Still shirtless. Still wearing only the towel. Close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from his body. Close enough that she could smell him, that intoxicating combination of shower soap and something uniquely masculine and purely him.
Her breath caught audibly.
"The shirt," he said, his voice low and calm despite the proximity.
She handed it to him with trembling hands, trying not to notice the way his fingers brushed against hers as he took it. Trying not to be aware of how close he was standing. Trying not to think about what would happen if she turned around.
He pulled the shirt on, the wet fabric clinging to his still-damp chest and shoulders, outlining every defined muscle beneath. The shirt fit him perfectly, tailored to emphasize his broad shoulders and narrow waist.
When he finished pulling it on, he looked at her directly.
"Button it for me."
The request sent a jolt of electricity through her entire body.
Lilith stepped forward...she had no choice, it was physically necessary to button his shirt, and her world narrowed to just him. To the proximity. To the overwhelming sensory experience of being this close to him while he stood shirtless above her just moments before.
Her hands shook as she reached for the first button at his waist.
She could feel his eyes on her face. Could feel the weight of his attention like a physical force. Could feel her own body responding with visceral intensity to the intimacy of the task.
The first button.
She could smell him, that intoxicating scent that made her dizzy. Her hands were trembling so badly she could barely manage the button.
"What the fuck are you doing in there with her, Nicholas?" Sebastian’s voice came through the mindlink, sharp with jealousy and barely contained need.
The second button.
She was stepping closer with each one, her chest nearly brushing against his as she worked upward. Her breathing was shallow and rapid. Her heart was hammering so hard she thought it might break through her ribs.
"I can smell her arousal from my room. You motherfucker, you have her in your room and you won’t let us go near her. So what the fuck are you doing now, brother?" Sebastian’s mental voice was darker now, more desperate, the jealousy mixing with raw hunger.
The third button.
She was acutely aware of how close she was to his bare skin. Aware that one wrong move, one slip of her hand, and she’d be touching him directly. Aware that the intimacy of this moment was overwhelming in ways she didn’t understand.
"The next time you tell me not to go near her, I’m going to punch your poker face. I can smell her. She’s ours. Let us in there." Lucian’s voice came through the bond, raw with need and possessiveness, the words practically vibrating with Zev’s desperation.
The fourth button.
Her eyes were fixed on the buttons, unable to look up at his face. Unable to meet his gaze. Unable to process what this moment meant or why he’d requested this specific task.
"Patience. This is strategy. She needs to understand what she is to us on her own terms. Trust the plan," Nicholas’s mental voice came through, carrying absolute alpha authority even through the bond. His composure was absolute, even as his brothers raged around him mentally.
The fifth button.
Almost done. Almost finished with this torture of proximity and overwhelming awareness.
"How much longer can you stay in there with her without losing control, Nicholas?" Lucian asked through the bond, his voice shaking with the effort of maintaining distance.
"As long as it takes," Nicholas responded, his mental voice steady even as Lilith felt his breathing become slightly heavier beneath her hands.
The sixth and final button.

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