His grip flexed—reverent, possessive.
His gaze roamed—unapologetic, deliberate.
The way her top hugged every curve, the way those sheer sleeves softened the sharp edge of black leather wrapped around her hips, it nearly did him in.
The kind of body built for his hands.
Only his.
His thumb skimmed along her jaw, an anchor and a spark.
His eyes held hers, burning with something deeper, something that made her breath hitch.
“I meant what I said.” His voice was rough, deliberate. A vow. “You’re mine. And you’re not alone. Not now. Not ever.”
Something shifted inside her.
The words landed. She felt them settle—felt them burrow deep, an unshakable truth threading through her.
For a long time, she had carried everything alone.
Had been alone.
But now?
His lips brushed hers again—soft, fleeting, but no less disarming.
And she let herself believe him.
His smirk was pure sin, but it didn’t disguise the dark flicker in his eyes—the one that said he was barely holding himself back. “Letting you go doesn’t mean I’m done with you.”
His lips ghosted over hers.
A kiss that was too soft. Too reverent. Too dangerous because of what it did to her.
The world fell away.
The silence between them was thick with understanding.
With inevitability.
His hand stayed at her waist.
Branding her.
Staking his claim.
Strength and tenderness.
The contrast of him stole her breath.
And Arden let herself feel it all. Without walls. Without hesitation.
From the other room, Penny’s cheerful voice usurped the moment. “Arden! Subway leaves in fifteen!”
Arden laughed under her breath, her forehead resting against his. “Guess that’s my cue.”
His jaw tightened. A shadow passed through his eyes—quiet, reluctant, raw.
