As the car drove inside the property, Gavriel's eyes shifted back to Aliana, and hers followed almost instinctively. Something unreadable flickered in his gaze, but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared, leaving nothing behind to grasp onto.
With the echo of his name she had whispered still lingering in his ears, he slowly and almost reluctantly released her chin. Yet the faint trace of his touch seemed to linger against her skin, prompting Aliana to move back to her seat.
Her eyes searched him, trying to dissect the exchange they had shared only seconds ago. But all she found was the same infuriatingly perfect composure, like a sculpted deity with flawless features and not a single emotion to betray his thoughts.
She could feel her cheeks burning, yet she couldn't bring herself to hate the sensation.
'Why didn't I pull back the moment he took hold of me?' she asked herself.
