What Do You Want

Liora's POV

My breath hitched

He was so close, closer than anyone had ever been.

The air between us felt charged, like the moment before a storm breaks. His eyes, dark and unreadable, locked onto mine, and I couldn’t look away. My skin prickled under his gaze, the alcohol buzzing in my veins making everything sharper, hotter.

I should’ve bolted, pushed past him and run back to the chaos downstairs, but my feet stayed rooted, my body betraying me with a heat I didn’t recognize

“What are the odds,” he murmured, his voice a low rumble that vibrated through the room, “of her walking into this room right now”

I blinked. “Her?”

“You.” He stepped closer again, closing the gap until I could feel the warmth radiating off his chest. “You seem frightened.” His lips curved into something that wasn’t quite a smile, more like a predator spotting easy prey. “I’m obsessed with frightened”

The words sent a shiver down my spine, but it wasn’t fear, not entirely. My hands were shaking now, visibly, and I curled my fingers into fists to hide it. He noticed anyway. Of course he did

“What’s your name?” he asked, his tone casual, like we were chatting at a coffee shop instead of alone in a dark bedroom with the party throbbing below us

I swallowed hard, my throat dry. “L-Liora.” It came out shaky, barely above a whisper. I hated how weak it sounded, how exposed

“Liora.” He repeated it slowly, tasting the syllables. His eyes darkened further, if that was possible. “Tell me, Liora. What do you want”

I froze. What did I want? To disappear, to rewind the night, to not have Bella’s words echoing in my head like a curse. Virgin. Nobody. Forever. The tequila swirled in my stomach, mixing with the humiliation, the loneliness, the sudden, reckless fire this stranger had ignited just by looking at me

I didn’t know if it was the alcohol or my deluded mind playing tricks, but the words tumbled out before I could stop them. “I don’t want to be a virgin anymore”

The room went silent. Even the distant bass seemed to fade

He stepped back, sharp, abrupt, like I’d slapped him. His eyes widened fractionally, the first crack in that cool, controlled facade. “Now that was unexpected”

Heat flooded my face, shame, regret, stupidity all crashing in at once. What the hell was I thinking, spilling that to a guy like him? I wrapped my arms around myself, wishing I could sink into the floor. “I—I didn’t mean… It’s not like… I’m not that attractive anyway. Forget I said it”

He raised a brow, that predatory gleam returning, sharper now. “Aren’t you?”

Before I could process, he closed the distance again, faster this time. His hands found my shoulders, firm but not rough, guiding me back until my calves hit the edge of the bed. I gasped, but he didn’t stop. “Allow me,” he said, voice low and commanding

His fingers trailed down my arms, leaving goosebumps in their wake, then lower, to the hem of my skirt. In one long, smooth motion, he gripped the fabric and tore it. The rip echoed in the quiet room, the material splitting up the side to form a high slit that exposed my upper thighs. Cool air kissed my skin, and I shivered, exposed in a way I’d never been

He didn’t stop there. His hands moved up, pushing my top aside just enough to bare the swell of my cleavage, not ripping this time, gentle, deliberate. His thumbs brushed the edge of my bra, sending jolts straight to my core

He leaned down, his breath hot against my ear. “There. Simple”

With him this close, his scent enveloping me, his body heat searing through the thin barriers of our clothes, I couldn’t think. Couldn’t breathe. Impulse took over. I surged forward, pressing my lips to his

Regret hit immediately. Oh God, what was I doing? He’d push me away, laugh, call me desperate

But he didn’t

Instead, he groaned, a low, guttural sound that vibrated against my mouth, and kissed me back, hard. His hands slid to my waist, pulling me flush against him. I was on fire. Every nerve ending ignited as his lips moved over mine, demanding, exploring. His tongue teased the seam of my mouth, and I parted for him without hesitation, tasting salt and smoke and something dangerously addictive

My hands found his chest, fingers digging into the hard planes of muscle under his shirt. He was solid, unyielding, like he’d been carved from stone. I whimpered into the kiss, the sound embarrassing but unstoppable. He responded by tilting my head back, deepening it until I was dizzy, until the room spun and the only thing grounding me was him

Slowly, he guided me down onto the bed, his body following without breaking the kiss. The mattress dipped under our weight, and I arched instinctively as his weight settled over me, not crushing, but possessive. His knee nudged between my legs, parting them just enough to make my breath catch again

His mouth left mine, trailing hot, open-mouthed kisses along my jaw, down my neck. I gasped as his teeth grazed my pulse point, nipping lightly. “You taste like temptation,” he murmured against my skin, his voice rougher now, edged with something feral

I tangled my fingers in his hair, pulling him closer. “Don’t stop”

He chuckled darkly, the sound sending vibrations straight through me. His hand slid up my thigh, tracing the new slit in my skirt. Fingers danced along the edge of my panties, teasing but not crossing. “So eager, Liora. But we’re just getting started”

He kissed lower, across my collarbone, his breath hot on the exposed curve of my breast. I arched into him, desperate for more. His free hand pushed my top higher, exposing more skin, his thumb circling my nipple through the thin lace of my bra. The sensation was electric, sharp pleasure that made me moan, my hips bucking against his thigh

“Fuck,” he growled, his control slipping. He captured my mouth again, hungrier this time, as his hand finally slipped under the fabric. Fingers brushed my core, light at first, then firmer, stroking until I was writhing beneath him

I was lost. The alcohol, the humiliation from downstairs, it all faded. There was only him, his touch, the way he made my body sing with need I’d never felt before

He pulled back just enough to look at me, eyes dark with desire. “You’re beautiful when you let go”

I reached for his shirt, tugging at the hem. He helped, yanking it over his head in one fluid motion. His chest was a masterpiece, tanned, muscled, with a faint scar trailing down his side that I wanted to trace with my tongue. I ran my hands over him, feeling the heat, the strength

He leaned down again, kissing me slow and deep, his hips grinding against mine. I felt him, hard, insistent, through his jeans, and a fresh wave of heat pooled between my legs. His fingers worked magic, circling, pressing, until I was on the edge, gasping his name

“Ronan,” I whispered, realizing I’d never asked. But somehow, I knew

He stilled for a second, then smiled, a real one, wicked and promising. “Say it again”

“Ronan”

His mouth crashed back to mine, and his hand moved faster, building the tension until I was trembling, ready to shatter

But he slowed, teased, drew it out until I was begging, my nails digging into his back

“Please,” I gasped