Chapter 9
And Ariana realized with terrifying certainty— if he kissed her now… she wouldn’t stop him.
Ariana could hear her own heartbeat loudly inside her chest. Everything around them faded into silence. Damien’s hand rested against her waist, warm and steady, while his eyes slowly dropped to her lips again. The tension between them became unbearable. Dangerous.
Ariana’s breathing turned uneven as Damien leaned slightly closer. And this time— she didn’t stop him. Her fingers tightened slowly around the fabric of his suit while her heart completely betrayed her. Damien stared at her for a moment longer, almost as if he was waiting for her to pull away. But she didn’t. Instead, Ariana remained frozen beneath his gaze. Waiting.
Then slowly, Damien leaned in closer. Closer. Their b
