Chapter 360

His large hands swept me up without hesitation, and he kissed me back with a raw intensity. The air around us began to thicken with heat. I held onto his neck tightly, pouring all my longing into the embrace. The anxiety from my nightmares and the ache of waiting for him had left me desperate for reassurance. Feeling him solid and real against me was the only thing that could calm me down. His hands slid down from my waist, and when they reached my hips, he lifted me easily into his arms. He parted my legs and wrapped them around his waist. I instinctively clenched around him. My breathing was ragged, and so was his. His blue eyes were deep and blazing, fixed on me with an intensity that was almost unsettling. I didn’t look away. We stayed like that, lips to lips, eyes locked, completely absorbed. His gaze made my heart flutter, but I bit my lip and didn’t retreat. After a long moment, our lips parted slightly, and we rested our foreheads together. Ashton nuzzled me, his voice low and