In the end, it was the one who wanted something who broke the silence.
"Look into my eyes and tell me what you see," Althea Quinn said softly, her voice carrying a weight she couldn't fully conceal.
She stood five deliberate steps away from Ross, close enough to feel the heat radiating from his body but far enough to keep her composure intact.
Her resolve was hanging by a thread. Every fiber of her being ached to close the distance, to wrap herself around him, to lose herself in his arms like they had countless times before.
The memories of their passionate encounters flashed through her mind, vivid and overwhelming, as if they had just unfolded yesterday.
Her lips trembled as she held back the words her heart screamed for her to say.
Ross met her gaze, his dark eyes sharp and unyielding. For a fleeting moment, they locked, holding a storm of emotions too vast for words.