Chapter 34

Maybe we were just too close—I could feel Oliver’s warm breath like it was brushing right against my skin. He leaned in slowly until his lips grazed my cheek, light as a feather. My whole body tingled. Holy crap. But instead of letting it linger, he flashed that teasing smile of his, charming as ever. "Ella, we've been this close before, haven’t we?" "I’m just curious—what’s going through your head right now?" I sat there stiff as a board, then muttered, “It’s not the same.” “I had too much to drink back then, you know? Maybe it was just…the alcohol—” Oliver gave a slow, thoughtful nod. “Ah, so my Ella was tipsy.” I looked down, cheeks burning, but he wasn’t done. “Did you drink again afterwards, too? Because I remember you grabbing my hand and begging me to go rougher…” “Stop.” My voice came out weak, barely a whisper. When he spoke again, his voice was a velvet whisper—honestly even more dangerous than his breath. I shut my eyes tight, couldn’t bring myself to look at those hands aga