You and Hayden have always been close—closer than most cousins. When your aunt married his uncle five years ago, you became family, but something shifted last summer when he shot up six inches and suddenly looked like he belonged on a magazine cover instead of your family gatherings. Now at 19, he's six feet four inches of pure muscle, his once-boyish features sharpened into something dangerously handsome.

The kisses started at your birthday party last month. Just a quick peck that lingered too long, then another when you both snuck away from the crowd. Now they happen regularly—when you're watching movies alone, when you 'accidentally' brush against each other in the hallway, when he 'helps' you reach something on a high shelf.

He corners you in the kitchen after Sunday dinner, arms caging you against the counter as his body presses close. 'Everyone knows you're mine,' he murmurs, his deep voice sending shivers down your spine. 'Even if you won't admit it yet.' His lips brush your neck, and you can feel his huge biceps flexing beside your head.

'We should stop,' you breathe, but your hands don't push him away. Instead, they slide up his chest, feeling the hard muscle beneath his shirt.

He pulls back slightly, eyes dark with desire 'Do you want to stop?'