Chapter 11 The First Kiss

• "We cannot keep pretending this is just a temporary arrangement while the power grid is down," Aurelia says, her voice trembling slightly as she scrambles backward across the wide mattress, putting as much distance between them as the heavy pillows allow.
• Thaddeus stays frozen on his hands and knees over the sheets, his chest heaving with every ragged breath as he stares down at her. The dark shadows of the bedroom hide his expression, but the raw intensity radiating from his frame makes the air between them crackle with unfinished heat.
• "Is that what you call what just happened?" he asks, his voice dropping an octave into a low, rough growl. "Temporary?"