I stopped. He looked at the distance between us and lifted his brows."This seems close enough," I said. "For safety's sake.""Safe from the branch breaking? Or from me?"He swung his leg over and reached for me, pulling me into a kiss. He started slow, shifting, checking my balance. I backed up a little and swung my leg over, so we were both straddling."Better?" I said."Much."He gave me a real kiss then, deep and hungry, and I think the branch could have snapped and I wouldn't have noticed until I hit the ground. Maybe not even then.
In this excerpt from "The Gathering" by Kelley Armstrong, the characters engage in a moment of tension and closeness, highlighted by their playful conversation about safety. One character pauses to assess the space between them, joking about their proximity in relation to the possibility of a branch breaking or the risk of a deeper connection. This sets the stage for an intimate moment, blending humor with an undercurrent of attraction.
The scene evolves as one character takes the initiative, pulling the other into a kiss that transforms from gentle exploration into something much more passionate. As they both straddle a branch, the kiss grows deeper, suggesting that their connection is so intense that external dangers fade into the background. The moment illustrates the blend of vulnerability and desire, emphasizing the thrill of being caught between safety and the urge to embrace the unknown.
