Two Hundred-Eighty-Eight

"... You love the power that I would give you...”

“No… Well, maybe that was what I originally wanted, but now…”

Kastrath places his hands on the upper parts of my arms and turns me around, so I am now looking at him. For someone as old as he is, he does look rather handsome. He then moves one of his hands to my cheek and, using his hold there, tilts my head up and steps in that little closer, leaning down until his lips are just millimetres from mine before he continues.

“After spending time with you, in your dreams, and when I see and touch you like this, I fall more and more for you.”

He then closes that small gap and presses his lips to mine. I don’t return the kiss, however; I don’t struggle or pull away from him, either. I feel as he slides his other hand around my waist, pulling me tight into his body; I lift my hands and place them on his chest as he then slightly pulls back from his kiss and whispers against my lips.

“All it takes is just one word. Just one small word and