Zane’s grip on Aria tightened, his knuckles turning white as he struggled to rein in the primal desire threatening to consume him. Holding her close felt intoxicating, a sensation he was desperate to prolong. Every inch of his being was on fire, craving her, needing her. But as Aria’s gasps for air grew louder, a small sound of distress escaping her lips, he forced himself to release her. Their foreheads touched, their breathing heavy and ragged.
The sudden creak of the door shattered the fragile bubble of intimacy. Footsteps echoed in the stillness, growing louder with each passing second. Zane’s heart raced in his chest, his pulse a frantic drumbeat as he instinctively pulled Aria behind the towering bookshelves, pressing her against the wooden surface. Their bodies were flush, every cu
