Callie's POV
My hands were still there, flat against Jonas's chest, feeling his heart pounding with a force that seemed to synchronize with mine. Each beat was like a dull thud that reverberated through my palms, traveled up my arms, and settled in my throat. Asher, behind me, barely moved; he just breathed. He breathed against the back of my neck with deliberate slowness, letting each warm exhalation slide over my skin like an invisible caress. The contrast between the heat of his breath and the coolness of the abandoned bathroom made me tremble in a way that had nothing to do with fear.
"Say it, beautiful," Jonas whispered, his deep, husky voice brushing against my lips as if he were already kissing me. "Say it, and we can start explaining for real."
I swallowed. My throat was dry and
