Episode 4

She led him through the thinning crowd, her steps purposeful, her focus solely on him. The murmur of conversation faded as they moved towards a less populated area of the grand hall, near a set of heavy velvet curtains that seemed to promise a degree of privacy. Once they were partially concealed by the thick fabric, Elora stopped, turning to face him, her hand still gripping his jacket.

The earlier frustration had now morphed into a bold, almost defiant desire. Her eyes, no longer wide with confusion or narrowed with anger, burned with a clear, unmistakable intent. She raised her other hand, her fingers tracing the line of his jaw, the rough stubble beneath her touch sending a shiver through her.

"You think I've forgotten you, brother?" she said, the last word dripping with a playful sarcasm that belied the heat rising within her. Her thumb pressed lightly against his lower lip, a silent invitation.

"Let me remind you."

Without waiting for a response, Elara leaned in, her lips brushing against his ear, mirroring his earlier intimacy but with a newfound assertiveness. "This isn't about family, Christian," she whispered, her breath warm against his skin. "And tonight... tonight is all about remembering." Her hand slid from his jaw down to his chest, her fingers splaying against the firm muscle beneath his jacket, a silent promise of the forbidden desires about to be unleashed. The sweetness of the birthday cake was long forgotten, replaced by the potent, intoxicating anticipation of the spice to come.

The air crackled with unspoken tension as Elora’s lips grazed Liam’s ear, her words a deliberate invitation into a world far removed from polite birthday greetings. “Meet me in my room,” she murmured, her voice a low, seductive purr that sent a shiver down his spine, “midnight. I have a gift for you.” Her fingers tightened momentarily on his chest, a final, lingering promise before she stepped back, a knowing glint in her eyes.

Just then, a voice, slightly raised and tinged with urgency, echoed through the hall. “Christian? Christian? Are you there?”

Liam’s head snapped up, a flicker of annoyance crossing his features before he smoothed it into a polite acknowledgment. “Coming!” he called out, his gaze still locked on Elara, a mixture of surprise and burgeoning intrigue swirling within him.

He turned back to her, a wry smile playing on his lips. “Duty calls, it seems,” he said, his eyes dancing with a newfound curiosity. The earlier teasing had vanished, replaced by a palpable anticipation. His “sister’s” gift, delivered with such blatant sensuality, had thoroughly piqued his interest. He gave a curt nod, a silent promise to remember her invitation, before turning and heading towards the voice, leaving Elora standing amidst the dispersing crowd, a satisfied smirk playing on her own lips. The game had well and truly begun.

The final hours of Liam's birthday ticked by with agonizing slowness for both of them, though separated by the lingering obligations of the fading party. For Elara, the anticipation was a tangible thing, a nervous energy that fueled her preparations.

Meanwhile, Liam navigated the polite farewells and lingering conversations with a growing impatience. The image of Elara's intense gaze and the promise of her midnight "gift" played on a loop in his mind. The casual "sister" label felt increasingly absurd in light of their charged interactions. He found himself glancing at his watch with increasing frequency, the social niceties feeling like an unbearable delay to the intriguing mystery his unexpected sister had presented. A knot of curiosity, laced with a primal anticipation, tightened in his chest. He couldn't shake the feeling that tonight, the carefully constructed boundaries of their sibling relationship were about to be irrevocably shattered. The air in the grand hall, once filled with celebratory cheer, now felt heavy with the unspoken promise of a clandestine encounter.

Thank you to my all ladies and gentleman thank you for liking my stories and following my account for receiving latest update first.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***