Page 11 of Unwrapping Ember
"Koda," I moan breathlessly, swallowing to try and moisten my dry throat.
"Shh, Ember," he whispers, leaning closer... and closer... and closer, until his lips meet mine in a kiss that warms me up instantly.
Softly, his lips brush against mine, his tongue dipping teasingly between them, as if testing the waters to see where I stand. Cupping his cheek, I pull him closer, sliding my other hand to the back of his neck to only further deepen the kiss.
Once I part my lips more, his tongue thrusts between them, finding mine in a fit of passion and need. Each lash and brush against my tongue sends shockwaves through my body, turning my blood hot, then cold and hot all over again.
An involuntary moan escapes my throat, floating right into his mouth, and I feel his lips curl into a smile against mine. Suddenly, his hands slidedown the sides of my body, and he holds my hips tightly, lifting me with ease and placing me directly on his lap. His warmth envelops me as I straddle him, the world around us fading into nothing but the sound of our hearts beating in sync.
I can't help but feel a surge of emotion at the close proximity, both exhilarating and terrifying. The kiss deepens, a dance of tongues that feels all too familiar yet strangely foreign, as if we’ve stepped into a riddle of our own creation—a haze of memories and feelings that we’ve long since buried beneath the surface.
“Ember,” he murmurs, pulling away slightly to catch his breath, his forehead resting against mine. The moonlight casts a silver glow over us, highlighting the vulnerability etched across his features. “I’ve missed you so fucking much.”
“I’ve missed you too,” I confess, the truth spilling from my lips without hesitation. “But it scares me, Koda. Everything feels so… intense. Like we’re skating on thin ice.”
“I know,” he replies, his eyes searching mine, the mischief from earlier replaced by a seriousness that demands my attention. “But I don’t want to go back to how things were, feeling all twisted up inside. We can figure this out together, I promise.”
His words swirl around us, wrapping us in a cocoon of hope while the reality outside is frosty and unsettled. But right now, it’s just the two of us, a brief moment of clarity amidst the chaos of the world.
“Then let’s be honest with each other,” I propose, sliding my fingers through his tousled hair, grounding myself in this shared moment of raw truth. “I don’t want to lose you again.”
Koda nods against me, the weight of my words hanging between us. “Agreed. No more hiding, no more pretending. But let’s promise to take it one step at a time. There’s a lot to unpack.”
The warmth in his eyes reassures me, softening the edges of my apprehension. “Okay, one step at a time,” I echo, and he leans in, placing another tender kisson my lips.
The kiss is gentle yet electric, reinforcing the promise we just made. As I sink into the moment, I know there’s so much we still need to confront, but for now, we share this silent agreement—a pact between two souls forever intertwined. Suddenly, a gust of wind sweeps across the pond, sending chills through my body and breaking the spell.
Koda gives a small laugh, his breath brushing my face like a warm whisper in the biting cold. “We should get moving before we turn into ice sculptures ourselves.”
I chuckle, realizing how long we’ve let ourselves linger in this perfect pocket of time. With him still holding me tight, we stand from the bench, taking cautious steps back onto the ice.
Skating forward, we are like a story unfolding—a tapestry of emotions, stitched together with laughter, confusion, and an undeniable chemistry that refuses to dim.
“I remember when we used to race,” I tease, my competitive spirit bubbling to the surface after what feels like an eternity of being bottled up. “What do you say we have a little rematch?”
“Are you challenging me?” Koda raises an eyebrow, a playful smirk tugging at his lips.
“Absolutely,” I declare, determination igniting a fire within me. “Let’s see who can reach the other side first.”
“Game on,” he winks, and in an instant, we take off, our skates gliding across the icy surface in a flurry of laughter and speed.
I push myself, my heart pounding with excitement, as I concentrate on keeping my balance while he darts beside me, teasingly nudging me whenever he can. But it’s not just about winning; it’s about the joy of being here, of feeling alive and safe. In this slice of midnight, as the snowflakes swirl around us, I recognize that Koda doesn’t just fill a void in my heart—he inspires me to live boldly, to embrace the wildness of life once again.
As we reach the far side of the pond, breathless and laughing, the earlier heaviness returns to my mind. The shadows linger, inviting usto confront the deeper truths we can no longer dance around. Koda leans against the ice, catching his breath, and turns his gaze towards me, vulnerability lurking behind his playful facade.
“Whatever happens next, I just want you to know,” he begins, pausing as if weighing his words carefully. “Whatever challenges we face, I’d rather face them together than apart.”
His sincerity hits me like a wave, and I nod, my own heart racing. “And whatever secrets we have, wewillshare them, Koda. Ipromise.” I swallow the lump in my throat as I think about the secret I'm carrying, still weighing heavy on my shoulders.
As the winter chill wraps around us and the moonlight reflects off the surface of the ice, I shiver, ready to go in but not ready for the night to end, especially with Koda.
“Come on,” Koda urges, shifting our focus back to the fun at hand. “One more lap, and then we go inside and get warm?"
“Deal,” I laugh, a wicked grin spreading across my face, excited by the thought of our playful wager.
Even as the future looms with its hidden challenges, I can feel the warmth of hope taking root, one heartbeat at a time. It’s only my first night here, so I know there’s a chance things can change, but deep down, I’m praying that nothing ruins our time together—nothing.
After Koda and I part ways after our midnight skate, I lay down in warm clothes, tucked into bed to try and get some sleep.