I swallow.
Because he’s right.
That part is on me.
And that’s what scares me the most.
So I lift my chin again, forcing a small smile, even if it feels a little shaky.
“Okay,” I say. “Now what?”
There’s a pause.
A long one.
And then—he moves.
Slow.
Controlled.
Until the front of him is pressed against my back.
“Now,” he says, his voice lower than before—rough, deliberate—“I want to show you what I see when I look at you.”
Chapter 18
Hadley
My breath catches.
Because the way he’s looking at me?
It’s not casual.
It’s not playful.
It’s intent.
Focused.
Like he’s already decided something about me I haven’t caught up to yet.
And that thought alone makes my pulse stutter.
“W-what do you want me to do?” I whisper.
There’s a flicker of nerves there.
But also—Gods help me—excitement.
“Start here,” he murmurs.
He lifts my hands, guiding them with his—slow, steady—until my palms press against my cheeks.
His hands settle over mine, warm, firm, grounding me there.
The contact sends a strange awareness through me—like my skin is suddenly alive under his touch.
