As Raven leaned against the wall, her tall, athletic frame creating an imposing presence, the woman closed the distance, a daring smile gracing her lips. Raven felt the familiar stir of excitement mixed with trepidation. She was used to solitude. Romantic entanglements were foreign territory, yet something about this moment felt exhilaratingly right.

"Is this how you welcome all your guests?" the woman teased, stepping closer so that the warmth of her body brushed against Raven’s. There was a challenge in her eyes, one Raven found hard to resist.

"I don't usually have guests," Raven replied, her voice low and steady, but her heart began to race. A magnetic pull drew them together, igniting a fire that had long lain dormant in Raven’s heart.

Before she knew it, the woman was pressed against her, and as laughter faded into something deeper, Raven cupped her hands around the woman’s face. Their lips met softly at first, but the kiss rapidly intensified. Raven’s tongue traced the woman’s lips, teasingly, while she felt the edges of her own armor begin to dissolve.

With an assertive motion, Raven maneuvered the woman toward the wall, guiding her back with a deliberate gentleness tempered with power