per of air through the blinds, made it feel like the walls themselves were watching. I

nd brushing mine as he passed made me freeze. That one touch carried ev

e murmured, voice low eno

. Trying wasn't enough anymore. The tension between us was coiled tight, re

ach drop. Nicholas's body stiffened immediately, his gaze slic

e said, voice clipp

, but the door slammed shut behind him. I was trapped, my hea

ches from mine. "Stay calm," he whispered,

fight the magnetic pull, but I couldn't. I was caught in h

ront of me, hands ready. He didn't wait. He lunged, catchi

cholas handled them without hesitation and yet, when the moment passed,

y hair back from my face, "this isn't a g

as my body still longed for

claiming, but restrained. We broke apart only when we had to

ching. But for one brief, stolen moment, the world had narrowed to us