[ 8:30 at night in Noah's Room ]
The room was dim, lit only by the soft moonlight that filtered through the curtains. I had just finished preparing the space for the soul space session when the door creaked open—earlier than expected.
It was Layla.
She stepped in barefoot, her long black hair cascading freely down her back, eyes gleaming like molten amber in the dark. She closed the door silently behind her, then leaned against it with a smile that sent shivers down my spine.
"You didn't think I'd wait, did you?" she whispered.
I opened my mouth to respond, but she was already moving—graceful, predatory. She crossed the room and gently pushed me onto the bed, straddling me in one fluid motion.
"Don't move," she said with a sweet, dangerous smile, her finger pressing against my lips. Her gaze shifted—warm, adoring, but with a glint of possessiveness that made my heart race.
"Tonight, I'm not just your partner, Noah. I'm your sanctuary."
I nodded slowly, like a good boy under her spell.
She leaned in, her forehead resting against mine for a brief moment, letting our breaths mingle. Then her lips found mine—slow at first, a gentle press, soft and warm. But the tenderness gave way to hunger. Her kisses deepened, her hands cradling my face as if trying to hold me together.
Her lips moved with desperate devotion, coaxing my fatigue away, her tongue tracing the contours of mine in a dance that was both sensual and sacred. She kissed me like she was trying to imprint her soul onto mine.
Her hands explored my shoulders, arms, chest—not in lust, but in reverence. Every touch whispered, I'm here. Let me carry your pain.
She pulled back for a second, eyes glistening. "You always take everything on alone, don't you?" she murmured. "Let me take care of you for once, Noah."
Her touch grew bolder—sliding under my shirt, fingers gliding across my skin like silk. Her warmth was overwhelming, consuming, a fire that didn't burn but healed.
"You're mine," she whispered against my neck. "And I'll show you why no one can love you like I do."
I felt her breath on my ear, the softness of her lips trailing kisses down my collarbone. Her body molded against mine, fitting perfectly, completely, and I finally stopped thinking. Just feeling.
Her devotion wasn't loud or flashy—it was absolute.
Time slowed as we lay tangled together, a soft cocoon of breathless intimacy. My stress, my burden, my loneliness… it all slipped away under her touch, her warmth, her unwavering love.
And for the first time in a long while, I felt completely seen.
Her fingers trailed across my skin, soft as feathers yet somehow electrifying. Every brush of her touch sent a shiver through me—not of fear or tension, but something far gentler. Something I hadn't allowed myself to feel in so long.
Safety.
Layla hovered above me, her long black hair creating a curtain around our faces as she kissed me again—slowly, lovingly—like each press of her lips was a promise. A vow.
I was frozen under her. Not out of fear or discomfort, but because my body didn't know how to respond. My mind, trained to be sharp and cautious, couldn't grasp the way she was unraveling me without even trying.
"Noah," she whispered between kisses, her voice hushed and trembling with emotion, "you don't have to be strong right now. Not with me."
I stared at her, eyes wide, throat tight. My arms slowly lifted and wrapped around her back, holding her close. Not tightly—just enough to say I hear you.
"I-I'm not used to this," I murmured, my voice barely audible.
She smiled against my lips. "I know. That's why I'll be gentle."
Her kisses moved from my lips to my jaw, then down to my neck. Her lips lingered there, letting her breath warm my skin before pressing soft, tender kisses along my collarbone. One hand caressed the side of my face, thumb brushing beneath my eye.
"I can feel it," she whispered, her forehead resting against my chest now. "The pressure you carry. The way your heart races even when you're calm. Always fighting. Always guarding."
I didn't respond—not with words. Instead, I let my hand slide up her back, fingers weaving into her hair as I exhaled shakily.
"You don't have to protect yourself from me," she continued. "If you're tired… then just fall. I'll catch you."
I felt something sting behind my eyes, and it wasn't pain. No one had ever said that to me. No one had ever offered to carry my burden just because they wanted to.
I pulled her tighter against me, hiding my face in the crook of her neck. "…Thank you," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. It cracked halfway through.
Layla didn't tease me. She didn't mock my weakness.
Instead, she wrapped her arms around me and held me like I was something fragile. Her kisses returned—slower now, more deliberate—as if each one could stitch the torn parts of me back together.
She kissed my forehead, then my closed eyelids, then my cheeks—soft and healing. Her body lay fully against mine, the rhythm of her heartbeat syncing with mine as warmth enveloped me completely.
"I love you, Noah," she whispered, her words so quiet I almost missed them. "Even if you lose everything—even if you fall—I'll still be here."
I looked up at her, and in that moment, I truly saw her. Not the flirtatious, chaotic girl who always teased me, but the devoted, selfless woman who had chosen me completely.
"…I don't deserve you," I said.
Layla smiled through glistening eyes. "That's fine. I'll just keep loving you until you believe you do."
And in that moment, with her arms wrapped around me, with her breath against my skin and her love poured into every touch, I let go of everything—my pride, my walls, my fears.
I held her close, and for once… I simply let myself be loved.
-to be continued....