Karen let out a slow, deliberate breath, trying to steady the fluttering in her chest before she looked at the man seated across from her.
The soft glow of the restaurant lights made his features seem even more familiar and comforting, a face she had loved for years.
Her boyfriend, attentive and charming as always, smiled at her across the table, his hand brushing against hers in that casual, affectionate way they had shared so many times.
And yet… it wasn't enough. Not like Ross.
Ross had a power over her that she couldn't explain, a pull that went far beyond words or touch.
Just his eyes—calm, unwavering, impossibly intense—made her body respond in ways that left her breath uneven and her mind teetering on the edge of want.
Her pulse quickened, her core tingling with desire she couldn't control, and she had to swallow hard to keep from letting it show.
