Astrid’s POV
I tilted my head back and curled my toes as Killian expertly explored me, his hands and tongue teasingly moving closer to my sensitive spots.
“K-Killian,” I gasped, the sound escaping my lips like a whisper of pleasure.
I never imagined that I would turn into a purring kitten, completely captivated by his every touch.
As our breaths turned ragged, I reached for Killian’s shirt, unbuttoning it slowly. Each pop echoed the tension between us.
Once the fabric fell away, I pressed my hands against his warm skin, my fingertips tracing the contours of his six-packed abs, feeling the heart radiate beneath my touch.
Killian let out a low growl at my caress, igniting a yearning deep within me. I couldn’t help but trail my fingers down to the bulge in his pants. A smile crept across my face as I realized just how much he desired.
With a mix of excitement and anticipation, I began to work on removing his pants. Just as I was about to slip my hands in to give him pleasure, Killian suddenly jolted back as if my touch had startled him awake.
“What’s wrong?” I breathed out, urgency lacing my voice as I propped myself up to face him, concern mingling with the heat of the moment. My brows furrowed as I hugged myself together, clinging to what was left of the delicate fabric I was wearing.
I watched as Killian’s golden eyes flickered, transforming back to the familiar deep brown that had always held a hint of warmth. He blinked rapidly, pinching the bridge of his nose as if trying to stave off an invisible pain.
“Killian,” I whispered, reaching out, hoping to bridge the distance that had suddenly stretched between us. Just as I was about to reach for his arm to offer comfort, Killian recoiled from my touch, hurriedly slipping away from my bed, trying to get as far from me as possible.
A pang of hurt twisted in my chest at his rejection, but I couldn’t let him go. “Killian, what’s wrong?” I stood up, determination igniting my steps.
“Please, answer me!” I grasped his arm, halting him in his tracks, desperate to pull him back and unravel the mystery that had spun between us.
Killian slowly turned to face me. The man I had been with just seconds earlier was gone, replaced by the same man who had been treating me like a stranger. His face was locked in a mask of formality, his eyes distant, as if he had placed an invisible wall between us.
Still, I didn’t back down. I looked into his eyes, demanding an explanation.
“A-Astrid, I’m sorry,” Killian stammered, confusion swirling in my mind.
Was this how undesirable I was to him? That he could so easily pull himself back from me, a bond we once cherished, while he had failed to do so with Giselle? The thought twisted like a knife, leaving me grappling with a storm of emotions.
I stared at the closed door, wishing I could rewind time. I made another fool of myself again. Killian must be thinking how easy and shallow I was.
The silence in the room was deafening, amplifying my loneliness, a stark reminder of the shame that happened earlier.
I pulled the blanket around me tighter, as if it could shield me from the truth that wrapped around my heart like a vice. I had laid myself bare in front of him, opened up the parts of me that were usually guarded, and for what? To be met with a wall of rejection? My thoughts spiralled, each one more painful than the last.
What did he see when he looked at me? A fleeting moment of weakness? A reckless choice he regretted? I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had become nothing more than a chapter in his life that he wanted to close.
I felt a surge of anger at the situation, at him for leaving, at myself for allowing this to happen. It wasn’t just about him; it was about me—about my choices, my failings. I had let myself believe in a fantasy, one that was now shattered.
With each passing moment, the ache in my chest deepened, morphing into a resolve that surprised me. I wouldn’t let this define me.
Wiping my tears, I sat up straighter, determination flickering to life within me. I needed to reclaim my sense of self, to remind myself of who I was outside of Killian’s shadow. I had dreams, aspirations, and a life to live, with or without him.
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