Julian Sterling found himself pushed to the very brink of exasperation, his temper flaring in response to Ethan Caldwell's relentless, teasing provocation. He twisted his neck around, mustering every ounce of intimidation he could gather, intending to fix the man behind him with a withering, ferocious glare that would silence him. However, the visual impact he presented was far from threatening. The remnants of their shared passion still clung to him like a second skin. The tides of lust had not yet fully receded, leaving his cheeks flushed with a feverish, roseate heat and his eyes shimmering with a layer of unshed, glistening mist. Such a vulnerable, ravished appearance possessed absolutely no lethality; if anything, it was an unintended invitation.
