Touch of Flame

Goodnight kiss?

Before she could think, he leaned closer and she shut her eyes and pressed her lips into a thin line, like a child. Her hands clutched the blankets tightly and her breath stilled.

She could feel him closer, his hot breath fanned her lips and his soft hair brushed down her cheek. He was that close?

“Ravina,” he whispered her name softly.

She opened her eyes and stared right into his.  They glowed in the dim light, the brown in them looking like caramel.

Malachi caressed her cheek with the back of his forefinger and her lips parted with a staggered breath. He watched her as he dragged his finger down her skin again, a warm gentle brush against her cheek.

“I can’t resist you,” he confessed in a deep low tone that vibrated in her chest. But she wasn’t sure what he was referring to this time because he wasn’t looking at her with hungry eyes. His gaze was soft, tender, and slightly troubled.

Now he ran the tip of his finger down her cheek. Her eyes fluttered unable to hold his intense gaze and then she smelled him. The scent of warm coffee and burning wood. It was familiar and calming.

And then he moved closer and she shut her eyes not sure what would happen next. Her heart slammed against her chest and then stilled when she felt his lips on her cheek. Something fluttered in her stomach and the warm wet feeling of his lips, leaving a tingle as he pulled back.

Her eyes opened, slow as if in a sleepy state. He looked down at her, his finger now traveling to her lips, brushing across to the middle and then dragging it down slowly. “Maybe the lips tomorrow night.” His own lips crooked into a playful smile.

Her eyes widened as she couldn’t speak and he grinned at her reaction. “Goodnight, princess.” He said standing up and causing the mattress to rise again. She hadn’t even noticed that he sat down beside her.

He dimmed the lights on his way out by just putting his hand over the burning candle. Once the door closed behind him, Ravina’s lungs forced her to breathe.

What just… happened? She pulled the blanket up all the way to her chin as if hiding from ghosts.

Goodnight kiss?

Her cheek still tingled with warmth. The fluttering in her stomach returned. God, she was not a little girl and she had done more kissing than this. It was just the cheek.

No. Because it was the cheek, that was why.

She turned to the side and shut her eyes to sleep knowing she was going to overthink this and she didn’t want to stay up the whole night. Why did she even let it happen?

She curled up. ‘I can’t resist you.’ His deep voice called in her mind. She looked around a bit disorientated. His scent still lingered in the room or was she imagining it? Maybe it just lingered in her mind. As if that was any better.

After turning back and forth, trying to force herself to sleep she succeeded at last.

In the darkness, she was greeted by light, by a sunny summer day, and a field of flowers ahead. A peal of happy laughter caught her attention and her head followed the sound.

Hiroshima came running through the field in a beautiful yellow gown looking like a sunflower herself. She ran right into his arms and he hugged her tightly with a chuckle. When she pulled back to look at him, it was her and Malachi was holding her in his arms.

She looked up at him with a smile with her arms around his waist. “I told you not to run,” he scolded her grabbing her face between his hands. “Or you will earn a kiss.”

“Then I have earned it.” She smiled.

His hand went to the back of her head and he pulled her in to kiss her. She tiptoed to meet his lips, closing her eyes as their heads moved closer and closer, and just when they were a breath away, she woke up.

The room was bright, and the sun shone through the windows. Ravina lay still, a little confused and then frustrated at where the dream ended, and then of course came the slight dread of enduring another day in life.

She sat up, taking some more time to wake up, and then Nako came in time to help her.

“It is very bright outside this morning,” Ravina said.

“Oh well. It is not morning. You slept till lunch.”

Huh?!

“Lunch?”

“Yes. I thought of waking you up but Malachi instructed us to never wake you while asleep.” She explained.

Malachi?

Nako helped her bathe and rebandaged her leg. Malachi had also instructed her to massage the painkiller into her ankle. Helping her to the dresser, she began to comb her hair when a knock came from the door.

“Come in,” Ravina called.

The door opened and Malachi stepped inside. Ravina’s heart changed rhythm but she tried not to react. Malachi gave Nako a nod and she excused herself, closing the door behind her.

Malachi stood there, clad in a silky brown robe. He walked over to where she sat and she followed him with her eyes until he disappeared behind her. Now she looked at him through the mirror.

“Did you have a good sleep?” He asked.

She nodded.

He quietly reached for the comb. She just studied him curiously as he gently began to comb her hair. What had happened to him? And last night before he helped her to her room, it felt like he was almost running away from her.

‘I can’t resist you.’ The words came back.

“You arranged for this room. Will I live downstairs forever?” She asked. It didn’t look like a temporary thing while her leg was injured.

He smiled. “You are welcome upstairs once you heal.”

“But so much effort was put into this.”

“If you like it then the effort is not wasted,” he simply said.

He did not touch her as he combed her wet hair and Ravina kept her eyes on him, trying to figure him out.

“Do you want braids?” He asked.