What am I doing? It was this side of one day ago I was crying into my pillow over the very same boy standing in front of me right now. I try to pull away, but he catches my wrist in one swift movement.

“Don’t,” he breathes. His grip is firm, but not painful. He brings my hand back to his face, holding it there like it’s the only thing keeping him together.

“Please,” he whispers, eyes fluttering shut as he leans into my palm. “Touch me. Please.”

Something inside me splinters. I shouldn’t. I know I shouldn’t.

But I can’t help it.

I give in.

I press my hand more firmly to his cheek, and he exhales like he’s waited lifetimes for this.

His lips graze my palm. Then he turns my wrist and kisses the inside of it, slow and reverent. “I agonized dreaming of the way this would feel,” he says.

“Me touching your face?” I ask, barely audible.

His gray eyes flash up to mine. There are so many things swirling in their depths right now.

Dark. Seductive. Needy.

“I’ve thought about every inch of you a million times over. There is not one other thought inside my brain that isn’t related to you.”

And just like that, I forget how to breathe.

RIVEN

It was hard not to ravage Lakynn right there in that field, but I refused to touch her beautiful body for the first time while my hands are covered in another man’s blood. She fights me on it, but ultimately lets me carry her up to the barn on the Kozlov property so we can wash up. I know our father is aware of my presence in our little town. He’s probably looking for me, or at the very least waiting for me to show up, so I left the truck down in the field. He didn’t build the Kozlov empire by being clueless. He knows he’s on my list of people to eliminate before we leave town.

Once I’m satisfied that there isn’t a trace of that fucker’s blood on either of us, I scoop Lakynn back up in my arms and set her down on the workbench like she’s breakable.

She’s not. God, she’s never been. She’s a wildfire wrapped in fucking lace, and I’d let her burn me to the bone if it meant I could keep her close. But after the way I found her staring down a man who only wanted to hurt her, I handle her like she’s made of glass. I take a deep breath because she’s something I’ve been missing my whole fucking life.

I’m buzzing.