Celeste could still feel the ghost of Jase's lips against her shoulder, the warmth of his breath lingering had set her entire body alight. And the way he was looking at her now? Like she was something sacred. Something his.
Jase had always had an intensity about him, a presence that demanded attention, devotion, everything. But tonight—this was different. His golden eyes smoldered, his gaze locked onto hers as if she was the only thing that mattered, as if the rest of the world had ceased to exist. Celeste's heart pounded, her breathing uneven, her body betraying her with the way it leaned toward him, drawn in, helpless against the pull.
Because deep down, she knew. Jase was holding back and she didn't want him to.
He took one step forward. Then another. Closing the distance between them with an agonizing, torturous slowness, like he was giving her a chance to stop him, to turn away, to run.
But Celeste didn't move.
She swallowed, her throat dry, her pulse thrumming wildly as he lifted a hand, his fingers ghosting over the thin straps of her bikini. He didn't pull them down. Not yet. Instead, his fingertips lingered, tracing small, deliberate patterns over her skin like he was waiting and asking.
His golden gaze searched hers, silent yet pleading, the question hanging between them, unspoken but loud enough to make her entire body tremble.
Are you sure?
Celeste's lips parted, her breath shaky, her skin burning beneath his touch. She could feel the restraint in his muscles, the way he was holding himself still, barely, waiting for her to decide.
And then she nodded.
That was all he needed.
Slowly, deliberately, Jase pulled the strings loose. The soft whisper of fabric slipping down her skin sent a shiver racing up Celeste's spine, every inch of her body hypersensitive to the cool air and the heat of his gaze. Jase's breath hitched, his jaw tightening as he drank her in, all of her. Not just looking, but memorizing, worshiping, completely undone by the sight of her beneath the soft glow of the room.
Celeste should've felt exposed, vulnerable, but under Jase's gaze, she wasn't. Because there was no hesitation. No doubt. Only awe.
"You're beautiful," he murmured, his voice low, reverent, as if he was afraid saying it too loud might break the spell.
Heat pooled beneath her skin, her breath catching, but there was no embarrassment, only the weight of his words sinking deep, settling into her chest. And for once, she believed him.
Her hands lifted, fingers brushing over his collarbone, tracing the hard lines of his chest, the heat of his skin branding beneath her touch. She could feel the faint, unsteady rise and fall of his breathing, the warmth searing into her palms.
"So are you."
Jase let out a shaky breath, his muscles tensing beneath her fingers, as if her touch alone was unraveling him. He had always been confident, teasing, and unshakable. But now?
Now, he was coming undone. For her.
And she loved it.
With a quiet groan, Jase pulled her closer, the sudden heat of skin against skin sending a rush of sensation through Celeste. She felt him everywhere, the solid warmth of his chest, the faint tremor in his breath, the way his hands skimmed up her bare back, slow, teasing, possessive.
She was going to lose her mind.
Celeste's hands drifted lower, her fingertips sliding over his abdomen, tracing the dips and ridges she had only ever stolen glances at before.
Jase sucked in a breath, his grip on her tightening.
"Like what you see?" he rasped, voice hoarse, wrecked, but still smirking despite it all.
Celeste flushed, but this time, she didn't hesitate. She let her hands linger, explore, feeling him—the tension in his muscles, the way his body reacted to her touch.
"Very much."
Jase exhaled sharply, his control fraying, his fingers pressing into her sides, trailing along her ribs, her waist, mapping her out like he would never get the chance again. His golden eyes burned, heavy with something deeper than just desire.
"You're going to be the death of me, sweetheart."
Celeste smiled against his skin, pressing a feather-light kiss against his jaw, feeling the way he shuddered beneath her lips.
"Then I guess we're even."
Jase groaned, his control snapping like a thread pulled too tight, fraying beyond repair. Before Celeste could even process what was happening, he moved—quick, fluid, unstoppable. In one swift motion, he pinned her beneath him, his arms braced firmly on either side of her head, his body caging her in completely.
Celeste's breath hitched, her body burning from the inside out, molten heat spreading through her veins. Jase was everywhere, his weight, his warmth, the sheer presence of him overwhelming her, drowning her, making it impossible to think of anything but him. And the worst part?
She never wanted him to move.
He leaned in, forehead resting against hers, their breaths mingling, hot, unsteady, desperate.
"Celeste..." he whispered, her name falling from his lips like a prayer, reverent, aching.
She had never heard him sound like this before—never heard him sound so wrecked, so undone. Like she was breaking him apart and putting him back together all at once. Like she was the only thing that mattered.
His hands framed her face, fingertips threading into her hair, tilting her head back slightly, his touch achingly tender, worshipful. Jase didn't just want her.
He loved her.
Deeply. Desperately. Completely.
And Celeste felt it in the way he touched her, in the way he looked at her, in the way his body trembled from holding back.
"I love you," he murmured, his golden eyes burning, consuming, entirely hers.
Celeste's chest tightened, her fingers sliding into his hair, pulling him closer, their bodies pressed together like they were meant to be.
"I love you too."
Jase kissed her deep, slow and devastating.
Celeste melted, lost in him, her body arching into his, her hands exploring him without restraint, without hesitation. And Jase, he let her.
He let her feel him, let her fingertips trace every dip and ridge of his back, let her press kisses to his throat, shuddering as she felt his breath stutter beneath her touch.
At first, he had thought he could be gentle. That he could take his time. Savor every inch of her.
But Celeste?
She was ruining him.
The way she whispered his name, breathless and needy. The way she pulled him closer, her nails dragging lightly down his back, igniting something reckless inside him. The way she fit so perfectly beneath him, as if she had always belonged there.
Jase's self-control was slipping.
"I can't—" he groaned, his face burying against her neck, his body taut, shaking. Trying to steady himself.
Celeste smiled softly, her own breath ragged, her body just as desperate for more. She ran her hands slowly down his back, savoring the way his muscles flexed beneath her touch, and whispered softly against his ear, her voice both a plea and a challenge.
"Then don't."
Jase snapped.
His mouth claimed hers again, deeper this time, hungrier, as if he was branding her, marking her, ensuring she would never forget the feel of him, the taste of him, the way he made her tremble.
Celeste gasped, her back arching, heat curling low in her stomach, spreading like wildfire. Her hands roamed, slipping beneath the waistband of his shorts, feeling the way his entire body shuddered at her touch, at her willingness, at the way she so freely gave herself to him.
"Celeste," he groaned, his voice wrecked, his fingers digging into her hips, his restraint shattering at the edges.
And when he finally gave in, when he finally let go, when there was nothing between them but heat, love, and devotion—
Celeste knew.
This wasn't just passion. This was something deeper. Something unbreakable.
Jase wasn't just in love with her. He was consumed by her completely, irrevocably and entirely.
And he wouldn't have it any other way.