Alina woke with Austin’s arm still wrapped around her waist. It hadn’t moved once in the night. It was probably the first time since coming to Ravenmoor, she had slept straight through until morning, and he had held her the whole time. Even in sleep, he hadn’t let her go.

She lay still for a moment, feeling his warmth against her skin.

Outside, the castle was buzzing with footsteps in the corridors, and distant voices, but here, everything felt quiet as if time had paused.

Suddenly, she felt his arm tighten around her.

"You’re awake," she whispered.

"How do you know?" he asked, his voice rough with sleep.

"Your breathing changed."

She smiled and turned slowly in his arms. For the first time, she saw his face so closely in the daylight. His hair was slightly messy, a faint crease pressed into his cheek from the pillow. He looked softer like this and incredibly gorgeous.

"Hi," she said.

"Hi."

"This feels...a little awkward."

"What does?"

"Waking up like this...not alone. With you."

He studied her quietly.

"I used to watch you sleep for a few minutes before I left in the mornings," he confessed.

"You watched me sleep?"

He nodded.

"I would look at your face in the morning light and wish I could..." 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

"You what?"

He didn’t answer with words. He leaned in and kissed her. It was soft and slow, as if he had all the time in the world. He tilted his head slightly, fitting his lips to hers. She felt the warmth of his palm cradling her cheek as he deepened the kiss.

Her lips parted on a soft sigh, and his tongue slid in. The kiss turned slower, and wetter. He nipped at her lower lip, then soothed it with a stroke of his tongue, and she shuddered against him.

When he pulled back, he traced his thumb over her swollen lower lip.

"I wished I could do this," he finished.

She smiled, still dazed, and pressed her forehead to his.

"Then don’t stop."

Breakfast was a disaster that morning. Every time she looked up, she found Austin already watching her.

She dropped her spoon twice during the meal. The second time, Marguerite reached over and took it from her hand.

"I’ll hold this," she said. "You focus on not staring at His Grace’s mouth."

Alina’s face burned. She immediately looked down at her plate and shoved a bite of food into her mouth.

The sewing circle was even worse. The moment she stepped in, the room fell into a suspicious silence.

"Well," Lady Brennan said, leaning back in amusement. "Look who finally decided to join us."

Marguerite didn’t even try to hide her smile.

"You’re late," she said. "We were just discussing the results."

"What results?" Alina asked, surprised.

"Evelyn won," someone said from the corner.

"Won what?"

"The wager," Lady Talbot replied, as if it were obvious.

Evelyn crossed her arms, looking far too pleased with herself.

"I said it would happen last night."

"What would happen?" Alina asked, curious.

Evelyn shrugged.

"Don’t act innocent now," she replied.

A few women laughed.

"Don’t you remember... me interrupting your moment?"

Alina remembered then, about her three failed attempts the night before.

A few women laughed.

"I had almost forgotten," she muttered.

"That’s because something clearly did happen later," Marguerite said, laughing.

"We all can see the glow on your face," Lady Brennan added.

Alina instinctively touched her cheeks.

"What glow?"

"I had the same glow on my wedding night," Lady Talbot replied, leaning back slightly, as if remembering the moment. "And on a few other occasions...I can’t say here."

"LADY TALBOT!!!" Alina almost shouted, horrified.

The circle burst into laughter.

Lady Brennan shook her head, still smiling.

"Teasing aside... we really are happy for you."

Alina looked at all of them, one by one. They were teasing her, yes, but they were also standing with her. She laughed with them her heart full,

Later, slipping away from her sewing circle, Alina went to Austin’s study. She didn’t sit in her usual chair. Instead, she walked to his side of the desk and sat on its edge, her legs swinging slightly as she looked down at him.

"You’re not sitting on the chair," he said.

"No," she replied. "I think things have... changed."

He raised his brows.

"We need to talk about this... new situation," she said.

He held his gaze for a moment, then stood up. Slowly, he walked around the desk and stopped right in front of her, very close.

"Do you mean...," he said softly, lowering his voice. "this?"

Before Alina could answer, he kissed her. His hand moved to her waist, pulling her slightly towards him as his mouth claimed hers.

Alina let out a small, surprised laugh against his lips, gripping his shirt to steady herself.

"Austin..." she said, but he kissed her again before she could finish.

When he finally pulled back, he pressed his forehead against hers.

"Let’s have a rule," he murmured.

She looked up at him, still catching her breath.

"What rule?"

He gently brushed his thumb along her waist.

"I kiss you when I want to."

She smiled.

"That’s not a rule," she said. "That’s anarchy."

"I’m a duke," he replied. "I can be anarchist."

She laughed and he kissed her again.

Later, they left the study together, holding hands.

The guards at the end of the hall stared straight ahead. The servants passing by suddenly found the walls very interesting.

Inside his room, he closed the door behind them.

Alina glanced at the bed then back at him.

"Are you going to hold me all night again?" she asked.

"Every night," he said, without hesitation.

That made her pause. She smiled, a little shy and a little overwhelmed.

"That’s a big promise."

He stepped forward.

"I know," he said. "But it doesn’t feel like one."

His hand gently touched her arm. "You already take up most of my heart, Alina. I don’t want any distance between us anymore."

Her expression softened. She stepped forward and put her hands on his chest.

"You’re going to be insufferable now, aren’t you?" she said.

"Probably."

"Everyone in the castle is going to talk."

"Let them."

She hesitated for a second, before speaking again.

"Audrey is going to..."

"Not tonight," he said quietly. "Let’s not talk about her."

Alina nodded. Then she leaned up and kissed him softly, choosing this moment and him without hesitation.