The kiss that had started soft… lost all its restraint.
Aria barely had time to breathe before Rafael pulled her closer, his hand firm at her waist, anchoring her as if letting go wasn't even an option. The damp fabric clung to her skin, fragile, barely there and when it slipped, falling silently to the floor, the moment froze.
For a second… she couldn't look at him.
Heat rushed to her face, her hands instinctively trying to cover herself, but Rafael caught her wrists gently not forceful, just enough to stop her from hiding.
"Don't," he murmured, his voice low, roughened by something deeper than desire. He leaned closer, his lips brushing near her ear, his breath warm against her skin. "You have no idea how beautiful you are."
The words weren't rushed. They lingered.
And something in her shifted.
