Page 28 of Bound in Ruin

We step up onto the backdrop platform under the glaring heat of the studio lights.

The photographer and director immediately start throwing out directions, calling for poses, and we follow along. I try my best to match Dominic's lead, but my nerves are practically thrumming under my skin. I keep glancing sideways at him in disbelief.

How does he look so impossibly calm and collected? How does he excel at literally everything he turns his hand to, while I feel like I'm barely keeping my head above water?

"Okay, good, but let's drop the formality!" the photographer calls out from behind his camera, waving a hand at us. "Mr. Kane, slide closer. We need heat! Touch a little more naturally, please. Mrs. Kane, soften up—give us a warmer, more intimate look."

A wave of sheer panic hits me, locking up my muscles. Intimate? Natural? Warm? I don't know how to be any of those things, especially not in front of a full production crew.

But Dominic doesn't hesitate for a single second.

Instead, he moves in completely. He reaches out and touches me more brazenly—his large, heavy hand sliding around my waist to grip my side, pulling me flush against the hard length of his body until there isn't a single inch of daylight left between us.

"Perfect! Oh, that is gorgeous!" the photographer yells, snapping away frantically. "Keep going! Give me more of that!"

Dominic's hand shifts, his fingers sliding up from my waist, traveling over my ribs until his palm rests against the front of my throat, his long fingers gently circling my neck.

A sharp gasp rips from my chest. Every inch of my skin erupts in goosebumps under the intoxicating pressure of his hand.

"Yes! Yes! Magnificent!" The photographer is practically jumping behind the lens, his shutter clicking in a rapid-fire frenzy. "More heat, Mr. Kane! Give us more!"

Dominic tilts his head, leaning down into my space so slowly, so deliberately, that I am fairly certain he is about to kiss me right here. In front of the crew. In front of the camera. In front of the entire world.

Panic spikes through me, and I try to take a step back, but his grip on my waist tightens, holding me firmly in place. He doesn't let me move an inch.

"Dominic," I whisper, my voice trembling as I look up into his dark, relentless eyes. "Our agreement. You said you wouldn't touch me more than necessary."

A dangerously smooth smirk tugs at the corner of his mouth, his thumb softly tracing the curve of my jawline. "Isn't this necessary, Rosalia? The entire country is going to see these pictures. Let's sell it to them."

"You're too close," I choke out, my breath catching in my throat as my heart hammers violently against my ribs.

He leans in closer still, his lips brushing the shell of my ear, his low voice vibrating right through my bones.

"Which part makes you uncomfortable, sweetheart?" he murmurs softly. "My closeness... or your reaction to it?"

I scoff, trying to inject as much ice into my voice as I can assemble. "In your dreams, Dominic."

He lets out a low, rumbling laugh that vibrates right against my chest. "This isn't a dream, Rosalia. I can feel you trembling in my arms. I can feel your shudder. I can feel the goosebumps breaking out on your skin."

"Dominic..." I warningly murmur, though it lacks any real bite.

He ignores the faint protest, leaning further down until his lips graze the shell of my ear, his tongue darting out to lick the sensitive curve. My mouth parts on a sharp, involuntary intake of air, heat surging straight to my core.

"Remember how you looked at me that night?" he whispers, his breath hot against my skin, sending another wave of shivers down my spine. "When I changed into my briefs right in front of you, and you caught sight of my cock? Remember how hard I was? I bet you do. I bet you haven’t been able to think about anything else.”

"Dominic!" I gasp, my face burning up instantly.

From behind the flashing lights, the photographer whistles loudly in delight. "Oh, brilliant! Mrs. Kane, that blush is a beautiful color! Whatever you're doing, Mr. Kane, do not stop!"

Dominic pulls back just enough to flash me a slow, wicked smirk, his dark eyes gleam with complete satisfaction. I press my lips together to suppress an outright groan.

This is going to be a very, very long shoot.

Thirty minutes later, it’s a wrap, and I honestly don’t know if I’m relieved that it's over or disappointed that we have to stop. But as Dominic and I pull apart, I quickly convince myself that I'm just excited to step away.

Because what on earth was that?

All through the rest of the shoot, Dominic never let me go. Not even once. He stayed wrapped around me, whispering dirty talk into my ear every time the camera flashed. My goodness... the man has a filthy mouth.