Lyra's POV
I remained silent as Kaelen positioned himself behind me.
The atmosphere changed completely. His proximity felt like a tangible force pressing against my spine. The bathroom walls seemed to shrink around us. The distance between our bodies became almost nonexistent.
His fingertips grazed the back of my neck.
My entire body went rigid.
"Just breathe," he murmured.
I attempted to follow his instruction. My muscles refused to obey. They remained locked in place as if frozen solid.
The zipper whispered as it descended. Unhurried. Methodical. Each tooth released with precision until my dress hung loose across my shoulders.
His knuckles traced down my backbone.
Electric shocks raced across my skin. Every sensation amplified tenfold. I became acutely conscious of his touch. The heat radiating from his palm. The texture of his weathered hands. How his exhale moved the tiny hairs along my neckline.
"Done," he announced.
His touch vanished.
