Our eyes locked, and the air between us throbbed with unspoken things. His gaze dipped, just once, to my lips, before returning to my eyes with a hunger so carefully leashed it made me ache.

His hand edged closer, brushing the back of my fingers with the barest touch. It was nothing, and it was everything. A spark ignited where skin met skin, racing through me like fire. My breath hitched audibly, and his jaw tightened, as though holding himself back required more strength than anything else he ...