11. Zara

11

ZARA

I rush into my bedroom, slamming the door behind me and pushing the bolt across. My heart is pounding so hard I can hear the blood rushing in my ears.

What the hell am I thinking?

Aksel is the most powerfully built, ruggedly handsome man I've ever seen. It's only natural I'm insanely attracted to him. But there's something unhinged about my host—something dark and dangerous lurking under the surface that I should run far away from.

Yet a traitorous part of me wants him to claim me, to introduce me to pleasures I couldn't even dream of. To finally, mercifully, rid me of this utterly embarrassing virginity at my age.

I shake my head, trying to dislodge the wanton thoughts. Stripping off my hiking gear, I toss it in the corner and purposefully dress in my most unappealing, frumpy clothes. A pair of baggy sweatpants and a loose, shapeless top. Anything to dampen Aksel's interest and my own arousal.

A heavy fist pounds on the door. "Zara? You okay in there?"

Aksel's deep voice slices through me like a hot knife. I shiver, hugging myself. "Y-Yes, I'm fine! Just changing."

There's a pause, then, "Don't make me come in there, baby girl."

The blatant threat in his tone makes my breath catch. I can picture his eyes narrowing, jaw clenched with impatience when I defy him. Taking a deep, steadying breath, I open the door. Aksel is leaning against the opposite wall, arms crossed over his chest. His eyes instantly rake over me from head to toe.

Despite the shapeless, unflattering clothes I'm wearing, his gaze darkens. It's as if he can see right through the fabric to my naked body underneath.

Heat blooms across my cheeks as I avert my eyes. "I've got to check over the data I collected."

Aksel pushes off the wall, stalking toward me. I instinctively back up until I'm flattened against the door frame.

He towers over me, so close I can smell the intoxicating blend of fresh pine, motor oil, and sheer masculinity. His eyes bore into mine with an intensity that made me feel stripped bare.

"You can try to hide that gorgeous body all you want, littlefugl," he rumbles, the Norwegian endearment rolling off his tongue. "But you can't hide the desire in your eyes when you look at me."

His calloused finger traces the curve of my jaw, raising goosebumps across my skin. I shiver, unable to tear my gaze away from his.

"I see how you react to me," Aksel murmurs, leaning in until his lips graze my ear. "I can sense your arousal every time I'm near you. It calls to me."

I can't stop the whimper that escapes my lips as his words send molten heat pooling between my thighs. This man has an otherworldly power over me that I can't resist, no matter how hard I try.

"I've made Lapskaus. It's a beef stew. I hope you're hungry."

I blink rapidly, trying to process Aksel's abrupt subject change. One minute, he's practically undressing me with his eyes and whispering sinful things; the next, he's talking about...beef stew?

A confused frown tugs at my lips as I nod slowly. "Uh, yeah. Lapskaus sounds great."

I clear my throat, attempting to gather my composure and revert back to my usual cheerful self. Squaring my shoulders, I offer him a bright smile. "I'm starving after that hike. I can't wait to dig in!"

Aksel's gaze doesn't waver as he studies me carefully. I resist the urge to squirm under his scrutiny. "Good," he rumbles. "You'll need to keep your energy up for later."

The insinuation in his words causes heat to creep into my cheeks. I open my mouth to respond, but he's already turning on his heel and heading back toward the kitchen.

Left alone, I exhale a shaky breath. Get it together, Zara. He's just trying to fluster you.

Pushing off the door frame, I follow the mouthwatering aroma of stew wafting from the kitchen. Aksel is bent over the pot on the stove, stirring the contents.

I quickly avert my eyes before he catches me ogling him. Again. Clearing my throat, I take a seat at the rustic old table. "It smells amazing. I didn't realize you were such a good cook."

Aksel casts me a sidelong glance over his shoulder, one corner of his sensuous mouth quirking up. "There's a lot you don't know about me."

I tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear. "Well, maybe you can enlighten me over dinner then."

His darkening gaze sweeps brazenly over my body once more before returning to the stew. "Maybe I will."

Despite my attempt to downplay the sizzling tension, I know there's no denying the primal attraction that crackles between us. I worry my lower lip, unable to shake the feeling that I may be in over my head with this man. Yet that only seems to excite me more.

Aksel ladles hearty portions into two bowls. He sets one in front of me with a grunt before taking the seat across the table.

"This looks incredible," I gush, hoping some enthusiastic conversation will help dissipate the tension. "I don't think I've ever had authentic Norwegian cuisine."

Aksel merely gives a noncommittal shrug as he digs into his food. I study his chiseled features, trying to read his stony expression. His dark brows are furrowed in their usual brooding scowl.

Undeterred, I forge ahead with the small talk. "So, will you tell me how long you've lived out here? In this cabin, I mean."

He pauses, meeting my gaze with those intense eyes that never fail to make my breath catch. "Long enough."

I fidget in my seat, nodding slowly. "Right, of course. It's really...cozy. Rustic."

An awkward silence stretches between us as we eat. I sneak glances at Aksel, admiring the sharp angles of his jaw, the smattering of dark stubble, and the intriguing ink of his tattoos peeking from beneath the sleeves of his shirt.

Clearing my throat, I try again. "Those are really cool tattoos, by the way. What do they mean?"

His eyes narrow slightly as he regards me. For a moment, I think he will brush me off again. But then he slowly rolls up his sleeve, revealing an intricate pattern of symbols twisting around his muscular forearm.

"Norse runes," he rumbles. "Protection symbols. Strength. Guides for journeys."

"Wow," I breathe, leaning closer to get a better look. I can't resist reaching out to lightly trace the swirling black lines with my fingertip. "They're beautiful."

Aksel turns deathly still, holding my captive gaze as I continue trailing over the ink. A heavy intensity simmering in his eyes causes my heart to slam against my ribs.

"You find them intriguing?" he murmurs, voice taking on a deep, gravelly quality.

Heat prickles along my neck as I give a shaky nod. "V-Very. I've always been fascinated by ancient cultures and symbolism."

A smirk tugs at the corner of Aksel's mouth, crinkling the laugh lines around his eyes. "Is that so?"

I swallow hard, my fingers stilling on his arm. Electricity seems to spark between us, raising the fine hairs along my skin. "Maybe you could tell me more about them some time?"

The words come out in a breathless whisper as my gaze moves to his lips. Full and sensuous, I can't help imagining how they might feel against mine.

"Maybe I will, littlefugl," Aksel rumbles. "If you ask nicely."

I can barely choke down another bite of the delicious stew. My mouth has gone so dry. The tension has become suffocating, charging the air with an electric current.

As he finishes the last few bites, Aksel pushes his empty bowl aside and stands in one fluid motion. My breath catches as he moves to stand behind me. The heat of his solid body radiates against my back, making me hyperaware of every inch of space between us.

Aksel leans down until his lips graze the shell of my ear. His stubble scratches my sensitive skin as he murmurs in a low, dangerous rumble, "I'm done playing games."

A shudder races down my spine at the blatant threat in his tone. This is it—he's finally making his move. Part of me has been anticipating this moment with a heady mixture of fear and arousal. But now that it's here, panic surges through my veins.

"I-I'm a virgin!" I blurt out, instantly regretting the words.

He goes rigid against me for a beat. Then, a rumbling chuckle vibrates against my back as he presses closer, caging me against the table. "Is that so?"

I give a shaky nod, my pulse thundering in my ears. "Y-Yes. I've never...I mean, I don't have any experience..."

"Shhh." He soothingly brushes my hair aside, baring the slender column of my throat. His lips hover a hairsbreadth away as he growls, "That's nothing to be ashamed of, baby girl. In fact..."

Aksel's large, calloused hand slides around to boldly cup my breast through my baggy top. I gasp sharply at the intimate contact as he kneads my breast with firmness.

"It just means I'll have to be extra gentle when I claim what's mine," he rasps against my neck. "When I take my time ruining you for any other man."

Arousal slams into me with dizzying force. My thighs clench instinctively as slick heat pools between them. This man has awakened something I didn't even know existed inside me until now.

"You want that, don't you?" Aksel's teeth graze along the sensitive skin just below my ear. "You want me to take my time stripping away every last shred of your innocence?"

I can only nod helplessly, rendered mute by the overwhelming sensations assaulting me. His free hand tangles in my hair, angling my head to allow his lips to blaze a scorching path along the column of my throat.

"Then you'll do as I say," he commands in a rough growl. "You're mine now, littlefugl. And I will make sure you never forget who you belong to."