Rising from the Ashes The Heiress They Tried to Erase Novel

Chapter 908: Across the table, Chris still clung to her earlier tease. He leaned in with a playful glint in his eye. "So, what's your verdict on my first time... does it taste good?" On the surface, their words were about dessert, but beneath it all, something more intimate simmered. A rosy flush crept over Maia's cheeks. "It tastes really good." "Hold on." Chris reached out, pausing her with a soft touch as he wiped a stray drop of soup from her lips. Grinning, he tasted it off his finger, eyes twinkling. "Yep-definitely sweet." That small gesture sent heat flooding Maia's face.

There was something almost too tender about the moment, and Maia found herself drawn to Chris's mouth. Those sculpted lips, poised in a faint smile, hinted at feelings left unsaid. The gentle lighting turned golden, mixing with the fragrance of the soup and deepening the quiet, private mood. Maia found herself staring, her pulse suddenly racing, her breath uneven. Ever since Chris had come into her life, her heart seemed to beat differently-so much more sensitive to his nearness. Every small thing he did seemed to slip past her defenses, tugging at the softest corners of her heart.

Chris's gaze found Maia's, and an unspoken conversation passed between them in the quiet. Maybe it was the magic of soft candlelight. Maybe it was that Maia's carefully guarded feelings had finally slipped free from the logic that usually held them in check. A nervous dryness crept into her throat, her lips parting as if to speak but not quite finding the words. Memories from the last few days flickered through her mind: every hardship in Sceibar, the chaos after the Wront explosion-through it all, Chris had never once wavered, always standing by her side, his presence a constant reassurance.

ⲅν⧸ All at once, those moments tumbled together, and a powerful wave of emotion swept over Maia. The urge surged through Maia's chest like a wave, slamming into her hesitation and quickening her pulse. Her cheeks slowly warmed to a soft pink. "Maia?" Chris noticed the change in her expression. He leaned a little closer, his voice low and tender. "Are you alright?" Maia lifted her eyes, her gaze turning gentle. She met his for a heartbeat, then let it drift downward-lingering on his mouth, so dangerously close and inviting. She spoke before she could stop herself, her tone shaky but tender.

"Chris... I feel like this part... might be even sweeter..." Before the words had fully left her lips, she had already seized Chris's tie. With a gentle tug, she drew him closer, rose onto her toes, and boldly pressed her lips to his. Chris's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't expected Maia to take the lead. But a heartbeat later, joy-deep and unmistakable-lit his face. He pulled her close, arms tightening around her waist, and kissed her back with fierce passion and hunger. When their mouths met, the taste was golden honey mixed with the clean, cool scent that was uniquely his.

It swirled on their tongues, dizzying and sweet, like a heady drink. Maia felt as if he had stolen the air from her lungs. Her chest lifted and fell faster, her thoughts scattering like leaves in the wind. Her heart pounded out of rhythm, wild and unrestrained. . . .