*Lily*The weight of the paperback in my hands might as well have been a leaden slab, sinking me deeper into the floral duvet that adorned my bed. My eyes were set on the cream-colored pages, but the words seemed to mock me. I couldn't focus on them, my mind consumed by inner turmoil and confusion as I reminisced about my conversation with Adrian this afternoon."Jealous, Everhart?" Adrian's voice echoed in my mind, laced with that infuriating smirk I could see clearly in my head without him even being in front of me. "You can deny it all you want, but I see through you." I closed the book with a huff. How could he be so full of himself? How come he assumed he knew me at all and could see through me so easily? I tossed the novel onto my nightstand, feeling the corners of my mouth twitch downward. Adrian Sterling was everywhere, invading my thoughts against my will. My fingers drummed against the mattress as I tried to pull myself together and understand my conflict.Was I re

*Lily*The crowd around us buzzed like a hive of bees as James leaned in, inching closer to me, and I held my breath, every muscle in my body tense. My mind raced, my thoughts a tangled mess of nerves as I prepared myself for his kiss. It wasn't that I didn't find him attractive. Or that I was nervous to be kissed in front of dozens of people. It wouldn't be a sacrifice to be kissed by James, but for some reason I couldn't explain, I just wasn't feeling anything. There was this nagging thought at the back of my mind whispering the name of another person I wanted to be kissing me instead, but I ignored it.There was no way I would indulge such ideas.But because of that, and without thinking clearly, I did something even I wasn’t expecting. Inches before our lips met, I turned my head ever so slightly, orchestrating a narrow escape. James' lips touched the corner of my mouth, and that was enough to make me embarrassed at myself for my lame move. The onlookers erupted into scr

*Lily*The aftereffects of last night's party clung to me more stubbornly than the smell of spilled beer on my jacket. Rachel was seated across from me, her eyes alight with the kind of fervor that came only when she sensed a good story brewing."Spill," she ordered while leaning across the table, her salad untouched and her gaze fixed on me with an intensity that made evasion seem impossible.I poked at the limp lettuce on my plate, the plastic fork feeling heavy in my hand. "You're such a gossip," I joked, trying to sound nonchalant, but the memories of last night were still pretty vivid in my mind."Oh, wow! What a genius you are," Rachel murmured with sarcasm while rolling her eyes at me. "Come on, Lil. You left the party looking like you'd seen a ghost. I'm dying here, just give me some good gossip." Her voice held a note of intrigue and curiosity, and I could see the wheels turning in her head as she tried to imagine what had happened."Fine, geez. It's not nice to gossip

*Lily*I found myself ensnared in one of Elysium's dark corners, my heart racing with anticipation as I watched Adrian approaching me. I couldn't tear my gaze away from him, my body already responding to his presence–a dangerous attraction that threatened to consume me entirely.There he was, striding towards me with a predatory grace that made my breath hitch. His messy dark hair, usually rebellious, now appeared almost intentionally tousled as if sculpted by the very hands of desire. His piercing blue eyes locked onto mine, igniting an inferno within me. The lean muscles of his athletic build moved beneath his clothes with a silent promise of strength, and I felt a heat burgeoning deep inside me. My body betrayed me, becoming hot, achingly horny.He didn't utter a single word; he didn’t need to. His pace never faltered, his gaze never wavered. When he finally reached me, Adrian wordlessly pinned me against the cool, unyielding stone wall, his lips desperately finding mine with a

*Lily*The cool night air did little to sober the heady buzz coursing through my veins as Adrian guided me towards his car—a sleek, predatory thing that seemed to crouch in the parking lot, waiting."Of course you'd have such a car," I mumbled, my words slurring just a touch as I traced the smooth line of the black hood with an unsteady finger. Adrian’s chuckle rumbled through the air as he opened the passenger door for me, his hand on the small of my back steady and warm."Watch your head," he cautioned, though it was unnecessary; my movements were surprisingly calculated for someone whose head was spinning. Adrian circled the vehicle and settled into the driver's seat, the door closing with a satisfying thud. He turned the key, and the engine purred to life. I was acutely aware of him—his every movement, every breath. After the dream I had with him this morning, being confined in the intimate space of his car felt like I was doing something really dangerous."So, what's the