Tay’s eyes held Maya’s, a relentless, heated gaze that seemed to strip away the layers she’d carefully built around her heart. Every muscle in her body was taut, her pulse racing, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away from his intense expression. She was still trembling when he leaned in, his voice like dark velvet, low and magnetic.
“Tell me what you need.”
She opened her mouth, unsure if she had any voice at all, or any coherent thought to offer. “I don’t understand…” she managed, the words barely above a whisper, faltering as her breath hitched.
He brought his thumb to the base of her throat, trailing it up slowly, sending tingles across her skin. “I believe you know very well,” he murmured, his voice rougher now, each word cutting through her defenses. “Stop playing stupid. It doesn’t
