She tried to pull it away, but he wouldn’t let her. “Stop it. Let me go.”

He smoothed his hand over hers. “Tell me.”

“Nope.” She smiled, enjoying the banter. “This is coercion, I hope you know.”

He raised her hand to his lips and kissed her hand then the inside of her wrist. Then he looked up at her through his eyelashes. “Please?”

“Let me go!” She laughed as she yanked her hand away, out of reach. “Okay, okay!” She let out a deep breath and rubbed the back of her neck before looking into his eyes, looking vulnerable. “Taren, I just don’t want to get hurt.”

He reached...