Chapter Ten
As Dawn began to close the door to her room, her heart still fluttering from the almost-kiss beneath the fireworks, she heard the quiet thud of Alain's hand catching the door. Startled, she stopped, her hand still resting on the knob as she blinked up at him.
Alain, clearly having acted without thinking, stood frozen for a second, his hand firm against the door, his gaze meeting hers in the dim hallway light. His mind raced. What am I doing? He hadn't intended to stop her. It was an impulse, but now that they were standing there, the space between them shrinking again, he didn't know how to back down gracefully.
Dawn's breath hitched, her mind flooding with confusion. Was he about to say something? Was there more they hadn't addressed yet? After all, the moment by the tower had been anything but ordinary, but the fireworks had interrupted... what?
For a few heartbeats, neither of them moved. It was like the world around them had fallen away, leaving just the two of them standing in that narrow hallway, caught between what had happened and what might happen next.
Alain finally broke the stillness, taking a slow step toward her, his gaze never leaving hers. His steps were deliberate and cautious, but there was an unmistakable purpose in the way he moved, as if he'd already made a decision. As he approached, Dawn's breath grew shallow. She could feel her pulse quicken, her hands trembling at her sides, unsure of what to do with them.
But she didn't move. She couldn't. Her feet were rooted to the spot, drawn in by the silent intensity between them.
Alain stopped just in front of her, close enough that she could feel the warmth of his presence. His hand hovered in the space between them, as though he was fighting the urge to reach out and touch her. But still, he hesitated. His eyes searched hers, asking questions he wasn't ready to say aloud.
Dawn's heart thudded painfully in her chest. There were no words she could find in that moment, no easy way to explain the way her mind raced, how her emotions surged within her. Instead, she lifted her gaze to meet his, her lips parting slightly in an unspoken answer to the question in his eyes.
Without a word, Alain reached out and gently took her hand, his fingers brushing against hers in the softest of touches. The warmth of his skin against hers sent a jolt through her, and suddenly, everything felt inevitable. Her pulse quickened as she stepped closer, closing the remaining distance between them.
Their breath mingled in the small space between them, their bodies so close now that she could feel his warmth seeping into her. The world around them shrank even more, until it was just them, standing there, communicating through nothing but the intensity of their shared gaze.
For a long moment, they just stood there, their eyes locked, hearts racing.
And then, slowly, Alain leaned in. There was no rush, no urgency—just a slow, deliberate movement like he was giving her every opportunity to stop him. But she didn't. Her breath hitched as her eyes fluttered shut, her heart pounding in her chest as she tilted her head ever so slightly toward him.
Their lips met in the softest of kisses, tentative at first, like they were still testing the waters. But the moment their lips touched, everything else melted away. The hesitation, the confusion, the uncertainty—it all disappeared, replaced by a warmth that spread through both of them, something deeper and more powerful than either had anticipated.
Dawn's free hand found its way to Alain's chest, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt as she leaned into the kiss. Alain responded in kind, his hand slipping around her waist, pulling her closer in a way that felt both protective and intimate. The kiss deepened, but it remained gentle, a perfect reflection of the unspoken feelings they had been dancing around for so long.
When they finally pulled away, their foreheads rested together, both of them breathing heavily, neither one quite ready to break the connection. Their eyes met once more, but this time, there were no questions left unanswered. Everything they needed to say had been communicated in that single kiss.
Alain's hand lingered on her waist, his thumb brushing against her side absentmindedly as they stood there in her room. Dawn smiled softly, her heart still racing, but this time, there was no confusion. No doubt.
With his other hand, he slammed the door shut. Acting on instinct again, he couldn't believe himself. Dawns eyes glanced to the door, realising the implications of a closed door. Her eyes darted back to Alain and he noticed a mischievous smile on her face.
This was all the encouragement he needed. He tightened his grip on her waist pulling her right into his chest. His placed his other hand on her waist and slowly moved it up her body until he reached her cheek. Their eyes locked the whole time.
This was a new experience for them both. The faster Dawn's heartbeat, the tighter her hands gripped his chest. She could feel his heart beating as fast as her own. The tension was building too quickly to ignore. Finally, they gave in, and their lips were locked once again.
It wasn't long before they felt each other's lips parting and their tongues came into play. The kiss became more intense, and Alain's hand was now running through her hair. This drove her wild. Her hands wandered closer to his shoulders as if to push his jacket off.
Alain quickly responded by taking his jacket off and throwing it to the ground. As fast as his hand left her, was as fast as they returned. One hand round the back of her head and the other to her waist. He used his hand to tilt her head allowing for him to get in close to her neck. He began kissing his way down her neck, and she let slip the loud moan she had been holding in. Her nails began digging into his back which encouraged him all the more.
Alain's hand slowly moved down her waist, past her skirt until he felt her soft leg. His hand tightened groping the top of her leg. She's so soft he thought trying his best to contain himself. For the first time he was acting on instinct. This both terrified and excited him. The more he acted the more Dawn responded. If she wants it, and I want it, why not just give in.
After fully giving in to his urges, Alain moved his hand up so it was under her skirt. He pressed his hand hard on her skin and stopped upon reaching her behind. All the while still sucking on her neck.
Dawns mind was empty, her body had been taken over by the new intense feelings. Feeling his hand on her bare skin took her breath away. Wanting to return the favour she slipped her hands under his shirt. Each time she felt she could never feel closer to him. Then hands began to wander further and the feeling kept growing.
Her hands made it up to his shoulders and she gripped on tight, feeling herself melting into him. Alain could feel her going limp so he quickly moved his other hand onto her other cheek and hoisted her up. She let out a loud moan at this unexpected manoeuvre, her legs now wrapped around his waist and her hand now resting on his shoulders from the front.
They locked eyes again, and through heavy panting, Alain tried asking her "Are…. You….alright?". Not feeling like talking Dawn threw her hand behind his neck and locked lips yet again, while her other hand ran threw his hair. Alain felt his legs begin to buckle as Dawn became the dominant one. Not wanting to drop her, his feet began moving backwards until he felt his back against the door for support.
After a good while of enjoying each other, Dawn broke this kiss long enough to remove his t-shirt. Alain threw her up gently to get a better grip on her again. This caused Dawn to let out a small giggle causing them both to smile, leading to an intimate kiss, followed by a few small ones.
They let their foreheads rest on each other for a short while, allowing them to catch a quick breath. Alain loosened his grip, and she slowly moved down his body until her feet touched the floor.
Dawn gently placed her hands on his waist as they began to kiss again. This time in a slower, more intimate manner. She slipped the tip of her finger into his trousers and took slow steps backwards. Taking the hint, Alain followed suit until Dawn felt the edge of the bed.
Alain moved his hand to her back to support her as he lowered her onto the bed as he set himself on the edge of the bed. He stroked her cheek taking in the view. Dawn could sense his hesitation, fearing he was going to leave, she sat back up and held his hand on her cheek, "Stay" she whispered
Alains eyes widened, he wasn't sure what to say. She inched closer and closer to him pleading with his eyes. Lost in them, he almost forgot he was considering leaving.
"I…ugh…" Dawn gently kissed him "It wouldn't….". Alain struggled to form a sentence, in between his stuttering words they kept kissing until he finally lost himself and they deepened the kiss once again.
He thought he was being the gentleman trying to leave, but Dawn was very persuasive. One moment he was trying to leave and the next he was lying shirtless on top of her. After one last kiss, Alain nodded his head and she couldn't stop smiling. This time she was the one stoking his cheek. "And to think I was worried he wasn't thinking about our moment at Prism Tower." She chuckled to herself.
Eventually, they ended up wrapped in each other's arms, Dawn's head resting on Alain's chest. Her breathing was soft, steadying into the rhythm of sleep, but Alain remained awake, his thoughts racing. His hand gently stroked her back in slow, absent-minded motions, grounding himself in the moment. For now, nothing else mattered.
Yet, as serene as this moment was, Alain couldn't completely quiet the thoughts swirling in his mind. The fire between them had ignited something raw, something deeper than he'd anticipated. But with that fire came a quiet nagging—questions he couldn't shake.
He glanced down at her, watching her lips curve slightly into a peaceful smile, her fingers still resting on his chest as if holding onto him even in sleep. She trusted him completely. She had asked him to stay, and for the first time in a long time, he wanted to.
But he also knew this wasn't simple. Nothing about them was.
The earlier buzz of his phone—the one he'd ignored—echoed faintly in his mind. It was a reminder of the world outside this moment. A world that could catch up to them. But right now, he wasn't ready to face it. Not yet.
Dawn shifted slightly, nuzzling closer into his chest, her warmth a quiet comfort. Alain allowed himself to close his eyes, the weight of her trust and the emotions of the night settling over him.
For now, they had this—this fragile, intimate moment where nothing else mattered but them. But somewhere in the back of his mind, Alain knew that when morning came, they would have to face more than just the feelings that now bound them together.