I Was His Wife, Then His Widow, Then No One's But My Own novel Chapter 416

The kiss was as light as a feather brushing against his cheek, yet Xander's body went instantly rigid. His eyes darkened, swirling with fiercely suppressed emotion. He swallowed hard, his voice dropping to an impossibly husky whisper.

"Are you... ready?"

Nora swallowed nervously and gave a slow nod, her bright eyes filled with undeniable warmth. Before she could utter a single word, Xander's restraint snapped.

His hand shot up to cup the back of her head, and he pulled her down into a bruising, desperate kiss.

The kiss was nothing like their previous ones; it was fervent and deep.

As if emotions suppressed for far too long had finally found their release, his lips were warm, gently yet relentlessly coaxing.

His hand slid slowly from the back of her head down to her neck, tracing the line of her spine. Even through the thin fabric of her pajamas, Nora could feel the searing heat of his palm.

Her heart skipped a beat. Closing her eyes, she slowly wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning her entire weight into him.

The steady, powerful rhythm of his heartbeat echoed in her ears, resonating with her own racing pulse.

Slowly, Xander pressed her back into the mattress. Nora sank into the plush duvet.

Their breaths mingled, and a thick, intoxicating tension unspooled into the air around them.

His kisses trailed downward. Nora's fingers tightly gripped the fabric of his shirt at his back, her lips parted slightly as her breathing grew erratic.

Sleep completely eluded her. Beside her, Xander was having an equally hard time. Hearing the eventual slow, even rhythm of her breathing, he assumed she had finally drifted off. He turned his head slightly, his dark eyes tracing the silhouette of her back.

He had nearly lost his mind just now. His heart was still hammering wildly against his ribs. He had spent his entire life training to maintain perfect composure, to command rooms, and to master his emotions. Yet in that split second, every ounce of his legendary control had shattered.

All Nora had done was kiss his cheek, and the self-discipline he prided himself on had instantly crumbled to dust.

But her injuries weren't completely healed, and she had been through so much today. She had to be exhausted. More importantly, he couldn't be certain if her initiation was born out of genuine readiness or just a fleeting surge of gratitude because she didn't want him to feel rejected.

If it was the latter, Xander would rather endure the agony of waiting.

He refused to take the risk. He wanted Nora to give herself to him with utter certainty, not out of obligation or an emotional high.