[CHAPTER 43]

───🦋･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.🦋───

───🦋･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.🦋───

TITLE  : THE BEGINNING OF  FOREVER

THE CITY LIGHTS SHIMMERED outside the apartment window, casting a warm golden glow inside the cozy living room. It had been a long evening—a celebratory dinner with friends, laughter filling the air as they toasted to yet another milestone in their lives. But now, it was just the two of them.

Ellie leaned against the kitchen counter, sipping a glass of wine as she watched Mattheo take off his blazer and roll up his sleeves.

The sight of him, all relaxed yet undeniably alluring, made her stomach flip in the same way it always had since Hogwarts.

"You're staring," Mattheo teased, smirking as he loosened his tie and tossed it onto the couch.

Ellie shrugged, twirling her wine glass between her fingers. "Maybe I like what I see."

Mattheo chuckled, stepping closer, his hands finding her waist as he caged her against the counter. "That so?" His voice had dropped into that low, husky tone that sent shivers down her spine.

She set her glass down, her hands sliding up his chest, feeling the hard muscle beneath his shirt. "Mhm."

His lips brushed against hers, a teasing graze before he kissed her properly—deep and slow, the kind of kiss that left no space for words, just unspoken desire.

Ellie sighed against his lips, her fingers slipping beneath the buttons of his shirt, making quick work of them as she pushed the fabric off his shoulders.

Mattheo groaned as her hands traced down his torso, his grip tightening on her hips.

"Bedroom?" he murmured against her lips.

"Living room," she corrected, pushing him backward until the backs of his knees hit the couch.

Mattheo chuckled, but any witty remark he had died on his tongue when she straddled him, her dress riding up as she settled onto his lap.

His hands roamed her body, exploring every familiar curve, as their kisses grew hungrier.

Ellie tugged at his hair, tilting his head to deepen the kiss, her heart pounding as she felt him respond with just as much intensity. It was always like this with them—fiery, consuming, all-encompassing.

"God, I missed this," Mattheo groaned against her skin, his lips trailing down her jaw, her neck, lower.

She gasped as his hands slid beneath her dress, gripping her thighs. "You see me every day," she teased, though her breath hitched as he pulled her closer, his lips tracing a path along her collarbone.

"Not like this," he murmured. "Not nearly enough."

The night stretched on, filled with soft whispers, deep kisses, and the kind of intimacy that only years of loving someone could bring.

As they lay tangled together on the couch, bodies still humming with warmth, Mattheo pressed a soft kiss to Ellie's forehead.

"Marrying you was the best decision I ever made," he murmured, his fingers tracing lazy patterns on her bare back.

Ellie smiled, eyes half-lidded as she nuzzled into his chest. "Damn right it was."

Mattheo laughed, pulling her even closer. "I love you."

She sighed contentedly, pressing a soft kiss against his skin. "I love you too."

And in that quiet, blissful moment, nothing else mattered. Just them, their love, and the promise of forever.

───🦋･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.🦋───