Before Esther could form a single word in response, Gaara’s lips claimed hers without warning. The suddenness of it stole her breath, pulling her under into a kiss that burned with a fierce, consuming intensity.

A helpless sound slipped from her throat as his insistence deepened, his mouth unyielding, his presence overwhelming. Esther’s body trembled beneath the onslaught of sensation, each touch sending sparks that she struggled to contain.

Her pulse raced wildly when his hands began to ...