WHISPERS OF THE FORGOTTEN HEART

The morning after, Evermere awoke to a quiet stillness that hung heavy in the air, as though the world itself was holding its breath. The storm had passed, but its echoes lingered in the form of the unspoken between Xander and Ella.

She hadn't meant for it to happen. Of course, she hadn't.

But now as she walked through the village square with the sun creeping over the horizon, Ella felt the weight of their kiss on her lips, lingering like a secret she couldn't erase.

Everything had changed in that single moment and it terrified her.

Ella had always been cautious with her heart. Too cautious. After her father's death, she had shut herself off from love, telling herself that it was a luxury she couldn't afford. But now, her heart raced every time she thought of Xander especially of the way he had kissed her, of the pain and longing in his touch.

She could still feel him everywhere.

Xander's POV

Xander had hardly slept.

He had spent the night pacing the small room at the inn trying to rid himself of the images of Ella's soft touch, of her lips pressed against his, of her breath mingling with his. He had always been a man in control, always aware of his surroundings, always thinking several steps ahead. But with her, he had lost himself and it terrified him.

He couldn't afford to be distracted, not now, not when everything he had worked for was hanging by a thread. He had a plan, a clear vision of what needed to be done. He couldn't afford to let someone like Ella into his heart. She was too good and pure for a man like him.

Yet, every time he closed his eyes, he saw her face, the gentle curve of her smile, the warmth in her eyes. He could never let her know the truth. Not about him.

But even as he stood there, staring out over the village from the small window of his room, he knew he was already lost to her.

The day had passed in a blur, a haze of mundane tasks that seemed to stretch into eternity. Ella tried to focus on her work arranging the books in the shop, preparing the herbs for her next healing session but all she could think about was him.

His kiss, his touch, the raw emotion that had passed between them. She had told herself it was a mistake, a fleeting moment of weakness but deep down, she knew it was more than that. It was something that neither of them could deny.

When she finally closed up the shop for the night, she found herself drawn once more to The Wren's Hollow. It wasn't where she had intended to go, but it was the only place she could think of.

Inside, the warmth of the fire greeted her, but the moment she entered, the familiar tension wrapped around her heart. Xander was sitting in the same corner as before, his posture rigid, his eyes distant. He was pretending to be lost in thought, but she could see the battle that raged inside him.

Without thinking, Ella walked toward him. There was no more time for pretense.

"Xander," she said, her voice low.

He looked up sharply, his face pale, his eyes haunted. "Ella… What are you doing here?"

She could see the struggle in his expression, the way his fists were clenched at his sides. He wanted to push her away, to keep his distance, but there was something else, a yearning that he couldn't hide.

"I couldn't stay away," she admitted, her voice trembling with honesty. "I don't know what this is… What happened between us. But I can't ignore it anymore."

He stood abruptly, his chair scraping across the wooden floor. His hands trembled as he reached for her, his expression one of desperation and frustration. "You don't know me, Ella. You don't know the things I've done… The things I still have to do."

"I don't care about your past," she whispered, her eyes meeting his. "I care about who you are now… Who we are."

For a long moment, neither of them moved. Then, slowly, Xander's hands cupped her face, his thumb brushing over her cheek as if memorizing the feel of her.

"I don't deserve you," he said, his voice breaking, raw with emotion.

Ella leaned into his touch, her heart hammering in her chest. "You don't have to deserve me, Xander. You just have to be with me."

And then, with a force neither of them could control, he kissed her again.

This time, there was no hesitation, no fear. It was a kiss of longing, of need, of everything they had both been holding back. His hands tangled in her hair as she pressed her body closer to his, her heart racing with every breath they shared.

In that moment, the world outside disappeared. There was no past, no future. There was only them.

And for the first time in what felt like forever, they were free.