Lips Like Promises 💋✨

Chapter Twenty-Two - The Release

The door hadn't been shut five minutes before Tasia was on edge, pacing the length of her apartment, adrenaline and heat battling in her chest.

Alicia's words still echoed—sharp, poisonous—but every time she replayed them, Taraji's voice cut through louder. "It's you. It's always been you."

Taraji stood by the counter, watching her, quiet but steady. Her hoodie hung loose on her frame, her curls tumbling wild after their morning, but her eyes—those eyes—were unshakable.

"Tasia," she said softly, finally breaking the silence.

That one word made Tasia stop cold. She turned, searching Taraji's face, and what she saw there unraveled the last of her defenses. Desire, yes—but also certainty. Devotion. A promise.

Before she knew it, her feet carried her across the space between them. She didn't speak—she just grabbed Taraji's hoodie by the collar and pulled her in, their mouths colliding like the only answer left.

The kiss was rough at first—teeth clashing, breaths sharp—born from anger and relief and pure want. But the longer their lips tangled, the more it shifted. Softer. Hungrier. Like they had all the time in the world but couldn't waste a second.

Taraji's hands slid to Tasia's waist, gripping tight like she was afraid to let her drift away. Tasia melted into it, pressing closer, the hoodie bunching in her fists. She pulled back just enough to whisper, voice low and trembling, "I don't care what she says. I'm not going anywhere."

Taraji's response was a kiss to her jaw, then her throat. "Good. 'Cause neither am I."

They stumbled toward the bedroom, shedding layers as they went—hoodie sliding off Taraji's shoulders, Tasia's silk robe pooling onto the hallway floor. By the time they collapsed onto the bed, it wasn't just heat—it was release.

Tasia arched under Taraji's touch, every inch of her body alive. She gasped as lips traced a path along her collarbone, down the curve of her chest. Her fingers tangled in Taraji's hair, tugging gently, grounding herself in every sensation.

"Look at me," Taraji murmured, lifting her head just enough for their eyes to lock. "I want you to see who you belong to right now."

The words sent a shiver down Tasia's spine. Her breath hitched, but she held Taraji's gaze as their bodies moved together, slow at first, then desperate, frantic, urgent.

Every kiss, every sigh, every whispered promise was a breaking point and a healing all at once. The tension that Alicia had stirred, the doubt that had lingered, all of it burned away in the heat of their bodies colliding, finding rhythm, finding truth.

By the time it was over, they were tangled in sheets, skin damp, hearts racing, silence thick except for their uneven breathing.

Tasia rested her head on Taraji's chest, listening to the steady beat beneath her ear. For once, her thoughts weren't spiraling. For once, she felt sure.

Taraji's arm draped around her, pulling her closer. "Now you know," she whispered.

Tasia smiled faintly, pressing a kiss to her shoulder. "Now I know."

And for the first time since this whirlwind began, she believed it.

To be continued...