Elizabeth shifted uneasily, heat flushing her cheeks as embarrassment crept over her. The sudden yearning left her baffled.
Her mind willed her to stay composed, but her body betrayed her with its undeniable response.
Avoiding his gaze, she cleared her throat. “If you’re not going to shower, then I will. It’s too hot, and this sweat is unbearable.”
Her lips parted slightly, her voice taking on an unintentional, soft lilt—almost like deliberate provocation.
Without warning, Elijah rose and closed the distance between them, bracing his hands on the sofa to trap her in his shadow.
His breaths came slow and heavy, the faint scent of alcohol brushing her face and leaving her dizzy, as though she had taken a drink herself.
His chiseled features, from the sharp lines of his jaw to the intense depth of his eyes, were almost painfully perfect.
Her breathing hitched as she realized just how close their lips were—one small movement and she could close the gap.
Flashes of their past kisses flickered through her mind. None had been particularly gentle or memorable, yet now, the thought of his lips on hers sent a deep ache through her body.
She couldn’t explain it. Her rational mind screamed for her to stop, to pull away, but the primal, unrelenting pull she felt toward him consumed her. The tension swirled between them, electric and overwhelming.
Her heart thundered in her chest, each beat so forceful it seemed to echo in her ears.
Almost instinctively, she tilted her head, her lips drawing nearer to his.
Elijah suddenly straightened, his voice breaking the moment. “Don’t you think this is strange?”
Elizabeth froze, his words cutting through her haze like a blade. Heat rushed to her face as shame replaced her desire.
She shrank back into the sofa, willing herself to disappear, but the warmth coiled in her chest refused to subside.
“The drink…” Elijah began, his voice low and rough. “It was spiked with something.”
“Huh?” Her wide eyes locked on his, surprise mixing with a lingering, undeniable desire in her expression.
The unintentional allure in her gaze tugged at his resolve, testing his last shred of restraint as a deep need surged within him.
