The kiss on my hand does not end quickly. It lingers. Long enough for the warmth of his mouth to seep into my skin. Long enough for my breath to falter and for something deep inside my chest to twist painfully in response. Long enough for me to understand that Damian Thornton is fighting something powerful inside himself, something he is terrified to let touch the surface.
I sit perfectly still, afraid that moving will break whatever fragile truth is unfolding between us.
When Damian finally lowers my hand, his thumb remains against my knuckles for a slow second. A second too intimate. A second that binds us in a silence that feels charged and alive.
My body reacts before my mind can. A shiver trembles through me, small but not invisible. Damian notices. His eyes lift to mine, and the l
