Tori
Before I can react, Ryder’s lips move from my shoulder to the back of my neck, slow and deliberate, like he’s memorizing the feel of my skin with each kiss. His hands slide down from my waist, tracing lazy circles along my hips, holding me in place as if he’s afraid to let me go.
Every touch is gentle but firm, the kind that makes my heart swell with something more than desire—something deeper, sweeter. His arms tighten around me, pulling me back flush against his chest, and for a moment, everything else falls away.
I close my eyes, leaning into him, feeling the steady beat of his heart against my back. It’s a quiet moment, full of all the things he’s too stubborn to say out loud. But I feel it, in the way he holds me, in the way his fingers linger on my skin.
I turn my head sligh
