Arius POV
She wanted to stay with me. What was this foreign feeling that swelled in my chest? Was it happiness? I knew I couldn’t let myself get too caught up in her words. She was still guarded—holding back—but it was progress. She felt something for me, even after seeing me at my worst. Could I possibly allow myself to hope that one day she might be able to love me?
We entered the house and the tension between us prickled. I wanted her so badly. I yearned to touch her. To hold her. I slowly walked up behind her and I felt her body tense and her pulse quicken. She wanted me too. I could tell. But this was on her terms. I swept her ice-blonde hair away from her shoulder and bent down and gently kissed her skin. She sucked her breath in at the gesture.
“I’m going to take a shower. You ca
