Elias watched silently.
Then he stepped closer.
“Let me.”
His deep voice slid over her skin like heat.
Amara stiffened immediately.
“No, I can fix it myself.”
“Turn around.”
The command came softer this time, but somehow it felt even more intense.
Amara hesitated.
Before she could argue again, Elias moved closer until his chest nearly brushed her back. The heat of his body surrounded her instantly.
Then he dipped his head beside her ear.
A soft kiss touched the sensitive skin beneath it.
Amara’s breath caught.
“Stop kissing me,” she snapped, though her voice came out less steady than before.
Elias ignored her completely.
His lips lingered near her neck, warm and slow, while one of his hands slid across her back until his fingers curled around the zipper.
Amara exhaled sharply, expecting him to pull it up.
Instead—
The zipper slid lower.
Her breath hitched instantly.
The dress loosened around her body, exposing the smooth line of her bare back completely. Cold air brushed against her skin, making her shiver.
“Elias!”
Her hand flew to the front of her dress, clutching the fabric tightly against her chest before it could slip further. Her other palm shoved hard against his chest.
“UP,” she snapped angrily.
She heard him release a slow breath against her skin, almost frustrated. His fingers finally reversed direction, dragging the zipper back upward again.
The touch of his knuckles against her spine made another shiver crawl through her body despite herself.
Once the dress was fully closed again, Elias stepped back reluctantly.
Amara immediately adjusted the front of her dress and spun around to glare at him, her chest rising and falling unevenly.
“What is wrong with you?” she demanded.
Elias looked completely calm on the surface, but the darkness in his eyes hadn’t disappeared at all.
