Charles had never seen such hopeful eyes from Noelle before. He bit his lip, gently took her by the shoulders, and stepped back. Noelle was surprised. She did not understand why Charles was pulling away when she was being so open.
She felt a little hurt and bit her lip, tasting the warmth from Charles and the slight tang of blood where she had bitten him. Noelle was confused and frowned, not understanding why Charles was saying no.
Noelle's falling smile did not escape Charles's notice. He curled his lips into a smile, and before Noelle could even catch her breath, he gently lifted her chin. His eyes sparkled like stars in the night sky. "Are you sure?"
Noelle felt a warm flutter in her heart. She wanted to say no, but she nodded instead. "Sure!" She took a deep breath, as if she had made a big decision, and held both his hands tightly, their fingers interlacing. She looked at Charles with all the seriousness in the world. "We're husband and wife, right?"
"Yes!" He frowned slightly, his forehead touching hers as he caught his breath. "We are husband and wife. Nelly, do you realize what you're saying? Once we begin, there's no going back, and I won't let you back out."
Noelle nodded, a bit shyly. "Mhm, I understand."
He smiled at last, took her hand in his, and guided it behind her. Then, he gently kissed her lips.
The kiss was sweet, just like before, but with a new, slight difference. His kiss was soft and patient, nothing like her awkward attempts, slowly leading her into this dance of discovery.
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