The tension between them was still thick, still burning, but for now, the fire had been tempered. Lyra's body ached with the need to be closer to him, but she knew that there was still so much they needed to face—so much that hadn't been said.
Kael stepped back further, his hand running through his tousled hair, his eyes still dark with the desire he was trying so hard to control. His breath was ragged, and the tightness in his jaw told her that pulling away had cost him more than he'd admit.
"I've never… wanted anything like this," Kael murmured, his voice low, strained. His confession sent a jolt through Lyra, her heart pounding in response to the raw vulnerability in his tone. "But you…" His gaze met hers again, intense and unrelenting. "You make it impossible to hold back."
