What am I even thinking?

"Huh? Sorry, you said something?" she stammered, trying to hide her embarrassment.

Dante couldn't help but smile at her flustered reaction. "How long do you intend to watch my body?" he asked in a teasing tone, clearly enjoying the effect he was having on her.

"Watch wh-what?? I wasn't watching anything..." Aurora tried to say, her voice faltering as she nervously averted her gaze, her eyes flickering anywhere but at him.

Dante smirked, taking a step closer. "Oh, so you didn't watch anything? Then why is your face all red like an apple?" He leaned over slightly, his face mere inches from hers, forcing her to look directly into his eyes.

Aurora's mind went completely blank. He's so close... I hope he can't hear my heart pounding in my chest. Those hazel, gold eyes... those long, perfect lashes... that sharp jawline... and the water dripping from his hair, landing on his lower lip.........what am I even thinking right now?!

Her thoughts raced as she felt her pulse quicken. If I could capture this in a photograph, it would be worth a fortune...

She quickly tried to stop herself, her inner voice urging, Aurora, stop looking at his lips!

But another part of her—one that was daring and curious whispered, This is your chance. You won't get this close again. Look at those lips... you know you want to.

For a moment, Aurora was caught between the two conflicting thoughts, completely unaware of how close she had allowed herself to get to the edge of temptation. 

Dante's golden eyes widened, a flicker of something raw and unspoken flashing through them as he watched Aurora daringly close the gap between them. Every movement she made felt deliberate, drawing them closer with an intensity neither of them could ignore. His breath hitched slightly, his pulse quickening in anticipation. She was close enough now that he could feel the heat radiating from her, the tension thick and almost unbearable. His mind raced, but his body seemed to move in slow motion, frozen in the moment.

He was patient. But this… this was something else. His heart began to pound, louder and faster than hers, echoing in his ears like a drumbeat. The space between them seemed to shrink with each breath they took. Dante's gaze dropped to her lips, drawn to them as if they held the key to something both thrilling and terrifying. His body, as still as it had been, was now a cauldron of heat and longing.

And then, in an instant, their lips brushed,barely, a fleeting touch but it was enough. Just enough to send a jolt of electricity coursing through both of them. It was a simple connection, yet it felt like the universe had held its breath for that one moment. The briefest exchange of warmth and possibility that lingered in the air like the aftermath of a storm.