Chapter 716 You can’t lie, Aisha!
Karmen pulled back just an inch, his breath hitching in sync with hers. He didn’t let go, his fingers tightening around Aisha’s hand. His eyes, usually black, began to shimmer into a brilliant, glowing sky-blue that his wolf was rising to the surface, fueled by desire.
“Are you certain you want to take this further?” he asked. “Because if we don’t stop now, I won’t be able to hold back much longer.” He didn’t blink, his gaze locked onto hers with an intensity that seemed to strip away every defense.
“Just go ahead,” Aisha whispered, her voice trembling but certain. She reached for the heavy wool of his overcoat as she began to slide it off his shoulders. The garment was discarded, forgotten the moment it hit the floor, as her fingers moved to the third button of his shirt. She worked slowly, unfastening the remaining buttons one by one.
When the last button gave way, she looked up, finding him staring at her with a look of such fierce, undivided hunger.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked, her eyebrows furrowing in a shyness.
Karmen’s jaw tightened, his gaze sweeping over her face as if he were memorizing every detail of her expression. “Because,” he rasped, “I’ve waited a lifetime for you to look at me the way you are right now.”
He didn’t give her a chance to respond. His hands moved with a sudden, decisive grace, cradling her face between his palms as he claimed her mouth once more. This kiss was different, it was deeper, hungrier, and fueled by a passion that had been simmering beneath his professional exterior for years.
Their tongues met and entwined, a rhythmic dance of heat and hunger as they savored the taste of one another. The world outside the small house ceased to exist; there was only the frantic beat of their hearts and the friction of their lips.
He broke away only for a second to nibble at her lower lip, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin before he dove back in, unable to get enough.
Aisha’s palms pressed flat against the broad expanse of his chest, her fingers curling slightly against his skin.
She could feel the radiating heat of his body, a warmth that seemed to intensify with every passing second.
“I’ve never been with a woman. You’re the first, and you’ll be the last for me,” Karmen rasped. He pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead, then trailed his lips across her temple and down to each cheek, finally brushing the tip of her chin with a reverence that made her breath hitch.
Karmen braced one hand against the edge of the table, steadying himself as his other hand moved to the top button of her woolen cardigan. His fingers were steady, but as they brushed the fabric, he could feel the frantic thrum of her heart vibrating through her chest.
“But you’re a good kisser from the beginning. How?” Aisha asked, her hand holding his wrist, placing it on her chest.
“I don’t know.” He smiled and lowered his gaze to her hand. “Where’s the bedroom?” he inquired.
“To the left,” Aisha whispered, pointing her thumb toward the hallway while nervously biting her lower lip. Without a word, Karmen scooped her into his arms, his strength making the movement feel effortless. But just as he turned to carry her toward the bedroom, the sharp, persistent ring of the doorbell echoed through the house.
The spell was instantly broken. Karmen lowered Aisha carefully to her feet. She scrambled to pull her cardigan back on, her fingers fumbling with the buttons as she hissed at Karmen to fix his shirt and overcoat. He moved with the disciplined speed of a royal guard, straightening his clothes just as Aisha reached the front door and pulled it open.
The color drained from Aisha’s face the moment she saw the woman standing on the porch.
“Lilith!” she exclaimed, her voice cracking with shock. She peered behind her sister, searching for her niece or brother-in-law, but the driveway was empty.
“I came alone to spend a week with you,” Lilith announced, already dragging her heavy luggage across the threshold before Aisha could even think of an excuse to stop her.
Lilith stopped dead in her tracks the moment she entered the living room. “Karmen!?” she exclaimed. Though he stood there looking perfectly composed and professional, he hadn’t noticed the faint smudge of lipstick trailing across his lower lip.
“Are you two… together?” Lilith asked, her head whipping back to her younger sister.
Karmen remained silent, his gaze shifting to Aisha. He felt the weight of their secret; they had originally agreed to keep their relationship hidden from their families to avoid the inevitable pressure and scrutiny.
“You can’t lie, Aisha! You two are together, aren’t you?” Lilith smirked, her eyes darting between Karmen’s ruffled hair and Aisha’s flushed cheeks.
“Ah, Lilith, you are mis—”
“Yes, we are,” Aisha interrupted, finding her courage. She stepped forward, her voice dropping into a warning tone. “And you won’t say a single word to Mom and Dad. But how did you even find this place? I didn’t give the address to anyone at home.”
“My husband helped me track it,” Lilith said with a shrug, seemingly unbothered by the invasion of privacy. “It was essential. I was worried about you, living all alone in San Ravendale.”
Karmen cleared his throat, sensing the shift in the atmosphere. “Umm… I think I should give you both some privacy. I’ll see you later, Aisha,” he said, offering a polite, slight bow to Lilith. He turned to leave, but Aisha’s hand shot out, catching his.
“Stay,” she urged, her fingers gripping his tightly. “We were supposed to have lunch together. Don’t go.”
Lilith watched the exchange, a knowing smile spreading across her face as she witnessed her usually guarded sister acting so transparently protective of the man beside her.
“Yes, let’s have lunch together!” Lilith said, a bright smile playing on her lips.