“You’re staring,” I whispered with a crooked smile, trying to keep the moment light even as my pulse roared in my ears.
“Can you blame me?” Her voice was barely audible, her thumb brushing over a faint scar near my lip.
I caught her hand, pressing a kiss to her knuckles before guiding it to my chest. “Touch me all you want.” My voice was low, rough edged. “But you better let me return the favor.”
Her lips parted, but no sound came, so I kissed her again, slow and deep.
When her hands tugged at the hem of her own shirt, my fingers wrapped gently around her wrists.
“Let me,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt.
Selene hesitated, her lashes fluttering as she searched my face. For a moment I thought she’d argue. Then, with a small exhale, she let her arms fall back to the bed.
Trust.
The word echoed in my head like a bell.
I leaned down, brushing my lips across her temple, her cheek, the corner of her mouth, before trailing lower—down her throat, across her collarbone. Her fingers flexed against my bare shoulders, nails biting just enough to make my breath catch.
“You’re killing me,” she whispered, her voice breaking the hush of the room.
“Not yet,” I murmured, nipping lightly at her skin. “But I plan to.”
Her quiet laugh morphed into a gasp when my hands slipped under her shirt, palms splaying against the warm skin of her waist. I took my time, inching the fabric higher as my thumbs traced slow, lazy circles over her side.
“God, you’re beautiful,” I said reverently.
The words seemed to unravel something in her. She arched slightly, her hands threading into my hair as if to anchor herself.
“Say it again,” she breathed.
“You’re beautiful.” I kissed the underside of her jaw, letting the words sink in. “Perfect. You feel like—” My voice faltered as I met her gaze, my chest tightening. “You feel like home, Selene.”
Her lips trembled like she wanted to reply, but instead she tugged me down for another kiss, her hands desperate now, pulling at my shoulders like she couldn’t get me close enough.
I didn’t mind. I didn’t ever want her to stop.
The quiet of the house pressed heavier around us as my hands traced the length of her thighs, slipping beneath the fabric of her shorts, mapping out every inch of her like I had all the time in the world.
I’d never had anything like this. And I already knew—if it all ended tomorrow, I’d still spend the rest of my life remembering how it felt to be here.
With her.
Selene’s fingers tightened in my hair as I kissed down the curve of her throat, tasting the faint salt of her skin. Her breathing hitched, soft and shallow in the stillness of the room.
“Austin ...” Her voice trembled like she wasn’t sure whether it was a plea or a warning.
I drew back just enough to see her face, brushing a thumb over her flushed cheek. “What is it?”
Her lips parted, but she hesitated, lashes lowering like she was trying to hide.
“Selene,” I murmured, pressing a kiss to her temple. “Look at me.”
It took a beat, but her eyes finally lifted to mine. There was vulnerability there—naked and staggering—but she didn’t look away.
And, Christ, she was devastating.
“I’ve got you,” I whispered. “Every second. Every inch. I’ve got you.”
