Chapter 54
Lyra
Kael didn’t move when I leaned closer to him. His hands stayed at my waist, firm but careful, like he was holding himself back on purpose. I could feel it in his body, the restraint, the hesitation, the way his breathing changed even though he was trying to stay calm.
“Lyra,” he said quietly, “think about this.”
I didn’t answer him with words. I shifted my position and climbed onto his lap, straddling him slowly, deliberately. His hands tightened instantly, instinct taking over before he could stop himself.
“I have thought about it,” I said. “Enough times.”
He looked up at me, his jaw tense, his eyes dark. “You’re angry. You’re reacting. I don’t want you doing something you’ll regret.”
“I won’t,” I said. “I know exactly what I want.”
I moved against him, slow at fir
