Page 69 of Undone

Dorian leaned closer, his breath ghosting over my cheek. “Noah… This feels…”

It felt right—terrifyingly, overwhelmingly right.

“Don’t say it,” I muttered.

Saying it aloud made it real, and I wasn’t ready for that.

I wasn’t ready to admit how deeply I wanted this.

But then his fingers brushed my cheek, and all my doubts began to dissolve.

“Okay,” he said.

But there was something about Dorian that pulled me in—the way he made me feel seen in a world that often felt dark and suffocating.

I leaned closer, the fear and thrill of the moment blurring together. His hand threaded through my curls, his touch so purposeful that it quieted the chaos in my mind.

“Noah,” he said, his gaze dropping to my lips. A silent question lingered in his eyes, waiting for me to answer.

I teetered on the edge, torn between the urge to give in and the fear of what that would mean.

This wasn’t a heated moment, fueled by desire. This was raw and real and everything we’d just agreed to stay away from.

What if this was another mistake?

But when his lips hovered closer and his brown eyes locked onto mine, it made it hard to breathe.

My heart screamed that I wanted him—needed him—more than I ever wanted anything before.

So instead of giving into the fear, I leaned in, closing the space between us. His face tilted down, and his hand slipped to the nape of my neck, threading through my hair with a certainty that sent a shiver down my spine.

His other hand found my waist, pulling me closer in a way that left no room for hesitation. I fisted the fabric of his shirt, needing something to hold on to as everything else fell away.

When his lips finally met mine, the first touch was unhurried, almost reverent. He kissed me as if he had all the time in the world, testing the waters, as if memorizing the shape of my lips against his.

I couldn’t stop the way my body responded, leaning into him as if drawn by some invisible string. My hand slid upward, grazing his jawline, feeling the roughness of his stubble beneath my fingertips. His lips pressed harder, coaxing mine to part, and I let him in, unable to resist.

His tongue swept against mine, slow and deliberate, igniting a heat that spread through me like wildfire. I matched his pace, my hand drifting to the back of his neck, fingers tangling in his hair. He groaned into my mouth, the sound vibrating between us and sending my pulse racing.

It was a dance—his movements confident, almost possessive, while mine searched, explored, and gave back as much as I took. He tilted his head slightly, his fingers tightening just enough to keep me anchored in the moment. A moan rose in my throat, spilling into his mouth.

This kiss.

This damn kiss.

It was the kiss I’d only dreamed about, the kind I’d convinced myself didn’t exist outside the pages of a book or the screen of a sappy drama. It consumed me, leaving nothing untouched, pulling me closer until nothing else mattered.

Then suddenly, there was a loud knock on the door, followed by it flying open, slamming against the wall with a thud.

TWENTY-FIVE

Noah - August

SAFE & SOUND - TAYLOR SWIFT, THE CIVIL WARS

“Dorian,”Colt’s voice cut through the room, urgent and breathless, shattering the fragile moment like a pane of glass.

I jerked back, but Dorian held my neck, not letting me retreat.

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