26

Zara's POV

"Kai, we can't do this," I whispered back, my breathlessness satiated with the depth of his kiss. The beating of my heart was a race for my mind to make out what was happening.

Kai's arms jerked tighter around my waist as he pressed his forehead against mine. "Why not?" he growled, the voice so hoarse it was really raw emotion,and his eyes latched onto mine for answers to questions he hadn't asked yet.

I swallowed hard against my throat as I said, "This...it wasn't supposed to happen like this."

He leaned in a bit closer, his face against mine in a whisper. "And yet it did," he all but purred as his lips tickled down the side of my face. "You kissed me back, Zara. You wanted this.”

It was one sentence, all that was needed, it seemed like the truth was catching in my breath a little too close to home, apparently. Well, I had kissed him back. In the intent of that one moment lay desperation and longing, or so it seemed. Or was it just a spark, or something deeper?