Chapter 1020

She felt entirely drained of strength, helplessly yielding to his demanding rhythm in the confined space.

Lately, their relationship had been like walking a tightrope.

They were so entangled they could practically hear each other’s heartbeats, yet they always slammed the brakes right before crossing the point of no return.

They were caught in a maddening, unspoken game, meticulously maintaining a fragile balance.

Constantly holding the line, yet constantly dying to cross it.

When the tension flared, she actually found it harder to hold back than Seth did.

But the hunger burning in his eyes was impossible to hide.

Every time he got close, the rigid tension in his muscles betrayed how hard he was fighting himself.

Just like right now.

Seth’s burning palm was wrapped around the nape of her neck, his thumb lazily tracing her skin. His touch was restrained, yet possessive enough that she couldn’t pull away.

But just as they teetered on the edge of losing control, he pulled back slightly, resting his forehead against hers, his breathing heavy and erratic.

Noreen looked up, her gaze locking with his.

A storm of familiar emotions raged in his eyes.

Restraint. Desperation. And a faint, agonizing sliver of torment.

It suddenly hit her he was fighting a much harder battle than she ever realized.

“Noreen,” he rasped, his voice rough like sandpaper. He brushed his thumb across her flushed, kiss-swollen lips. “Can you stay with me a little longer?”

Noreen’s heart skipped a beat.

Her defenses began to crumble.

His breathing was still chaotic and labored.

His Adam’s apple bobbed repeatedly, yet he refused to push her any further.

He was honoring his promise to her, even while his eyes practically screamed with a terrifying level of desire.

Even with his self-control stretched to the absolute breaking point, he remained firmly on his side of the line.

He hadn’t crossed it by a single inch.

He just stared at her, an almost desperate plea in his eyes, begging her for just a few more minutes.

Even if it meant just sitting there in the dark.

Seeing him fighting so fiercely to hold back, a sharp, aching sweetness bloomed in Noreen’s chest.

Under his scorching gaze, she bit her lip, reached out, and pressed the button on the side of his seat.

The electric motor hummed quietly as the back of his seat slowly reclined, lowering him down.

Seth looked genuinely shocked.

His Adam’s apple bobbed even harder.

Noreen lowered her gaze. With practiced, effortless grace, she reached up and swept her cascading hair away from her face.

She pulled the hair tie from her wrist,

gathering her thick hair into a knot and

exposing the elegant

curve of her neck.

In any other scenario, it would have been an entirely mundane gesture.

But here, trapped in the suffocating intimacy of the dark car, the simple movement

was loaded with explosive, electric tension.

She looked down at him, a wicked, knowing gleam dancing in her eyes.

Seth’s breathing instantly spiraled out of control.

As she leaned over him…

He instinctively squeezed his eyes shut. A sheen of sweat broke out on his forehead, and his voice came out completely wrecked Noreen don’t, play with fire.”

Noreen ignored him.

She leaned closer, the loose ends her hair lightly trailing across knuckles-which were

white

buckling the featherne

The feather-light touch sent a dangerous shiver straight to his core.

A sharp, guttural groan tore from the back of his throat, filling the car.

The sexual tension in the cabin had reached critical mass.

But just as Noreen was about to take the final step, a jarring ringtone shattered the

silence.