“You’re smiling,” he said, his own smile curving his mouth generously as he looked at her. He was right. It was impossible not to feel the way the smile filled her cheeks and opened her eyes. “And you’re beautiful,” Evan whispered.
The smiled softened, but remained. She felt both humbled and touched by his words, not remembering a time when anyone had paid her such a sincere and wonderful compliment.
Her head titled back as he leaned in, his mouth on hers again. The kiss was gentle, his lips parting around hers. His hands moved to her waist as he kissed her, his arms keeping her close to him. The kiss deepened, his lips capturing her bottom lip and pulling softly. When he met her mouth again she parted her lips further, inviting him in. She moaned at the taste of him in her mouth, the inviting warmth of his tongue caressing her own. Her chest became tender as it pressed against his, skin desiring to touch flesh. She could feel her pulse between her legs, the pumping of her heart reverberating against the most delicate of her senses.
His hands found their way beneath her top, his touch electrifying her nerve endings as his hands moved up and along the sides of her ribs. She felt his desire grow as his hands moved around her, his thumbs brushing unhurriedly beneath the delicate cup of her breasts.
Her hands moved to shoulders, feeling the breadth of hard muscle beneath the fabric of his shirt. She moved up and over until her fingers felt the muscles of his shoulder blades moving as he touched her.
He slowed the cadence of their kiss, bringing her back to the pleasant sensation of his lips between hers. After a moment his lips separated from hers, and she found her eyes felt soft, unwilling to open as though coming out from a deep sleep. She leaned in and kissed him again, her lips moving into a smile against his mouth. She could still feel the stiffness of his body against hers, her bottom lip receding in between her teeth as she smiled happily up at him.
“You’re smiling again,” he said, his own mouth curving into a brilliant, teeth-bearing smile.
“You made me happy,” she whispered back, fully enjoying the sensation. She’d forgotten what the warmth of happiness felt like, how it made everything come to a standstill.
“I must be a very lucky man.” His hands moved from beneath her blouse, his fingers trailing back down along the length of her torso before tugging the fabric down around her. He cupped her face in his hands and brought her to him again for another kiss. A small moan escaped her as he did, gently vibrating the air between their lips.
A knock brought Zoe’s attention back to reality just outside her happiness. Although no one entered she knew that Eva on the other side, respectfully announcing that their time was up.
A thought occurred to her as she stood still in his arms, her eyes still on the door. She turned and looked up at him, his bright green eyes locked with her own dark brown.
“Don’t let me forget who I was when you met me, especially if come back a different person.”
“Okay,” he promised, though to her it sounded more like a question.
“Promise me,” she insisted.
“I will if you promise to come back.”
“That’s the plan. At least, I hope it is. I hope your sister knows what she’s doing.”
Evan expelled a breath and leaned his forehead against hers, his fingers tangling with hers as he held her hand. “So do I.”
They kissed again before parting, and then together they walked for the entryway, Evan’s hand on the small of her back as they made their way to the common room.
Eva was crouched over the bag Zoe brought with her from home, placing items inside until it was full to capacity. She looked up at each of them as she stood and hoisted the bag’s strap up over her shoulder. “Ready?” she asked.
Zoe looked up at Evan, then at Eva. “As I’ll ever be.”
She stepped to the side as Eva approached her brother, her arms wrapping around him protectively, his circling around her waist. She kissed him on the cheek before taking a step backward, standing by Zoe’s side.
“Remember, you’ll be able to find her and I’ll always find you. Keep me updated about what’s going on here, okay?”
Evan nodded at his sister, a small smile on his face meant just for her.
“Take care of each other.” He looked to each of them, his eyes settling on Zoe last. “Be careful.”
Part Three
Chapter 17: A Forgotten Place
Zoe stood beside Evadine in the glass corridor as she peered in to the great hall of the Transport Station. When they crossed through the room together when Zoe first arrived, it was filled with people as they made their way home, their voices like an electric buzz cackling through the air. The room had emptied considerably since then, and the only sound was that of the soft padding of feet shuffling around. Crown Soldiers?