Then Dont Stop
The room felt unbearably quiet after that.
Tell me to stop.
Adrian's lips still hovered barely against hers while rain echoed softly through the penthouse.
Lia's heartbeat turned violent beneath her ribs.
Because he sounded serious.
Not teasing.
Not manipulative.
Like the only thing keeping him controlled right now was her comfort.
And somehow—
that made him infinitely more dangerous.
Adrian's fingers remained careful beneath her jaw.
Warm.
Possessive.
Holding her like something precious instead of fragile.
His eyes stayed fixed entirely on her face.
Watching.
Waiting.
Like her answer mattered more than anything else.
Lia swallowed carefully.
"You don't actually want me to."
The roughness in Adrian's laugh wrapped tightly around her spine.
"No."
Honest.
Always honest.
His thumb brushed softly along her skin again.
"But I would if you asked."
The confession settled painfully deep inside her chest.
Because Adrian never crossed lines carelessly with her.
No matter how obsessed he became.
No matter how badly control cracked around the edges.
He always stopped for her.
Always waited.
And maybe realizing that ruined her more than the obsession ever could.
Lia looked up at him carefully.
Dark eyes.
Messy hair.
Breathing uneven because of her.
The sight still didn't feel real sometimes.
"You look nervous," Adrian murmured softly.
"You're very intense."
A faint flicker crossed his expression.
"You already knew that."
"Yes," she whispered.
"But now you're mine."
The words slipped out before she could stop them.
The reaction in Adrian was immediate.
His hand tightened gently beneath her jaw while something dark and wrecked crossed his face all at once.
Like hearing her say it out loud physically affected him.
"Say it again."
The roughness in his voice sent warmth flooding through her chest instantly.
God.
He sounded addicted to hearing it already.
Lia's pulse stumbled.
"You're impossible."
"No," Adrian murmured softly.
His forehead brushed lightly against hers again.
"I'm obsessed with you."
The honesty nearly destroyed her emotionally.
Because he said it so naturally now.
Like there was no point hiding it anymore.
Rain slid against the windows behind him while lightning flickered briefly across the room.
Everything felt softer somehow.
More intimate than tense.
Adrian's fingers moved slowly from beneath her jaw to the back of her neck.
Threading lightly into her hair.
The touch sent another shiver through her instantly.
His eyes darkened immediately at the reaction.
"There."
"What?"
"That."
His voice lowered.
"You react to me like your body already trusts me completely."
The truth of it settled heavily between them.
Because somehow—
it did.
Lia felt safe with him.
Even now.
Even with the intensity.
Even knowing Adrian loved in ways that bordered obsession.
Maybe especially because of it.
Her fingers slid lightly upward against his chest again.
The movement made his breathing catch softly.
"You still react every time I touch you too," she whispered before thinking.
Silence.
Then Adrian laughed quietly under his breath.
Not amused.
Ruined.
"You're getting confident now."
Heat rushed instantly into her face.
"I am not."
"You kissed me first." His hand tightened slightly at the back of her neck. "And now you tease me."
The roughness in his voice wrapped tightly around her stomach.
Because Adrian sounded dangerously affected again.
Like control had become thin enough to snap completely if she kept touching him like this.
His gaze dropped toward her mouth.
Lingering.
Hungry in the quietest possible way.
Then slowly—
carefully—
he kissed her again.
This time softer.
Slower.
Like he was savoring something precious.
Lia melted into him immediately.
And the second she did—
Adrian exhaled sharply against her lips.
Like even now, her responding willingly still overwhelmed him.
His hand slid down her back beneath the oversized shirt again.
Warm palm against bare skin.
Holding her close enough that she could feel his heartbeat through his chest.
Fast.
Too fast.
The realization nearly ruined her.
Because Adrian always seemed controlled.
Untouchable.
But around her?
He unraveled.
The kiss deepened gradually while thunder rolled softly outside.
Adrian kissed like a man who loved too deeply to survive it quietly.
Careful.
Possessive.
Completely consumed.
Lia's fingers tightened lightly in his hair again.
Mistake.
A low sound escaped him instantly.
Rough enough to send heat straight through her body.
Adrian pulled back just enough to breathe.
His forehead dropped against hers while his breathing sounded uneven again.
"You keep doing things like that."
Her own breathing felt shaky now.
"Like what?"
His eyes lifted slowly back to hers.
Dark.
Ruined.
"Making it impossible for me to think about anything except you."
The confession wrapped tightly around her chest.
Because he sounded exhausted by it.
Like obsession had stopped feeling optional a long time ago.
Lia looked at him quietly for several long seconds.
Then softly—
before fear could stop her—
"Then don't stop."
Silence crashed through the room immediately.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
Adrian physically froze.
Not calm stillness.
Shock.
Like hearing permission from her affected him more than he knew how to survive.
Then slowly—
his eyes darkened into something devastating.
And Lia realized far too late that maybe she'd just handed a dangerously obsessed man exactly what he'd been trying not to ask for all night.