Cursed and Fated: Offered To The Wicked Alpha Prince
Chapter 37: Tangling in her hair

Chapter 37: Tangling in her hair

After Gideon left, Adeline retreated to her bed, but sleep remained elusive. She spent the next hour tossing and turning, the earlier incident pressing heavily on her mind.

Seeking some respite from her restlessness, she finally slipped out of bed and stepped onto the balcony, hoping the cool night air would clear her head.

As she leaned against the railing, a prickle of intuition told her she wasn’t alone. She turned her head and found Gideon standing on his own balcony just a short distance away.

He held a glass of dark amber liquid, his only attire a loose robe that hung open, once again exposing the rugged expanse of his chest and the jagged scars that marked it.

"I-I couldn’t sleep," she stuttered, her voice small in the quiet of the night. Her eyes flickered to the glass. "Why are you drinking at this hour?"

"To plan a strategy," Gideon answered, his voice a low rumble.

"A strategy to stop the attacks from the rogues?" she asked, her brow arching in concern.

"No," Gideon said shortly.

"Then what is it?" She felt her curiosity pique.

"A strategy to create a peaceful home for us once we return," he replied.

Adeline understood exactly what he meant. "It’s difficult to find peace when you’re surrounded by people with the same ambitions and interests as yours."

"Not necessarily," Gideon reasoned, his voice low. "Even if interests align, those who are envious of your position or hate your presence will stop at nothing to destroy your peace." He drained the rest of his drink in a single gulp and set the glass down on the table behind him.

Adeline expected him to retreat into his room, but instead, he moved with startling speed, appearing directly in front of her.

Caught off guard, she stumbled back, but he was just as quick to bridge the gap between them. He closed the distance until there was nowhere left for her to retreat.

"Are you scared?" he asked, his eyes locked onto hers, refusing to let her look away.

"No," Adeline said, shaking her head firmly despite the sudden flutter in her chest. "Why would I be scared?" she asked, offering a small chuckle to lighten the sudden tension between them.

"Because I am here. Uninvited," Gideon answered, his voice dropping an octave as he loomed over her.

She flinched slightly but shook her head again. "Not exactly uninvited. But my heart is racing with nervousness."

"I can hear it," Gideon replied, his sharp senses catching the rapid, rhythmic thud against her ribs. A sudden, cool breeze swept across the balcony, sending strands of her hair dancing across her face.

Her eyes fluttered shut as Gideon reached out, his touch surprisingly gentle as he caught the loose silk and tucked it carefully behind her ears.

He didn’t pull away. Instead, he let his hands slide down to cup her cheeks, his palms warm against her skin. Adeline kept her gaze lowered at first, focused on the intricate web of scars across his chest, before he spoke again.

"Adeline," he called her name, the tone softer than she had ever heard it.

"Hmm?" she murmured, finally lifting her gaze to meet the intensity in his eyes.

"Can I kiss you?" Gideon asked, his voice a low, rough murmur that seemed to vibrate through her.

Adeline stared at him, her eyes wide as she searched for an answer. The intensity in his gaze left no room for doubt, he wanted her.

This felt different from the brief, tentative brushes they had shared before.

Deep down, she found herself craving that legendary "first kiss," the kind people said could make your mind explode and the world fall away.

"If I refuse, what will you do?" she asked, the words feeling detached from the heat rising in her chest.

"I’ll go back to my room and try to sleep," Gideon replied with honesty.

She fiddled nervously with her fingers, caught between hesitation and desire. Then, yielding to a sudden impulse, she rose on her tiptoes and pressed her soft lips against his in a fleeting promise. "I think for tonight, that’s enough," she whispered, quickly lowering her eyes as she pulled back.

"No," Gideon rumbled, his grip tightening just enough to keep her close. "It’s not enough."

He hooked a finger under her chin, tilting her face back up until she was forced to see the fire in his eyes. He claimed her mouth again, this time with a firm, uncompromising pressure. The moment he nibbled on her lower lip, Adeline felt the air leave her lungs, her breath stolen by a kiss that finally lived up to the stories.

Her fingers curled into tight fists, the sensation of her heart hammering against her ribs making her feel entirely out of her depth. She was frozen, a statue in his arms, her mind racing with the realization that she had no idea how to actually kiss him back.

Gideon seemed to sense her panic. He pulled his hands from her face, finding her clenched fists and gently smoothing his palms over the backs of her hands. His touch was slow that began to steady her frayed nerves.

"Move your lips," he murmured against her mouth, his breath warm and ghosting over her skin. "Try it."

Encouraged by his low, patient instruction, she found the strength to mirror his movements. As she began to tentatively imitate the pressure of his lips, his right hand slid to the nape of her neck, his fingers tangling in her hair to cradle her head and hold her firmly against him.

The faint, sharp taste of alcohol lingered on his lips, but rather than pulling away, she found herself leaning further into the heat of the moment, finally letting the world outside the balcony fade into nothingness.

’Am I doing this right?’ Adeline wondered. She was focused entirely on imitating the rhythm of his movements when a sharp gasp escaped her; his teeth had grazed her bottom lip before nipping down with a sudden, playful bite.

The sting was brief, followed immediately by the heat of his tongue gliding over the skin to taste the small bead of blood.

Before she could process the sensation, he took advantage of her parted lips, deepening the kiss with an intensity that made her knees feel weak.