“Areyou here because of El?” Lora asked, fixing him with a glare. “Just to ask me to spy?” She didn’t quite know why she asked. She knew she’d crossed into dangerous territory. Territory she’d tried to shut down for good last time. Yet here they were now.Again.
Eyden paused. When he looked up at her again, the emotion there was too much. What was it he was feeling? Anger, regret…longing?Maybe all of the above. Lora felt she should run, but her feet wouldn’t move. The fire starting inside of her burned her into the ground.
“No,” he breathed. He was so close now, she could almost taste the word on her lips.
“Why are you here even though I told you to leave?” Her voice was a traitorous whisper. Her body was working against her, not moving away from the dangerous scene she’d set in motion.
Eyden’s gaze dipped, taking in her dress, her bare shoulders. “This dress reminds me of the one I offered you.”
Electricity raced across every bare inch of her skin. The dress.Right.She was surprised he remembered. No, that was a lie. A part of her wanted him to remember, didn’t she?
“That dress was the length of a towel,” Lora answered breathlessly. She meant it as a joke, but when Eyden’s eyes moved to the hem of her dress, joking was not on her mind anymore.
“This one isn’t much longer either,” he observed, his gaze setting her skin on fire.
Lora sucked in a breath. The tension was too much. She didn’t trust herself. “You’ve seen more before.”
His gaze snapped up to meet hers so fast. Lora wasn’t prepared for the sparkling fire in his molten ice-blue eyes. With that one look, he stole her breath and all her sanity.
A smirk pulled up one side of his mouth. It was devastating.Ruining.“Good to know you remember.” He leaned in closer, putting one hand on the wall next to her head.
“Barely,” she replied in a hushed breath. Her brain seemed to have shut down, yet her heart was working overtime.
His smirk increased, his eyes sparkling. “Lies.”
“It doesn’t matter.” She looked away, forcing herself to break the hold he had on her with that look in his eyes, that promised mischief.
All at once, fire ran up her arm as Eyden’s hand brushed her skin. Lightly. Barely. But enough to make her want to throw all caution to the wind.
“Your body sure remembers. You’re heating up,” Eyden said in a deliciously low voice. Lora tried hard not to think of the times she’d heard that tone before. An ache was building in her lower stomach and lower still.
“I’m angry, that’s why. You shouldn’t have come,” Lora replied as she watched his hand move. She made no attempt to stop him. She could sense he was holding back, waiting to see if she would terminate this. Sheshould.
His fingers skimmed up her arm to her bare shoulder, evoking a shiver she couldn’t hide. “Do you want me to leave?” Eyden asked.
Her eyes fell shut.No.Yes.“Maybe,” she confessed, torn between her head and her heart.
Eyden’s hand left her skin and she wanted to protest, but then she felt his touch again. His finger brushed her mouth, tracing her bottom lip. Lora kept her eyes shut. If he was going to kiss her now, she’d melt. She’d burn alive. The fire inside her encouraged her.Burn it all down.
“Then tell me you don’t feel anything,” Eyden said, his breath on her lips.
“I don’t,” she lied. She shook her head, her eyes still shut. If she saw that glint in his eyes again…
“Mhm, I don’t believe you,” Eyden hummed, his voice doing interesting things to her. “If you tell me to stop, I will.” She made no move, too tempted by what he would do next. His hand moved to her bare leg, barely above her knee. The light touch sent sparks all through her body. “Do you feel something now?”
Her breathing became shaky. She could stop this. He would stop. He would leave with one command from her. But Lora had different commands on her mind.
“No,” she answered, her tone daring, telling a different story. The smile on her lips betrayed her.
Eyden’s hand continued exploring her leg, moving up her thigh until his finger met the hem of her dress. He slipped one finger under the fabric, barely. It was torturous in the best way. Flames circled her skin. She was sure he could hear her heart beating faster.
“How about now?” Eyden’s voice sounded strained, breathless like hers. Lora sensed this was the breaking point. She could turn away before they crossed that line.Again.
Lora opened her eyes with the full intention of stopping this, but she was immediately taken aback by Eyden’s intense stare. He was looking at her like no one ever had. With a burning fire that threatened to drown them both. It stole her breath, her words stuck in her throat.
The truth was, she’d drown either way. Maybe they could drown together.
“You’ll have to try harder,” she dared him, her eyes never leaving him.
