The Sway and Slide of Love

Hendrix thought that everything would get better. From now on, they would live happily ever after. No one and nothing could disturb them anymore.

...

Noelle woke up in the early hours of the morning. Even though she had been staying in this room for a while now, every time she woke up, it still felt unfamiliar and disorienting.

This place was a constant reminder that she wasn't in Stormridge anymore. Which meant that everything that happened in Halbort wasn't just a terrible dream it was real.

But this time, she wasn't waking up alone. As soon as she turned her head, she saw Hendrix lying beside her. His arm was draped over her waist, and his face was buried in the crook of her neck. His warm breath brushed against her skin, sending a faint shiver through her.

Noelle didn't move away. She simply lay there, quietly watching him. But even in sleep, he remained utterly vigilant. She had barely looked at him for more than a moment before his eyes suddenly snapped open.

Their gazes locked. Noelle froze for a second, then pressed her lips together.

"You-" Hendrix started to say something, but before he could finish, she leaned in and kissed him.

Outside, the sky was still shrouded in darkness. Through the window, Noelle could hear the soft rustling of the wind. But inside, the heater was on, so she didn't feel cold at all. On the contrary, the heat within her only seemed to grow.

Hendrix's grip was firm, his hands tightening around her waist to the point of where it almost hurt.

He had meant to be gentle, but it had been so long since the last time-so long that he felt almost unsure of what to do. It was as if he had never done it before, even more inexperienced than on their wedding night. As a result, he failed to control his strength.

It wasn't until he felt her nails dig into his forearm that he realized it. He then asked cautiously, "Did I hurt you?"

Noelle kept her eyes closed and said nothing. Thinking she was upset, Hendrix lowered his head and kissed her on the cheek. Only then did she finally open her eyes.

She looked at him for a moment before saying, "Keep going."

Hendrix froze. Before he could react, she had already pressed her palm against his cheek. The tenderness of her touch and the lingering affection left him more flustered.

After waiting for a while, she suddenly pushed him away. In the next instant, before Hendrix could even process what was happening, their positions had reversed. Her hair cascaded down onto his chest, each featherlight touch sending a tingling sensation across his skin,

They were so close-so close that Hendrix could see the curve of her neck, her bulging collarbone, and the beads of sweat slipping down her skin.

Her hair shifted gently with every moment. Unable to resist, Hendrix reached out and caught a strand between his fingers. Noelle flinched slightly at the pull, her brows knitting together.

Hendrix smiled. Then, all of a sudden, he sat up and lifted her into his arms.

At last, Noelle got a clear look at thenoveldrama

scene outside the window. It was snowing. She had always loved watching the snow. To her, the world always felt so much cleaner after a snowfall. But now, as she looked at the blanket of white, all she could think of was Setine.

And then, it was as if she really saw her-Seline was standing at the foot of the mountain in Halbort, waving at her and calling out to her, "Noelle, come find me!"

Noelle slowly closed her eyes and whispered softly, "Okay."