Zayn's mind went blank.
Her lips were soft, warmer than he had expected, yet demanding.
There was no hesitation in the way she kissed him, no second-guessing — just confidence, just Kara taking exactly what she wanted.
Her scent, that rich, earthy aroma, surrounded him, drawing him in deeper.
He didn't resist.
His hands instinctively found her waist, fingers pressing against the toned muscles of her sides.
She felt real, solid — nothing like the delicate, fleeting dreams he sometimes had when he thought about things like this.
He could feel her heartbeat through their closeness, the steady rhythm matching his own racing pulse.
Kara tilted her head slightly, deepening the kiss.
Zayn responded in kind, his grip tightening around her waist as he pulled her closer.
The taste of her lingered on his tongue — something faintly sweet yet undeniably her.
The sound of the knife clattering onto the cutting board jolted them apart.
