-

ace, something hardened in the air between us-something dense, something I couldn't quite put words

*Not after the way he left me*, the way he had left me with no explanatio

ered my mind, appeared to draw me back to him. He was now part

he space around me with the kinds of presence that o

or patrolling the grounds, he seemed to be. But what bothered me most was how little he seemed to shi

as if he was holding out for me to make the first move, to start

me shifted. A spark of recognition. A spark of

*

ing buzz of cicadas in the air, and the sun had dropped into its leisurely decline, casting the estate in a golden, warm glow. It had

of silence, of pea

d on the garden stairs, a glass of whiskey sitti

tween us. His gaze searched me, his intense stare mapping my face

p and casual, but challenge lurking almost shamelessly behind hi

wasn't sure why I had come out, to be honest. I didn't want to be

ver looking away from me. "It's

ve. My legs, though, had other ideas, pushing me towards w

my voice tighter than I'd intended. "I

other sip of his beverage, deliberately, with his eyes st

shield myself from the sparks that began fi

ch tone vibrating low in his ch

oment, trying to calm the pounding in my chest. "I j

h me, like he could read all the thoughts running through my head. I hated how ea

to me," he said finally, his tone low but

you're judging me every time you glance in my direction. Like I'm some breakable thing you can't hu

bridging the space between us with one deliberate step. My heart thudded as his body closed in on me, and I t

ne now, his warm breath on my skin. For a moment, I couldn't think, cou

g in spite of myself. But I didn't m

ek in his palm, his thumb caressing the softness of my skin. Th

ly, his voice low and husky. "But I can't

t process them. He hadn't hurt me on purpose, but he had done the very sa

back, and the chemistry betwe

s tumbling out before I could grab them back. I hadn't

g. "I was afraid of what we were, of what I f

by his honesty. For a mo

e low but resolute. "I want you, Aria. I always did. But I ne

torm of emotions tearing at me. My heart pounded, my brain screamed for me to step b

e to trust you again," I finally

iam said softly. "I'm asking you to

ht in my throat, and for a moment, everything else simply vanished. All I could think about

very bones, the need to be near him, to be with him. But

of my lip, and I shook off a wave of r

believe him

d to me was the man in front of me, his gaze locked on

pull away. Not tonight. Not when eve