Chapter 106 Caelum

• Aria sits on the couch as if she has all the time in the world, but every detail of her posture stirs a subtle unease within me. She crosses her legs in a natural movement, but my attention is caught when the fabric of her floral dress rises a few inches, revealing the soft skin of her thighs. My breath falters for a moment, and an involuntary heat courses through my body before I can look away. I try to steady myself, but something about her today seems different, almost hypnotic.
• “What do you want to talk about, Aria?” I ask, with a hint of impatience that I can barely conceal. My words come out sharper than I intended, but it's hard to stay calm when she's so close, looking so vulnerable and yet so inaccessible.
• Aria lifts her gaze to meet mine, her brown eyes glowing with an intensity that makes me want her even more.