with something deeper than desire, makes me feel more secure than I have in weeks.

“You’re beautiful,” he murmurs, his voice so soft it barely reaches my ears.

I reach for him, sliding my hands over the taut muscles of his shoulders through the thin fabric of his shirt as I pull him back down to me. Our lips meet again, but this time the kiss is slower, more purposeful. His hands roam across my skin, exploring every curve, every dip, as though he’s trying to memorise all of me.

The faint glow of the firelight flickers across his face, highlighting the angles of his jaw and the intensity in his expression. I can feel his restraint slipping, the tension in his body growing as he tries to hold himself back.

“Vance,” I whisper, threading my fingers through his hair. “Stop holding back.”

He exhales sharply, his forehead pressing against mine as he fights to regain control. “I don’t want to hurt you,” he admits, his voice raw. “I’ve spent so long holding back, I’m not sure I even remember how to let go.”

“You won’t,” I say softly, my hands sliding down his back. “I trust you.”

Those three words seem to break something in him. His lips crash against mine with renewed urgency, his hands gripping my hips as though afraid I’ll disappear if he lets go. I arch into him, every nerve in my body alight as his touch ignites something deep within me.

Time seems to slow, each moment stretching out into infinity as we lose ourselves in each other. His kisses trail down my neck, his breath warm against my skin as his hands explore, caressing and holding me in a way that feels both possessive and reverent.

The fire crackles in the hearth, casting a golden glow across the room, but all I can focus on is Vance – the weight of him above me, the warmth of his skin, the way his lips move against mine like he’s searching for something he’s been missing.

“Malia,” he murmurs, his voice trembling slightly as he pauses to meet my gaze.

I cup his face in my hands, brushing my thumb along the sharp line of his jaw. “I’m not going anywhere,” I say, echoing the words I spoke earlier. “You don’t have to hold back. It’s okay to love me.”

Something shifts in his expression, the last of his hesitation melting away, and I can see it – the raw, undeniable need that’s been building between us since we returned, the quiet yearning that he can no longer suppress. He leans in again, his lips capturing mine in a kiss that’s no longer cautious, no longer tentative.

This time, there’s nothing held back.

His hands are firm yet gentle as they slide over my skin, fingers skimming the curve of my waist, pulling me closer as if he can’t get enough.

The kiss deepens, and I find myself losing all sense of time, of space. Every movement is a silent promise, every sigh a plea. His lips are soft, insistent, coaxing me into surrender, and I give in willingly, feeling the heat between us ignite. His hands travel upwards, caressing the lines of my body, his touch tender but possessive, as if he’s claiming me in the most intimate way.

The warmth of his body seeps into mine, the rhythm of his heartbeat is steady but quickening, matching mine as I press closer.

He sits up abruptly, pulling me onto his lap, his breath hot against my neck as he nips at the sensitive skin beneath my ear, sending a shiver down my spine. My fingers thread into his hair, tugging him closer, desperate for more. There’s no space left between us – just the press of his chest against mine, the shared heat, the undeniable connection, as I straddle him on the sofa.

The air around us seems to hum, a faint but undeniable pulse that vibrates through my very bones, as if the world itself recognises the intensity of what’s happening. I can feel it, the magic – subtle but growing stronger, swirling around us, responding to the electric pull between our bodies. It coils in the air, amplifying every sensation, every touch, every breath.

Is he doing this…or am I? Is it us, together?

His hand slides down my back, settling at the curve of my hips, his fingers digging in just enough to remind me that he’s in control, even as he lets me set the pace. He shifts beneath me, his body already reacting to the need that’s been building since the moment we arrived in this realm. There’s a hunger in him now, raw and fierce, and it only makes me want him more.

With every kiss, every brush of his lips against my skin, the magic intensifies, thick and heady, wrapping around us like a tangible force. It heightens everything – the soft press of his chest against mine, the heat of his hands as they explore, the way his breath catches when I move against him. I’m consumed by him, by the sensation of his body pressed so intimately against mine, by the way he makes me feel both delicate and powerful at the same time.

I can’t think. Can’t focus on anything but him, the way he makes me burn with want, the way every touch feels like it’s unraveling me. It’s as though the world has narrowed down to this single moment, this one shared breath, and I can’t imagine anything existing beyond the space between us.

“Vance,” I gasp, my voice a low, trembling whisper as he pulls back just enough to meet my gaze. His eyes are dark, pupils blown wide with desire, and for a moment, I wonder if he can feel it too – the electric charge in the air, the magic weaving between us, thick and undeniable. The intensity between us is overwhelming, almost suffocating, and yet, I can’t bring myself to stop.

“I’m not letting you go,” he breathes, his lips trailing down the curve of my throat, his teeth grazing my skin, making me shiver in response. “Not now. Not ever.”

The words send a rush of heat through me, and I realise, with a jolt of certainty, that I don’t want to be anywhere but here, tangled in him, lost in this moment. I pull him closer, my hands urgently tugging at the fabric of his shirt down off his shoulders to remove it entirely, wanting to feel the heat of his skin against mine. The urgency between us grows, and before I know it, he’s moving over me, his body pressing into mine, his weight comforting, yet electrifying.

Vance’s hesitation cracks as I pull him down to me, our bodies flush, heat rolling between us. His mouth crashes onto mine, no more second-guessing, no more restraint. His hands are everywhere – tangling in my hair, gripping my waist, dragging me closer until I feel the hard press of him against my stomach.

I moan into the kiss, opening for him, letting him take control. His tongue sweeps into my mouth, slow and teasing at first, then rougher, hungrier, like he’s been starving for this. He groans as I scrape my nails down his back, his hips jerking forward in response.

“Do you have any idea how long I’ve wanted to do this with you again?” His voice is ragged, his lips trailing down my neck, biting, sucking. He carefully holds me as he stands and carries me into the bedroom.

I tilt my head back, gasping as his teeth graze my pulse point. “Then stop talking and take me.”

---