He reached out, gently brushing a loose strand of hair from her forehead and tucking it behind her ear.
He said nothing at first, just staring at her divine face.
Velicia saw the dark and hungry look in his eyes like he was barely holding himself back.
That gaze alone sent a rush into her inner thigh that it nearly knocked the breath from her lungs.
Her fingers curled around the fabric of his sweater.
“Carl—” she gasped. Then, as if her entire nervous system decided to betray her at once, her knees buckled.
“Whoa—” she gasped softly, tipping forward into his chest.
He caught her with one hand around her waist, the other cupping the back of her head as if he’d expected her to melt like that all along.
“Are you okay?” he asked, brushing a thumb against her temple.
She tilted her he
