Elle’s POV
I turned my head, and that’s when I saw him.
Ethan.
He was already looking at me. No, not just looking—staring. Like he’d been watching me the whole time, like I was the only thing in the room worth noticing. His eyes weren’t soft anymore. They were intense. Dark. Full of want. Like he was holding something back, but only just barely.
My heart skipped a beat. My breath hitched in my throat.
He didn’t say anything at first. He just reached out slowly, his fingers brushing a strand of hair away from my face. His touch was gentle, almost hesitant, but there was something behind it. A fire. My skin tingled where he touched me, and I leaned into his hand without thinking, like my body had a mind of its own.
His thumb stroked my cheek softly, and he whispered, “I want you so muc
