The kiss started as a slow, deliberate question, one that Ryan already knew the answer to.
He brushed his lips against hers, testing the frantic, shallow rhythm of her breathing.
Iralis let out a soft, trembling sound, her hands hovering uncertainly near his chest before she finally gripped the fabric of his shirt.
She was stiff, her entire body wired with the kind of nervous energy that came from stepping off a cliff in the dark.
Ryan didn't rush her. He didn't use the bruising, dominant force he used to shatter Diana, and he didn't feed the feral, competitive fire he used with Zara.
He knew exactly who he was holding.
He slid his hands slowly around to the small of her back, pulling her flush against his body. He opened his mouth over hers, coaxing her lips apart with a gentle, sweeping pressure.
Iralis gasped, her eyes fluttering shut. The moment his tongue swept inside, tracing the warm, sweet line of her lower lip, the tension in her shoulders broke.
