Thorne's POV

I leaned against the kitchen counter, the cool marble grounding me as I tried to shake the image of Elara’s naked body from my mind. Her skin, soft and glistening from the bath, had unraveled me, and those three cursed words “Do you like them?” still echoed, taunting my restraint. At forty-seven, I’d faced dark mages and rogue spirits, but Elara’s boldness was a spell I couldn’t counter. The mansion’s crystal-lit walls pulsed faintly, mocking my racing pulse as ...