~ Lucien ~
The whiskey had softened the edges of the night just enough. Not drunk—never that—but warm, loose, the kind of buzz that made every touch feel heavier, every breath louder.
She tasted like wine and nerves when I finally kissed her.
I had waited until she set her glass down, until her fingers stopped twisting the stem like it might save her. Then I closed the distance, slow, giving her time to pull away. She didn’t.
My mouth found hers—soft at first, testing. Her lips parted on a small, surprised sound. I took it deeper, tilting her head back with one hand at her nape, the other sliding low on her waist. She melted into me like she’d been waiting years for permission. Her tongue brushed mine, hesitant, then bolder, and something possessive snapped awake inside my chest.
I wa
