Avery paused on the stairs, her hand resting on the railing. She could feel the weight of Max’s gaze on her, and for a brief moment, it felt as though time itself had slowed. Her heartbeat thudded in her chest, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more she needed to say to him—or that he needed to say to her.
Before she could move any further, she felt a sharp tug at her arm. Her breath hitched, and before she knew it, she was spun around, her body colliding with Max’s chest. Her eyes widened, caught off guard, but the intensity in his gaze stopped her breath.
He didn’t let go of her arm, his grip firm and purposeful, his body closer than she expected. There was no teasing now, no hint of the casual banter they usually shared. It was all raw, something else entirel
