Ravished

Aria

I couldn't deny it anymore—the intensity of my feelings for Cassian was impossible to ignore. The way he looked at me, the way he touched me, it was unlike anything I'd ever experienced. His thumb traced the curve of my eyebrow, then slid down to my nose and finally rested on my lips. The slow, deliberate motion sent shivers cascading down my spine, and I felt a warmth spreading through me that had nothing to do with the temperature of the room.

"You're beautiful," he murmured, his voice rough, like he was trying to keep himself in check.

His words hit me like a bolt of electricity, making my heart pound so hard I thought he might hear it. I searched his eyes, looking for hesitation, but all I found was sincerity, tinged with something deeper—desire, maybe, or a vulnerability he didn't often show.

"Are you sure?" he asked, his voice soft, almost uncertain.