Her soft lips pressed against his light pink ones, and the world went quiet.
Julian didn’t move at first—not out of hesitation, but because his entire body felt like it had turned to air. He was floating, melting, burning—all at once. Her lips were so warm, so tender, it made his heart flutter like it had never done before.
The kiss was slow and sweet.
And Julian, once he recovered from the shock, kissed her back—gently, carefully, like she was something delicate. His hand moved around her waist, not to pull her closer, but just to be there. To hold her. To stay with her like she asked.
His heart beat loudly in his chest, but Ruby’s hand resting against it seemed to calm him.
Her lips traced a slow, lazy path down to his neck, and she felt his breath catch as she kissed the sensitive skin there. His hands clenched lightly around her waist, and his eyes fluttered shut, his dark lashes brushing his cheek. He didn’t say a word. He didn’t need to. The way he shivered under her lips, the way his chest rose and fell with restraint, told her everything.
She kissed him again, lower on his neck, where his pulse beat the strongest. A soft sound left him, barely above a whisper, and Ruby smiled before finally placing a long kiss on his forehead. She nestled against him, her cheek resting over his heart. "Sleep," she murmured, and he did—melting into the mattress like he had waited forever just to be held by her .
Wrapped in the warmth of their breath, the heaviness of the moment drifted into peace. And soon Ruby fell asleep too, their legs tangled, the scent of him lingering against her skin.
It was late afternoon now.
A knock echoed through the room.
She groaned softly, still wrapped in the after-warmth of rest, her body tangled in soft sheets. Julian was still asleep beside her, his arms loosely around her waist. She carefully shifted, not wanting to wake him, and moved toward the door, rubbing her eyes.
As she opened it, sunlight spilled into the room.
And Karl stood there.
He was about to speak — probably ask if she could take him to the market but the words never made it out of his mouth.
He blinked. His breath caught in his chest. Because his eyes, wide and uncertain, had already seen it.
Inside the room... Julian was still on her bed.
His robe is slightly messy. His hair tousled from sleep. The faint red mark on the side of his neck visible in the golden afternoon light.
Karl’s lips parted, but he didn’t say a word. His throat felt tight. His chest heavy.
He looked at her—then past her again—then back.
Ruby paused, suddenly aware.
She followed his gaze and turned slightly, catching the exact angle of what he saw. Her lips pressed into a line.
"Karl..." she said, voice quiet.
But Karl had already taken a step back. His face was pale, eyes still wide, like he was struggling to believe what he was seeing.
"You... kissed him," he finally said, his voice barely a whisper.
He didn’t sound angry. Just stunned. Hurt.
His voice cracked slightly. "No, it wasn’t just that, was it?"
Ruby opened her mouth, then closed it.
Karl looked down, then looked up again, and for the first time, there was a distance in his eyes. He wasn’t the cheerful Karl in that moment.
"I thought... I was the only one you..." he trailed off.
His eyes were glossy, but he didn’t cry. He nodded slowly, once, and backed away.
"I... I’ll wait outside," he said quietly.
And then he turned and walked down the hallway.
Ruby stood there for a long moment, frozen in the doorway, her heart pounding.
Behind her, Julian stirred. "Wife? Who was it?"
"...Karl," she said softly, staring at the now-empty doorway.
Julian’s eyes widened as the door clicked softly behind Ruby. The room suddenly felt colder without her beside him. His heartbeat grew louder in his chest, and he sat frozen for a moment on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the quiet space she left behind. Panic slowly crept in, wrapping around his thoughts like fog.
Then, suddenly, he moved.
He stood up quickly, barefoot and hesitant, and walked toward her — not with anger or urgency, but something deeper. Something that trembled. He reached out gently and caught her wrist just before she turned down the hallway.
She turned halfway, her red eyes flicking back to him over her shoulder, calm but sharp. Her expression softened the moment she saw his face.
"What’s wrong?" she asked quietly.
Julian looked like he’d forgotten how to breathe. His lips parted, but it took him a second to find the words.
"Wife..." he said, barely louder than a breath. "What were you going to tell him?"
His fingers held onto her wrist, not tight — just enough to show the fear behind them. He couldn’t hide the way his voice shook, or how his eyes seemed to carry too many questions he was too scared to ask.
Ruby looked at him fully now, turning her body to face him. She didn’t look upset — only firm, and strangely calm.
"What are you afraid of?" she asked, her tone low but steady. "We’re husband and wife, Julian."
He blinked slowly, those words landing on his heart like a quiet truth.
She took a step closer. "And it’s not like we’re having an affair," she added, her voice dipping with something soft — part reassurance, part teasing.
Julian’s shoulders relaxed just a little, but he still couldn’t meet her eyes for a moment. His lips parted again as if to speak, but no words came out.
Ruby let her fingers slide gently out of his grasp.
"Come on," she said, turning toward the living room again.
He stood there for a second, then glanced down at himself. His robe was wrinkled from sleep, and there was a small mark on his collar he hadn’t noticed before. Quickly, he fixed it, wiped his palms on the fabric, and ran a hand through his hair.
Then he followed her.
To be continued... 🪄