Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 27018 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 135(@200wpm)___ 108(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27018 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 135(@200wpm)___ 108(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
Lark stiffens, her pride making her resist even the smallest sign of weakness. “I’m used to the cold.”
“Doesn’t mean you have to suffer through it,” I reply, shifting closer. I stretch my legs out, then pull her toward me, settling her between my thighs.
“Body heat’s the best way to warm up,” I add, my voice taking on a deeper timbre.
She freezes for a second, her back rigid against my chest. But the cold gets the better of her, and she slowly relaxes, leaning into me. The feel of her, warm and soft, stirs something deep inside me—a need I’ve been fighting since the moment we met.
“You don’t have to play hero all the time, you know,” Lark murmurs, her voice barely audible over the storm’s roar. “I’m not some damsel in distress.”
“Never thought you were,” I say, my lips close to her ear. “But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to take care of you.”
Her breath catches, and I can feel the tension coiled tight in her muscles. “Why?” she asks, a hint of vulnerability breaking through. “Why do you care so much?”
The question throws me off balance. It’s raw, honest, and it cuts through the layers I’ve built around myself.
“Because you’re worth it,” I say simply, my voice rougher than I intend.
She doesn’t respond right away, but I can feel her breathing grow uneven, her body pressing back against mine, as if she’s testing the boundaries of this moment.
“Hunter,” she says finally, her voice a soft plea, filled with uncertainty.
I can’t hold back anymore. I shift my position, turning her to face me. Her eyes are wide, uncertain, but there’s a spark there—something hungry, something real. “Lark,” I murmur, my voice low, rough with desire. “Tell me you want this. Tell me you want us.”
Her lips part, and she lets out a shaky breath. “I do,” she whispers, her voice barely audible. “But I don’t know how.”
The honesty in her words breaks something inside me. It’s the kind of vulnerability that makes my need for her feel almost unbearable.
“Then let me show you,” I say, my voice thick with raw need.
I lean in, capturing her mouth in a kiss that’s fierce, desperate. It’s like every ounce of restraint I’ve held back is gone, replaced by an overwhelming need to claim her, to make her mine. Her lips are soft, yielding, but there’s an urgency in her response that matches my own. She grips my shoulders, her fingers digging into my skin, pulling me closer.
The kiss deepens, growing wilder, more frantic. I slide my hands under her shirt, my fingers tracing the curve of her waist, the smoothness of her skin. She gasps into my mouth, and the sound sends a jolt of desire straight through me. It’s raw, consuming, and I know there’s no turning back.
I break the kiss, my breathing ragged, my forehead pressed against hers. “Are you sure?” I ask, my voice rough. “Because once we start, I’m not stopping.”
Her eyes are dark, filled with a mix of fear and longing. “I’m sure,” she says, her voice steady despite the tremble in her body. “I want this.”
That’s all the permission I need. I pull her shirt over her head, my hands mapping every inch of her skin as if I’m memorizing her. She arches against me, her head tilting back, exposing her throat. I press open-mouthed kisses along the curve of her neck, feeling her pulse race beneath my lips.
“Hunter,” she breathes, her voice a mix of plea and surrender.
The sound of my name on her lips drives me wild. I push her back gently onto the blanket, positioning myself over her, my weight braced on my arms. I pause, looking down at her, taking in the sight of her flushed cheeks, her swollen lips, the vulnerability mixed with desire in her eyes.
“You’re so beautiful,” I murmur, my voice filled with a mix of reverence and hunger.
She reaches up, her fingers tangling in my hair, pulling me down for another kiss. This one is slower, deeper, a tangle of tongues and soft moans. I feel her body move beneath mine, her legs parting slightly, welcoming me.
The heat between us is scorching, overwhelming. I feel her fingers tug at my shirt, her touch desperate, insistent. I pull back just long enough to strip it off, and then we’re skin to skin, the contact sending a shockwave through me.
I press my hips against hers, feeling the damp heat of her through the thin fabric of her panties. She gasps, her hips lifting instinctively, her body begging for more. I trail kisses down her throat, across her collarbone, savoring the taste of her skin, the way she trembles beneath me.
When I reach the waistband of her panties under her dress, I pause, looking up at her.
“Last chance to change your mind,” I say, my voice low, hoarse with need.