You Really Do Have Beautiful Eyes

The music swirled around us, its notes floating through the air, but I couldn't focus on the melody anymore. My entire attention was on Julian, the way he held me close, his hand warm on my waist, his breath just a little too close to mine. Each step we took, each turn in the dance, seemed to bring us nearer to something I wasn't sure I was ready for—or maybe I was.

I glanced up at him, meeting his eyes, and for a moment, it felt as though the world around us had disappeared. We were the only two people in the room, trapped in this bubble of electric tension.

"Julian," I whispered, barely audible over the music. "I can't—"

He stopped me, his hand tightening around mine, his fingers brushing mine in a way that made my heart race.

"I know," he replied quietly, his voice low, almost a growl. "I can't either."

I didn't need to hear more. His words, his touch, all of it was a silent admission of what we both felt. There was no more pretending, no more dancing around the desire that had been building between us for months.

The music played on, but I felt like I was suffocating, drowning in the pull between us. I needed to get away from the crowd, away from the eyes on us, away from the expectations that had always surrounded us.

"I don't want to be here," I confessed in a breathless rush. "Not like this."

Julian's eyes flickered with a sharp intensity, and without another word, he began to guide me off the dance floor. His hand never left mine, pulling me through the crowd with a surety that made my heart skip. We didn't speak, but there was an unspoken understanding between us—a need to be alone, to be away from the prying eyes of the nobles who swirled around us like too many ghosts.

As we neared the edge of the ballroom, Julian glanced over his shoulder, making sure no one was watching. The door to the garden was just ahead, and he tugged me toward it without hesitation.

We stepped outside, and the cool night air hit me like a shock to my senses. The noise of the ball was replaced by the quiet rustle of the trees, the soft hum of the wind through the leaves. Julian pulled the door shut behind us, leaving the warmth and the noise of the ballroom behind.

I took a shaky breath, my pulse racing. "Where are we going?"

His eyes were soft but intense as he turned to face me, his expression unreadable. For a moment, he didn't answer, just stepped closer until the space between us felt like it was shrinking by the second. His presence was overwhelming, filling up every corner of my mind, and I couldn't think of anything but him.

"Anywhere," he said quietly, his voice thick with unspoken meaning. "I just needed you away from there. Away from them. Away from everything but us."

The way he said it made my chest tighten, and I felt the air between us crackle with something raw, something desperate.

I reached up to touch his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath my fingertips. My voice was barely a whisper as I said, "I've missed you so much."

Julian closed the space between us, his hand resting gently on my face, his thumb tracing my jawline. His touch was so tender, yet there was a fire behind it, a need I couldn't ignore. He leaned in, his lips brushing the edge of my ear as he whispered, "I've missed you more than you know."

He pulled back just enough to look at me, his gaze filled with an intensity that stole the air from my lungs. His lips hovered dangerously close to mine, and for a moment, I thought I might lose control of everything.

"I can't keep pretending this isn't real," he murmured, his voice rough with restraint. "Can't keep pretending I don't want you. Not anymore."

I felt a shiver run through me, the words sinking deep into my bones. The quiet longing between us had always been there, but now, it was impossible to ignore. I couldn't. I didn't want to.

"I don't want to pretend either," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. "I don't."

Before I could say anything else, his lips were on mine—slow at first, tentative, as if testing the waters. But that hesitation didn't last long. A moment later, he kissed me deeper, harder, his hands pulling me against him, as if he couldn't stand the distance for one more second.

I kissed him back with equal fervor, losing myself in the feel of him, in the warmth of his hands, the taste of his mouth. The world around us faded into the background, leaving only the sound of our breathing, our hearts beating in tandem.

When we finally pulled apart, our faces still inches from each other, we both stood still, trying to catch our breath.

"We should get away from here," Julian said softly, his hand resting on the back of my neck, his thumb brushing over my skin.

I nodded, my heart still racing, but something inside me told me this was just the beginning.

"We will," I said quietly, my voice steady now, full of the certainty that had been missing before.

And with that, he took my hand again, leading me further into the night.

After several minutes of walking in comfortable silence, I couldn't help but ask, "Julian, where are we going?"

He glanced at me with a mischievous smile, his voice low and intimate. "Somewhere special—somewhere the guards won't think to look for us." When we reached our destination, I gasped softly, my breath catching in my throat. A breathtaking cherry blossom tree stood before me, its delicate pink petals glowing in the moonlight.

He turned to me, his gaze searching mine. "So, what do you think?"

I smiled, my fingers grazing the soft petals. "It's beautiful," I whispered, feeling as if I were stepping into a dream.

Julian stepped closer, his presence warm and comforting. "When I saw you in that dress, this place came to mind. The blossoms—" he gestured toward the tree, his voice growing tender, "they remind me of you. The same shade, the same softness. You're just as beautiful."

He took a another step forward, and then another, until we were inches apart.

I swallowed, my throat dry. His hand slid gently to my waist, pulling me closer, and in that instant, everything else disappeared. There was no ball, no watching eyes, no palace walls. Just him. Just us.

His lips brushed against mine, full of lust. I kissed him back—deepening it with the surge of emotion—he let out a low, almost pained groan. His hands tightened around me, pulling me into him with a hunger I hadn't expected. His kiss was urgent now, fiery, desperate. His tongue slid against mine, demanding, coaxing, the taste of him sending a jolt of heat straight to my core.

My fingers tangled in his hair, tugging him closer, feeling the roughness of his clothes under my fingertips. His hands slid up my back, pulling me flush against him. I could feel the rapid beat of his heart, thundering in time with mine. The kiss deepened, turning frantic, as if we had both been holding our breath for far too long, and now, finally, we could exhale.

The world had dissolved into nothing but him and the taste of his lips, the feel of his hands on my skin, the way his body pressed against mine, so solid, so real. There was no need for words anymore. Every part of me was screaming for him, aching for him, and he answered with the same fevered passion.

"I could stay here with you forever," he whispered, before kissing me again.

And for the first time since we had met, nothing else in the world mattered. There was no court, no expectations, no magic, no responsibilities—just the two of us, finally together, alone, in a world that seemed to stop spinning for just a moment.