Emily Blair was trembling in Andrew Lane's arms, her whole body burning with fever. Desperate and yearning, she clung to his shirt collar, her vision swimming.

"An-Andrew..."

Her voice was barely a whisper, quivering, her breath shivering across the bare skin of Andrew's neck—a warmth and scent that drew her in, made her crave more.

She was so hot. Sweat beaded along her skin, her body on fire.

Andrew smelled incredible—cool, clean, a scent she longed to drown herself in. She thought that pressing closer to him would somehow bring relief.

As if bewitched, she slowly let go of his collar, her hands-scalding hot-sliding up to his neck. Her fingertips traced mindless patterns across his skin, unable to stop.

"I want..." she murmured, voice thick and lost.

In her dazed, blurry gaze, she saw his Adam's apple bob.

Drawn by some wild instinct, she pressed her thumb to the slight movement in his throat.

A moment later, his deep voice rumbled above her.

Andrew's arms tightened around her, holding her fast.

He lowered his lashes, his dark eyes unreadable as he met her gaze. "Emily Blair, behave yourself."

His voice was low and husky, the sound curling straight into her chest, making her heart skip.

She blinked up at him, trying to focus on his face.

But after a second, his features blurred again. Who was he? Who was this man?

She didn't know what she was doing anymore.

Suddenly, she threw her arms around his neck, trying to pull herself up, arching towards him, lips searching for the heat of his throat.

"I want..."

But she couldn't reach, no matter how hard she tried. Frustrated, her voice trembled, "Why? Why can't I touch you?"

Her fingers tightened around his neck, nails dragging sharply across his skin. Desperation made her reckless. "Give it to me. I need it."

His Adam's apple moved again as he bent down, slowly, closing the distance between them.

That addictive scent drew closer. Lost in it, Emily pressed her lips to his throat, frantic, kissing here, then there, searching for relief.

A muffled groan escaped him, vibrating against her lips, and a shiver raced across her cheeks.

Seconds later, she was lifted and carried out, bundled into the backseat of a car.

As he placed her in the seat, he started to pull away, but she scrambled for his waist, clutching at him with clumsy hands.

"Don't go, don't leave..."

She saw the muscles in his jaw tense, a vein standing out on his forehead as he tried to keep control.

He gently but firmly pried her hands away, then buckled her in.

"Be good. I'm taking you to the hospital."

His voice was strained, the calm barely holding.

Emily reached out for him again, but he was already out of her grasp, moving too quickly.

The heat inside her kept building. She fumbled at the hem of her shirt, trying to pull up, desperate for cool air on her burning skin.

it

Andrew caught her hands in an instant, his voice rough with warning, "Emily, don't."

Tears sparkled in her wide hazel eyes, cheeks flushed, lips trembling in distress as she pleaded, “But it hurts. It hurts so much!"

Andrew clenched his jaw, his dark gaze stormy as he glared at her wild, fevered antics.

Emily was too far gone to care—her clothes twisted and disheveled, one delicate shoulder and the curve of her pale waist exposed, the shape of her body barely veiled beneath thin fabric. Two crystalline tears clung to her lashes, her eyes and lips burning with longing, gazing at Andrew with raw, unguarded need.

She didn't even know what she was doing; she just kept reaching for him, sending silent, desperate invitations he could hardly ignore.