A Night of Unexpected Bliss

Xion took a sharp breath, reeling as a wave of yearning hit him.

Pausing in the suite's hallway, his hand stilled on her back.

The cool night air blowing in from her balcony was clearing his thoughts.

Giving him fokkin' clarity.

While he desired Katya, he sensed that taking their attraction to the next level with sex was the easy way.

Tonight, all he craved was to luxuriate in the company of her mind, wit and laughter.

To explore more than just her body.

She turned and gazed at him. He observed she was puzzled by his sudden pull-back.

‘What's wrong?' she asked, voice husky and throaty.

He was being seduced, sucked into her web.

What he wasn't sure of was whether he wanted to indulge her yet.

With his prescient insight, he sensed that under her sensual facade was an honest, warm, and passionate soul.

He pined for it, craved it.

This was the shit that was shifting his feelings.

She was touching his spirit.

On Sweet Eden, he wanted more from her—much, much more.

Which meant pulling back.

He clicked his teeth and tucked away his raging desire.

He was done with the here and now, and Katya was the first woman he'd had a forever inkling for in years.

He didn't want this to be a one-night stand.

This felt serious as if she was no single throwaway but a lifetime promise.

Despite her flawed character and messy secrets, he still had to unravel.

‘I'm thirsty,' he rasped, surprising himself.

He gave her a chin jerk and wandered into the luxe suite.

‘You have a kahawa machine?' he murmured.

He headed to the suite's galley, sensing her bewilderment.

While freakin' ignoring it.

Xion busied himself in the kitchen, the faint hum of the beverage appliance filling the charged atmosphere between them.

Katya studied him with confusion and curiosity, her earlier hunger replaced with a newfound wariness.

She couldn't quite place the shift in his demeanour, the sudden withdrawal that left an unfamiliar ache in her chest.

Her gaze followed him, moving around the sleek space.

A part of her wanted to reach out and pull him back into the fiery embrace they had shared moments ago. But a cautious voice of reason urged her to tread with care.

The machine beeped, signalling that the brew was ready.

‘How d'you like it?' he muttered.

‘Black, no sugar,' she said.

‘Pure and classy,' he drawled as he finished prepping her beverage.

With a steaming mug in hand, Xion turned and offered it to Katya with a small smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

She accepted it with a murmured thanks, the silence between them heavy with unspoken words.

He made one for himself and leaned back on the counter, watching her with eyes half-mast.

As they settled into an uneasy calm, his gaze softened. ‘I think we got a little carried away there,' he rasped, his voice tinged with regret.

Katya's fingers brushed against his in a fleeting touch. ‘It's okay,' she replied, her eyes searching his for any sign of his feelings. ‘What do you need?'

He jolted at her insightful question, stuck a tongue in his chiselled cheeks, and tilted his head in thought.

In time, he came up with a response. ‘All I want is a little time with you without pressure. No focus on this heat between us. I want a night chatting and relaxing in each other's company.'

His voice rumbled with emotion.

Katya cocked her head and stared deep into his eyes.

That was when she tweaked.

The look he shot her was filled with longing.

Not for sex. For real intimacy.

Xion Sable was a lonely man.

As Katya processed his words, a wave of unexpected tenderness washed over her. She perceived beyond the confident facade he wore like armour and glimpsed the fragility that lurked underneath.

At that moment, she made a silent vow to herself to be the respite he sought, the connection he craved.

A pang of empathy hit as she gazed into Xion's eyes, seeing a vulnerability he had tried so hard to mask with charm and wit. She realised that beneath his self-assured exterior, he was just as human and fragile as anyone else.

A sense of understanding passed between them, a wordless agreement to let down their walls and be themselves.

Nodding, she placed her kahawa mug on the sleek kitchen counter and walked over to him.

Without a word, she wrapped her arms around his taut waist in a gentle embrace, offering him the solace of her presence devoid of any expectations or demands.

Xion hesitated for a beat, his body stiff with surprise at her sudden display of affection.

Moments later, he relaxed in the warmth of her clasp, gradually easing into her touch, leaning into her comforting hold.

They settled into a comfortable silence, the only sound in the room the soft hum of the kahawa machine and their hushed breathing.

For a long moment, they stood there in the quiet kitchen, finding solace in each other's arms. The air between them was heavy with unspoken truths and silent understanding.

‘Let's take a break from all the games,' she murmured, tilting back to stroke his jawline. ‘No expectations, not even sex. Until we're both ready, we're just two people enjoying each other's company.'

Xion's eyes softened as he gazed at her, a flicker of vulnerable gratitude lighting up his features.

A stark contrast to the confident facade and mask he carried. At that moment, she realised that beneath his charismatic exterior lay a man yearning for a genuine bond, a respite from the superficiality that defined their world.

She placed a gentle hand on his arm and stared into his eyes with an intensity that matched his own. ‘I understand,' she murmured, her voice filled with empathy. ‘Let's just be. I want that, too, Xion. Just you, just us.'

The tension that had crackled between them moments ago dissipated, replaced by a sense of understanding and mutual desire for connection beyond physical intimacy.

They retreated to the living room.

At first, the silence was awkward, and Katya didn't say much in her customary fashion.

Xion's natural charm came into play as he teased her out of her shell, showing keen interest in her passions, hobbies, books, and travel experiences while sharing himself.

They shared more than fleeting glances and heated touches as the night wore on. Conversation flowed, from childhood anecdotes to dreams and fears they had never dared to voice aloud.

Katya soon was confident he wasn't the player he portrayed.

Those men, for she'd met many, were insecure and learning about her was secondary. To them, the dating ‘game' is a sport they can play to win.

Xion was different.

A gentle breeze blew through the open balcony doors, bringing the soft scent of jasmine from the hotel's garden. The atmosphere was peaceful and intimate, as if they were in their little bubble away from the chaos of everyday life.

They started with light topics.

Xion shared his love for kapo and the discipline of martial arts. ‘I like the direction and structure it offers. Where you have to pay attention to the task at hand and rid your mind of distractions.'

Katya opened up about her passion for art. ‘Silk threading in particular,' she told him. ‘I started crocheting with silk and then making clothes, but it's now morphed into creating artworks and even mini silk sculptures. I've since made thousands of silk artworks. I'd one day love to create custom pieces and full-service installations.'

‘Fascinating,' the Rider murmured, taking her hand in his and kissing her palm. ‘Perhaps one day you can share your art with me.'

They talked into the night, and with every hour, Katya's fondness for Xion grew.

Since meeting him, she had admired him for his intellect and appreciated his male beauty. But now she recognised him for who he was under the surface—a soul-raw man craving a profound connection just like she was.

At one point, he cocked his head and gazed at her with those green and mocha gold mesmerising eyes. ‘I'm freakin' enjoying this conversation and valuing your substance. It's refreshing when not every interaction with a woman is about physicality.'

Katya smiled. ‘Why do you say so?'

He gave a bitter laugh. ‘That's because I'm just shit fokk getting past the physical stage with most women. I can't escape all of my bad habits. I can't connect and have had too many one-night stands. When I was younger, I'd fallen for one girl after the other, always thinking that I found the one. I think I was trying to recreate intimacy, but I can't get it right; no matter what I do, I end up right back where I started.'

‘You think you're a lost cause.' She tilted her head at him. ‘You mix love and sex.'

‘Something like that. At least you know the truth, I ain't lyin' beautiful. This is me, all raw and open.'

Silence fell for a beat.

Then she spoke, reaching for his hand, holding it in her warm clasp.

‘Well, lucky for you, I like Xion Sable when he's raw and open.'

He sliced his eyes in her direction, locked gazes and gave her a sloppy smile that sent a jolt through her.

Heck, she was beginning to treasure the vulnerability and depth he was sharing.

In turn, she opened up parts of herself to him that she had hidden for years beneath layers of charm, seduction, and wit.

‘Like you, my romantic life has been tragic,' she confessed. ‘Somehow, I've always thought I'm not good enough for it.'

‘Looking at you, I'd never believe it.'

‘To your point, physical beauty doesn't guarantee that love comes your way. The thing is, I wasted so much time searching in all the wrong places for love. Thinking of it is depressing, so I place my feelings in my pity box and lock it up.'

‘I happen to know what you mean,' he huffed.

‘Aren't you so sick of being sad or lonely? Don't you want to find the one?' she asked.

‘I think a corner of me never wants to give up on the possibility,' he rasped with a slight turn to his lips.

His eyes heated as he flicked them over her face. ‘The only hope I hold onto is that each day brings me closer to her, whoever she is.'

As the first light of dawn painted the sky outside the window and peace settled over them like a warm blanket, she yawned.

‘I should probably be heading home,' Xion murmured as he checked his wrist comm for the time.

Katya smiled at him. ‘Or you could stay here,' she suggested.

Xion's expression softened at her invitation, but he shook his head. ‘As much as I want to linger, I don't want to overstep any boundaries,' he explained.

‘Please,' she insisted. ‘It's late.'

He tilted his head and cocked a brow. ‘I'll take the couch then.'

‘Oh no,' she countered. ‘We've gone this far without mauling each other. I think I can trust you to get into bed with me. No sex though, can't have that.'

He served her with a sloppy grin, closed his eyes as if savouring her offer, then flipped them open. ‘Only if you're sure.'

‘Come,' she murmured.

She led him to her bedroom. ‘I promise I won't jump you,' she smiled. ‘Let's just get comfortable.'

His eyes were soft and vulnerable as he eased off his jacket and boots.

His socks, too, came off, and he loosened his trousers.

She, too, kicked off her heels and disappeared into the bathroom with them in hand.

She paused in the tiny hallway between the sleeping area and the head.

Where the hotel had afforded her a safe.

In a quick move, she slid the crimson ruby from within her breasts and inserted it into the secure hold, locking it.

Sighing, she moved on to undress, emerging back in the bedroom in a long nightshirt.

Xion had shucked off his extravagant suit and was down to boxers only.

She fought the weak-kneed, freakin' storm of desire that slapped her core as they both snuck under the light duvet.

‘If you try anything, I'll be out of that bed like a lightning flash, and you'll be out that door,' she warned with a gleam in her eye.

Her words were, in part, intended to restore some measure of control and blood flow to her brain.

‘Hand on heart, I'll be a gentleman.'

She turned to face him,

His face was peaceful, his eyes limpid with sleep.

On a whim, she leaned forward and kissed him on his cheek.

‘Sante, Xion.'

‘For what?' he drawled, flinging an arm over his head on the pillow, which only accentuated his muscled form.

‘For giving me a night of bliss to remember.'

He chuckled, the sound reverberating through his massive chest.

‘Turns out ecstasy doesn't always have to have sex tagged to it, hey?' he rumbled. ‘I feel we achieved something better than going all the way.'

She nodded, flushing under her skin.

Her seduction plan had fallen by the wayside.

Instead, they'd been heart-intimate that night, getting to know one another on a subconscious and profound level.

It'd been mind-blowing.

He sensed it, too, given the smile on his sensual lips.

Fokk, he was handsome, she thought, averting her eyes and relaxing into the pillows, breathing in his scent.

Overcome with an uncanny sense of security, her endorphins flowing with the intensity of a new, blissful, intense experience, she was on cloud nine.

With that, she slipped away into blessed rest.