Page 16

He stroked my hair behind my ear, then leaned forward, his breath whispering across my lips. “Good.”

Heat mixed with the adrenaline as his words sank into me.

Without waiting for a response from me, Silas released my face, reaching for a remote attached to the side of the bench on his side.

The hoop swayed as his feet lifted from the floor, and my stomach undulated as we rose, the ground growing further away.

I clenched my eyes shut and buried my face in his neck, nails digging into his shoulders as I held on for dear life.

His shoulders shook slightly in a silent laugh, and he tugged me more securely against him. It wasn’t until the heat of his chest enveloped me that I was able to take a shuddering breath.

With each passing second, we rose higher, sound dimming until all that was left was my heavy breathing.

The bench swayed when it came to a stop, and a small cry escaped my lips.

Silas’s hand closed over the nape of my neck, drawing circles against my skin. He held me, whispering calming words I couldn’t make out as he continued his tender caress.

He tucked his chin until his lips brushed the tip of my ear and cupped the back of my head, guiding my other ear to rest against his shirt.

Silas’s unwavering heartbeat blocked everything else out. He continued to stroke my hair, resting his chin on the crown of my head, until the steady beat grounded me and became the thing tethering me to this world.

After multiple attempts, I unburied my face and looked around. My stomach lifted, then crashed as vertigo took over, the ground seeming to move further and further away. My eyes widened, and I couldn’t look away from the growing chasm beneath us. Rationally, I knew we weren’t moving, but my brain and instincts were at war with each other. The only thing they could agree on was that this was too freaking high.

My muscles trembled hard enough to shake the hoop. Panic took over, and my breath came out faster and faster until dizziness crept in.

Strong fingers raked through my hair, tugging my head back and my chin upward until Silas’s green eyes filled my vision.

“Eyes on me, Brave Girl.” His voice was firm, and he moved closer, grazing his nose against mine, close enough to block out my vision. “Only look at me.”

Shivers rolled through me for a whole new reason as his firm yet warm voice filled me, pushing everything else out until all that was left was him. This time, his kiss was gentle, an unhurried exploration, but it was no less consuming than the last. A fire built inside of me, and I leaned in closer, searching for more.

I let out a soft whine when he released my mouth. My gaze fixed on his lips. They were full and a subtle shade of pink. The slight curve gave him a devilish look.

A soft chuckle escaped him. “Feeling better?”

I nodded, fixated on his plump lips as his tongue ran along the bottom one. I ran my tongue over my own lip, searching for the taste of him.

He groaned, and his hips rocked beneath me. I’d been so scared I hadn’t noticed how close we’d become. I was practically plastered to him, legs locked around his waist, every inch of me touching him.

I let go too fast, and the movement caused us to sway in the air. Without thinking, I grasped onto him even tighter than before.

He rolled his hips, his firm cock dragging over my clit through his pants. My eyes snapped wide with the mortifying memory that Thorne had confiscated my panties, and I was completely bare beneath my dress.

I didn’t have time to react. His rough hands were already skimming up my thighs, dipping beneath the hem of my skirt, and rounding my ass.

Silas’s fingers sank into the soft muscle, and his head dropped to mine. “Fuck,” he groaned, taking several moments to regain control of his breath. “I’m going to have to thank Thorne for this.”

Those rough hands explored my skin, tracing a burning path.

“You’re testing my patience, Gwen,” he said, then thrust himself against my core.

My lips split open with my gasp.

“I was going to take my time, easing you into this, but that’s over now.” He lifted me just enough to free my dress and tugged it upward until it caught beneath my arms, which were unwilling to let go.

With one arm firmly supporting my back, he dipped his head and swirled his tongue around my nipple before sucking. My back arched, giving him more room when his teeth grazed the sensitive tip.

Distantly, I felt his arm cinch, securing me in place, but the sensation of his hot mouth on me was enough to block out everything else.