Chapter 69. Realizations (18+)

ARDEN

His words still echoed in the small room.

“You’re way too beautiful right now to resist.”

I didn’t even have time to respond.

My fingers bunched in his towel, holding onto him.

“Cade,” I muttered against his lips, pulling back just slightly. “There are no cameras.”

“It’s not for points,” he murmured between kisses, his forehead resting against mine.

Something inside me cracked open, and I pressed my lips back to his like I’d been waiting all this time. My arms wrapped around his neck, his wrapped around my waist. His hands were rough, but gentle.

In a stranger’s house, with a guy I was sure I couldn’t stand when we first met; now, here I was—holding onto him like he was the only warmth left in the world.

I knew it didn’t make sense.

I shouldn’t be doing this.

But I couldn’t help it.

Not when he looked at me like I mattered. Not when he’d jumped into freezing water and carried me out without hesitation. Not