Lillian's soft coral lips were tantalizingly close; a mere two inches separated them from Dorian's grasp. The magnetic pull of the moment hung in the air, promising a connection that both of them seemed to crave.
However, Dorian, fighting against his own desires, abruptly distanced himself from her.
It wasn't that he lacked the desire to taste the sweetness of her lips or cradle her in his arms—far from it. It was the weight of his sister's words that lingered in his mind, a nagging doubt that made him question the authenticity of his feelings for Lillian.
Selena's insight, as inconvenient as it was, often proved to be astute, and Dorian feared that he might be merely captivated by Lillian's beauty, and nothing more. He sighed, torn by internal conflict, as he retreated.
Lillian's eyes fluttered open, her cheeks ablaze with embarrassment.
