Page 116 of Lured By Shadows

I yelped when my body was suddenly pressed against the opposite side of the car, cold glass biting through my clothes.

“And so can I.” His voice darkened with mischief as his hand slid slowly along my thigh.

I hadn’t even realized he’d parked the car. I’d been too caught up in falling into his trap and distractions.

Every inch of the movement lit something volatile beneath my skin, making me suck in a sharp breath as my back pressed instinctively harder against the window, like a little distance might steady me. Even then, I didn’t pull away from the electric certainty of his touch as his hand stopped at the soft curve where my thigh met my waist, squeezing firmly enough that it felt like he was marking me.

“And what’re you doing right now?” I asked, my voice betraying me with a rasp I hadn’t intended.

“Showing you,” he murmured, the words ghosting over my nerves like both a promise and a threat.

“More like teasing me,” I shot back, though the protest came out weak as I planted a hand against his chest.

It was useless. Beneath my palm, he was solid and unmoving, his composure almost unfair. I couldn’t even feel his heartbeat.

His body pressed me against the window even more, making sure I understood there was no space left between us. My breath stalled in my chest, like the air itself was waiting for permission to move again. A slow, soaking warmth spread through me and settled low, undeniable and humiliating in how easily my body throbbed in response to him.

Culver hovered there, his eyes taking in every detail I hadn’t meant to offer so freely. My parted lips. The heat staining my cheeks. The way my chest rose too fast beneath his gaze.

His nose brushed mine, barely there, and the contact sent a tremor through me that I couldn’t hide.

“My, my,” he murmured, silk and amusement woven together. “I was not expecting you to react so… innocently.”

“I’m not innocent,” I snapped, though the breathlessness ruined the effect.

Embarrassment slid down my spine like hot water, but I didn’t look away.

His eyes flicked to my mouth for half a second, and whatever restraint I’d been clinging to finally splintered.

His hand lifted to my face, slow and careful, brushing my hair back before tracing the curve of my cheek with his thumb. My chest rose sharply, the awareness of how close we were suddenly overwhelming. My fingers twisted in his shirt as I tugged him closer before I could talk myself out of it.

The desire I’d been holding back since the first morning we met finally broke loose in a way that left no room for pretending anymore. I couldn’t keep lying to myself about how much I wanted him, how his scent wrapped around me and made everything else fade, or how the pull between us had always felt like it was leading right here.

But I had wanted this.

I’d wanted it for so long that not wanting him felt impossible.

Our lips met on a sharp inhale—mine—and the world tilted.

The taste of him was more than I was ready for, all edgy and something electric that curled through me like a warning. My hands slid into his hair, gripping and pulling him closer as if I could anchor myself there and keep from being swept under.

His hand found the small of my back, guiding me into him until I was flush against his body. The sound that left his chest was low and rough, vibrating straight through me as his mouth moved against mine with the confidence of someone who had been waiting far too long.

When we finally broke apart, it was only by a breath, his forehead resting against mine as his eyes searched my face.

Culver lingered there, watching for doubt or fear, for any sign that I wanted him to stop.

I didn’t give him one.

Whatever unspoken permission he found was enough.

His mouth returned to mine with a hunger that still felt careful, his lips moving in practiced rhythm as one hand slid against my neck, gripping my throat just enough to draw a sound from me. Instead of pulling back, he leaned into it, deepening the kiss until my thoughts dissolved completely.

I melted against him, my eyes closing as my body took over in the tight confines of the car. My thighs squeezed around him tighter without me even deciding to, and then I rolled my hips into him. My pussy pulsed so hard it felt like every nerve down there was begging for more. The raw need pushed everything else aside until he let out a low sound and shifted against me. He kept our mouths locked together the entire time, the kiss swallowing me whole in a way that left me spinning.

He broke away only to bite, his teeth grazing my tongue, and that made me tense before he released it again, teasing my lip between his teeth like a challenge. My breath came fast, fogging the glass behind me as his hands tightened on my body.

When his palms slid to my ass and he rolled forward, the sound that tore out of me was raw and unfiltered, and I clung to his arms like they were the only solid thing left.