He gripped her by the arm and pulled her into his arms, flush against his hard torso, taking her by surprise. “Nicholas..” was all she could gasp out before his lips crashed to hers. His hand gripped the back of her head with an urgency that took her breath away. The heat of his lips against hers, the fire burning between them, was too different from the hesitant kiss she had started ten years ago. There was no hesitation this time, only a pent-up need for one another that they were too stubborn to admit. A knock on the door brought Alyssa to her senses, and she broke away abruptly. “Nicholas, have you seen Alyssa? Alexander is looking for her,” came Eva’s voice from the other side. A warm flush crept up Alyssa’s cheeks, knowing that if her friend pushed the door open, she’d be caught.