ARIA
I was pretending to be brave. I did not really know how to be rough or quick. I did not know how to be soft or slow either. All I knew was that his gaze kept coming back to me, over and over, and my heart had not slowed since the instant I noticed him.
This was the first decision I had ever made without fear. I wanted Kael. I would never see him again, and he would be the only one who knew the truth.
A secret. I barely had any. I wanted this one. I needed it. Something to keep. A memory that was mine alone.
And Kael Nightborne of Goldenreach would be enough.
His hands moved over my skin, light but sure, and my breath began to falter. When he leaned closer, my body trembled without my permission.
“Are you changing your mind?” he asked softly as his hands slid under my shirt.
I d
