He hooked his fingers into the neckline of his tee-shirt and pulled it over his head.

Athera’s breath was momentarily snatched from her as his gorgeous chest was put on display, right in front of her eyes.

“Look.” He turned lifting his arms to show her the abrasions on his side.

“From you.”

“Shark skin is rough,” she said absently as she reached out to touch the marks gently.

He didn’t stop her and she was so conscious of him that the heat of his skin seemed to burn her fingertips.

“I’m sorry about the grazes.” She lay her palm down across his ribs, wanting maximum contact with his body.

Grave didn’t seem to mind. He was looking at her with something in his eyes that she couldn’t place. A smoky heat that made her stomach start to flutter and her heartbeat speed up.

“I’m sorry I cut you.”

His voice was so low, she could barely hear his words so she stepped closer.

“I think it’s healed,” she murmured, her body an inch away from his heat, her head back as she kept eye contact with him.

“Yes, it is. It was healed when I got you out of the water. It must have healed when you shifted.”

“Oh?” Her voice sounded breathy, her heart beating frantically in her chest. Her breath were short little puffs that warned her she was close to losing control.

She wanted to go up on her toes and kiss him. She wanted to so badly that it was an ache inside of her. Grave made all her emotions heighten. He made her react in ways she never knew she could react.

“Ath…” He left the rest of his sentence hanging, his head lowering his lips a breath away from hers.

“Grave?”