Chapter 166

Side Story 32.

Clara POV

This was all new to me—the soft, lingering press of his lips on mine, the warmth radiating through my body, and the heat building below my skin as he lifted me effortlessly into his arms. His strong, steady grip made me feel both vulnerable and safe, his breath mingling with mine in a quiet rhythm only breaks by our shared heartbeat.

If he said we only had twenty minutes, I would claim every second, committing the feel of him to memory, because after this brief encounter, it would be another long six months before I’d hold him again.

He carried me across the room and laid me gently on the bed, his lips still tracing mine like a flame licking at dry leaves—urgent, yet controlled. His hands rested firmly at my waist, his fingers pressing into the soft curve where my ribs met my hips, but he d