Page 90 of After All This Time

"Why?" The question slides off his tongue like velvet-wrapped steel, his eyes burning into mine with an intensity that makes my knees weak.

He's close now—too close.

"Because this can't happen."

"Because I'm your stepbrother?" His laugh is hollow, knowing just how weak that excuse sounds.

"Amongst other things, yes."

His lips curve into a smile as he steps even closer, his presence suffocating in the best and worst way. "Funny how that little detail doesn't seem to matter when you're in your room at night, alone, touching yourself… moaning my name."

Dear universe, I'm sorry for anything I've ever done to upset the balance of nature that means I deserve this kind of karma, but I'm going to need you to remove me from this earth immediately.

"Look at me like that all you want. It doesn't change what I heard."

"You're an asshole."

"I can live with that." He shrugs, closing what little space remains between us. "Tell me, how often do you lie therethinking about me? About my hands. My mouth. The way I'd ruin you in ways no one else ever could."

My chest tightens as his eyes strip away my defenses one by one, and my feet move before my brain catches up. I make it past him, reaching for the door, desperate for some distance.

"Amelia, stop."

I get the door open an inch before his tattooed hand slams it shut. "Please, baby… please stop." His body becomes a cage of warmth and want, and when his nose traces the curve of my neck, time stops breathing with me. Heinhales deeply, and the sound he makes—something between a growl and a groan—liquifies my spine.

"Turn around." He breathes into my hair, but I'm frozen, caught between fight and flight, my body refusing to obey either instinct. "Please, Firefly."

His hand finds my waist, strong fingers spreading wide before his arm wraps around me with a gentleness that guides me to face him, trapped between his body and the door.

"Tobias…"

"I don't know how to stop wanting you like this. I want you in ways I can't even explain, and it's driving me out of my fucking mind." My gaze inches higher, drawn to his eyes as his breath brushes over mine. Smoke and mint linger there, intoxicating and addictive.

"Whatever you're about to do, don't, because you'll wake up tomorrow and remember exactly who I am to you."

"You think I give a shit that you're my stepsister? I don't. I don't fucking care about anything other than how much I want you." His hand comes up, fingers brushing delicately over my face as he tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. His chest rises and falls against mine, each breath confessing everything we've been too scared to say.

And then, with two words, he sets our world on fire.

"Fuck it."

Chapter 36

Amelia

Istop breathing.

Stop thinking.

I just look at him—really look at him, burning every detail of this moment into memory.

The way shadows play across his jaw. The slight part of his lips. The hunger in his eyes that mirrors my own.

I don't know his taste yet. I don't know if his lips will be gentle or greedy against mine, if his fingers will trace my skin like I'm breakable or grab me like he needs to leave proof he was here.

These are our last untouched moments. Our last seconds ofmaybe.

After this, everything changes—no going back, no pretending.

---