Instead, his thumb traced one final, tender path along her jaw before he gradually eased his hold, though his hand remained at her waist as he guided her toward the mansion entrance.
This time, she did not walk ahead.
She stayed beside him, close enough that their arms brushed with every step.
The grand doors opened as they approached, the quiet, familiar interior of the mansion welcoming them home.
And as they crossed the threshold together, the outside world, the whispers, the watchful eyes, the subtle rivalries, faded into insignificance.
Leaving only the steady, profound presence of each other.
