Ava felt her pulse fluttering at the base of her throat, a trapped bird seeking exit.
"I—I should get to the garden," she stammered, her voice barely heard. She made a move to slip away, her dress rustling against the chair, but his presence was a wall she could not scale.
"The garden can wait," Dominic murmured. His voice had dropped into a low, register that vibrated through the small space between them. He reached out, his hand firm as he urged her up from her seat, shifting her body until she was pinned against the solid heat of him. "Tell me, Ava. What is your deal? What are you truly doing?"
"Nothing," she lied, her eyes searching the shades of the room. "I’m not doing anything."
"You’re a liar," he countered, the words sounding almost like a caress despite the accusation.
Ava b
