Chapter 141

He kissed her with a kind of desperation, rough and overwhelming, giving her no room to breathe, let alone respond. It was like he was pouring everything into that kiss, dragging her down with him, stealing her air. “Mm…” She squirmed a little, clearly not pleased. She bit his tongue lightly, wrapped her arms around his neck, and turned the tables—this time, she kissed him back, slow and deliberate. His breathing grew heavier. One of his cool, slender hands tangled deeply in her hair, while the other pressed against her waist, almost possessive. Claire bit her bottom lip. Her lashes fluttered as her gaze grew hazy, her body arching toward him. Her hand slid from his chest down to his abs… Her heartbeat was pounding, wild. And then—he grabbed her wrist. Julian buried his face in her neck, throat working hard with every heavy breath, his self-control clearly hanging by a thread. He couldn’t just go with the flow like this. Not like this. He looked up. She had her eyes closed, cheeks flus