“It’s okay.” His hands were on the move again, sliding upward. When they circled my waist, all rational thought went out the window. His breath trailed across my throat, around my chin and stopping over my cheek. His fingers curved along my back as his soft breath hovered over my lips. “Do you know what you do to me?”

I think I shook my head, but I wasn’t sure. All I could concentrate on was how exquisite, how right, how wonderful being this close to him felt.

His breath still lingered over my lips, and one of his hands drifted upwards, stopping at the collar of my shirt.

And then he touched me.

My eyes fell shut and a tiny sigh escaped me. Hayden moved the tips of his fingers across my neck, over my chin. They jerked more than once, but he continued until his entire hand pressed against my cheek.

“Tell me to stop,” he pleaded hoarsely.

Any resolve I had shattered. I touched his face, cupped his cheek. His skin felt just like I’d imagined. No. Better than I’d ever thought. His skin was hot, smooth, and inviting. Maybe even as hot as I felt and I was tingling all over.

Hayden let out a ragged sound. Seconds went by, and just our breathing could be heard. His thumb traced a broken circle over my cheek. He couldn’t keep his hand still. Whatever poison in my skin affected him, but I couldn’t pull my hand away.

I inhaled once, twice. The scent of smoke and spice filled me.

He moved his other hand to the nape of my neck, his fingers spasming as they made contact with my skin. A startled sound escaped me. My brain couldn’t process one logical thought other than how wonderful he felthow beautiful, how alive.

“Ember…?” His voice felt like a whisper against my lips.

He was going to kiss me. I knew it. My entire body tensed in anticipation, my pulse hummed deliciously. But on the fringes, things start to blur. Even as I felt like I would burst through my skin any second, my head started to swim. Then he pulled away so fast I nearly fell off the desk.

Panting heavily, Hayden stepped back and stared. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Did I hurt you?” I asked, surprised by how husky my own voice sounded.

He looked at me like I’d grown a hand out of my head and it’d wiggled fingers at him. “I was hurting you, Ember. I could feel it.”

“No,” I said slowly. “I was just a little dizzy. You didn’t drain anything, right?”

“I wanted to.” He looked away. “Don’t you get it? I did. I could feel it happening and I would’ve held on. I would’ve done it.”