Chapter 2
I froze, my breath caught in my chest.
"But you're... forbidden to marry, aren't you?" I asked.
"Yes, I do not marry," he replied, his gaze deep and intense, flicking over my lips for a split second before darting away, choked with restraint and turmoil.
"But I can make an exception for you." He added.
My heart was pounding wildly in my chest.
What is refined intimacy? Not fleeting touches, not calculated flirtation. It is a man freed from earthly desires breaking his vows for you. It is a man who keeps all women at distance losing his peace of mind because of you.
He could have turned me away, yet he chose to break his sacred vows for my sake.
He rose to his feet and walked to the window. Moonlight outlined his lean, upright figure, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist.
"Sleep on it. Tell me your answer tomorrow," he said.
He stepped out, and the door clicked softly shut behind him. I was left alone, surrounded by the lingering scent of pine and snow he'd left behind. My heart raced wildly through the entire night.
Bathed in moonlight, I looked down at my trembling fingers. That brief touch had been as light as an illusion, yet the heat left behind felt terrifyingly real.
I curled up on the couch, burying my face in my knees.
His scent lingered in the air, crisp and pure like a pine forest after snow, wrapping around me faintly, refusing to fade.
I closed my eyes. All I could think of was his gaze: deep, intense, restrained, with a hint of desire he hadn't even noticed himself.
The next morning, I opened the door and found him standing in the corridor, sunlight spilling over him. Dressed in a simple black shirt and tailored trousers, he looked handsome and elegant.
At the sound of my movement, he turned around, his gaze settling on my face and softer than the night before, with a flicker of barely noticeable expectation.
"Have you thought it through?" he asked in a gentle voice.
I nodded, my voice soft but firm. "I'll take the second choice."
He fell silent for a moment, and then a faint smile tugged at his lips. Quiet and understated, it was like melting snow, softening his cool features.
"Alright," Then he stepped closer and stopped in front of me, leaning forward slightly so that our gazes were level.
The distance between us was so small that our breaths tangled, yet he didn't touch me at all, only let his crisp scent wrap gently around me.
His breath was light and slow, brushing gently against my forehead.
"Once we're married, you'll be Mrs. Pierce." he murmured in a low and restrained voice.
"I'll protect you, and I won't force you." he said.
A warm flush crept up my earlobes, and I closed my eyes on instinct.
But he merely raised his hand and gently lifted a fallen leaf off my shoulder. Then he immediately withdrew his hand and stepped back, keeping a respectful distance.
But in that instant, the spot where his fingertips had touched me burned faintly, and my heart skipped a beat.
"What did you think I was about to do just now?" he asked, his voice soft and calm, with a faint hint of amusement.
My face instantly flushed, and I was too flustered to say anything.
He stopped teasing me and said softly, "Emily, take your time. I'll wait for you."
*****
In the city hall.
When it was time for photos, the staff told us to move closer to each other.
He turned to look at me, checking with me first. After I nodded, he shifted slightly so his shoulder could brush lightly against mine, not pressing, not crowding, just enough to make me feel at ease.
So close together, I could catch his crisp, clean scent even more clearly.
Suddenly, he held my hand and warmth spread through my palm.
His grip was so gentle I could slip away at any moment.
His fingertips were dry and warm, enveloping my cold hand with perfect restraint.
I glanced down at our hands. His fingers were slender and clean, knuckles sharp, resting lightly against mine, not too tight, not too loose, but somehow, it made me feel safe.
I looked up at him.
He stared straight ahead, his face calm and reserved, yet a flush crept up his earlobes.
That hint of red, peeking out from beneath his hair, was more heart-stirring than any words of affection could ever be.
The camera captured the moment, freezing us in time.
A faint, barely visible smile played on his lips. My eyes grew warm as our hands met, the tension between us quiet but thick.
After we got our marriage license, he tucked it away in his inside pocket.
"I'll keep it safe," he said, looking down at me, his gaze lingering on my lips for a heartbeat before sliding away, his throat working. "I'm afraid you might lose it... or lose yourself along the way."
His voice was deep, rising from his chest with a faint rasp.
*****
The car pulled up to a secluded villa.
In the entryway, he handed me a brand-new pair of pink fluffy slippers and they were exactly my size.
"You may try them on," he muttered, turning his face away, his ears flushing red.
As I switched into my slippers, he stood beside me. His gaze fell on my slender ankles for a split second before darting away.
His breath faltered ever so slightlit and it happened so quickly I might have mistaken it for an illusion, but I caught it all the same.
Later that night when I went downstairs for a glass of water, I found the study door left ajar.