Aria stiffened, her cheeks grew hotter as she closed her eyes and kissed him back.

Lucien wrapped his hand around hers, his presence warm and comforting.

The kiss was soft at first, then it moved faster, hotter and more reverent. It was filled with the weight of everything they were. He wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled her towards him. Her hands slid up his chest and moved into his hair.

Around them, the worlds seemed to have frozen in place. As they lost themselves in the ...