Chapter 4

Helena

A sliverof light from somewhere above catches the man’s face as he draws near, and despite myself, I’m momentarily enraptured by his roguish good looks. Sharp jawline, twinkling dark eyes brimming with mischief, a cocksure grin... he exudes an effortless sensuality that makes my traitorous heart flutter.

I force myself to focus, ignoring my body’s unwanted reaction. Finding a way out of this wretched cellar should be my sole priority now. And yet…

“You broke in through the back entrance, I presume?” I ask crisply, all business. “Show me at once, so I may escape this wretched darkness.”

He gives a slight bow. “As the lady commands,” he says in a low, sensual voice that sends shivers down my spine. I struggle to keep my knees from quivering as he stands near me.

He turns on his heel and I stare after his retreating figure, struck by his masculine grace and the tantalizing scent trailing in his wake. Notes of cedar and bergamot mingle with a mysterious spice that goes straight to my head, leaving me pleasantly intoxicated.

Shaking off the momentary daze, I follow his vague form through the maze of shelves and stacked crates. My nerves sing with the awareness of his commanding presence just inches away, that addictive aroma wreathing us both now in the confined space. I barely restrain myself from moving closer and breathing him in properly, common decency warring with dangerous fascination.

At a rusty metal door, he pauses expectantly. But as he tugs the handle, an audible groan echoes from the other side, followed by a resounding thud.

My breath catches in dismay. Sure enough, when he shoves his shoulder against it, the door refuses to budge. We’re well and truly sealed in.

“Looks like we’re stuck, gorgeous,” he says with a rueful chuckle. “The wind must have caught it just right to wedge it closed.”

I purse my lips, tamping down my frantic panic. Being so near him in confined quarters already has my pulse racing wildly. His rich cologne teases my senses with every breath, the masculine scent flooding my body with inappropriate heat.

And his voice... that low husky tone seems to stroke me intimately inside, shooting shivers of delight through my core. I swallow hard, struggling to resist my body’s traitorous desires awakened by this stranger’s raw masculinity.

As we comb the cellar again, I somehow manage to explain our imprisonment, voice emerging breathier than intended. He listens intently, eyes boring into mine until I’m soaked with wanton need.

What is wrong with me? I shouldn’t feel this overpowering craving for an absolute stranger. Yet here I am, drowning in the intensity of my desire.

I take an instinctive step back from the temptation of his nearness, only to bump unexpectedly against the concrete wall behind me. Trapped now between unyielding stone and his overwhelming presence, maddening scent surrounding me, my restraint hangs by the barest thread.

“What an adventure we’ve found ourselves in, eh?” he murmurs with a roguish sideway smile.

A foreign ache blooms inside me at his words. Perhaps one night of wickedness wouldn’t be so bad. After all, what happens underground stays underground...

“Might as well enjoy it.” His voice drops to a low purr that jolts my heart into a gallop.

My lips part as he draws near, and before I’m able to utter a sound, his firm hand cups my cheek and he presses his lips to mine in a dizzying kiss. I freeze in shock, every nerve alight. But as his mouth moves over me, gentle yet insistent, resistance proves impossible.

His kiss scorches me with passionate hunger and the coziness of home, entwined in a fiery blaze. I marvel at how swiftly my body melts into fathomless desire. Even in the midnight darkness, his hands and lips prove skillful at eliciting intense pleasure. And I find myself helpless to do anything but reciprocate his fervent passion.

“Oh… fuck…” I gasp, my voice low and throaty as he pushes me against the wall, his searing lips tracing a dangerous road down the slope of my neck.

I feel his grin, his stubble grazing as his tongue ventures lower, his fingers teasing at my cleavage. “Yeah… We’ll get to that,” he replies in a husky purr, vibrating through my entire being.

As the kiss lingers, his hands slide down my arms, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake. I can feel the heat of his body mere inches from mine, and the ache between my legs grows with each passing moment.

I break away from him, gasping for air, a surge of guilt and desire battling inside me. “We should… focus on getting out of here,” I breathe, immediately regretting every word. Damn it, I want him. To hell with everything else.

“And we will.” He grins, a glint of mischief in his voice. “Who said we can’t make our escape a little more pleasurable?”

Before I can answer, he lifts me onto a nearby table, clearing away the mess to make room for us. And then he’s kissing me again, his mouth hot and demanding as his hands explore every inch of me.

I melt against him as, with feverish hunger, his fingers glide between my locks of hair, tugging at the band that binds my high ponytail. A growl of delight rumbles in his throat as the band snaps off, and he sets my hair free. The sound reverberates through me, a renewed blow of desire thrumming in my veins. My breath hitches at his overwhelming nearness. His presence is a powerful force, raging like the fiercest tempest, and I want to be lost in him, to let go of everything that ties me to reality and let him sweep me away into his vortex of delight.

My head spins with pleasure, the darkness of the cellar heightening every sensation, and I clutch at his shoulders, urging him closer, though I know what we’re doing is reckless and foolish. But in this moment, all that matters is the intoxicating rush of desire and the man standing before me.

“D’you want me?” he growls, his minty breath hot against my ear.

My heart drums in my chest, and I can hardly breathe. I meet his gaze, my voice barely a whisper. Fuck it. “Yes.”

He smiles and slides his hands up my thighs, pulling me closer still as our mouths merge once more in sweet surrender.

“That’s a good girl…” he murmurs, pressing his lips to mine. “You’re a good girl, aren’t you?”

“Uh-huh,” I moan, barely audible as I try to process what’s happening. His desire and mine intertwine us in a warm cocoon of want and need. Nodding, I watch him smile fiercely. It’s the wildest thing I’ve ever done, but this guy is so fucking hot. His taut, chiseled chest begs for my touch, and his warmth radiates beneath me as my hands drift over him.

“Fuck...” I breathe, peeling away his leather jacket from his massive shoulders. I want to feel his taut chest beneath my fingers, feel the warmth of his skin against my skin… This is exactly what I need. There’s nothing else on my mind except for this.

His touch moves over my body with breathtaking precision and sends a shockwave of pleasure through me. I moan against his lips, and he grabs my hips, pulling me to the edge of the table. His warmth radiates from his body onto mine as he kisses me deeper, sliding his hands up under my skirt as I gasp in the sweetest agony.

A pang of pain and need shoots through my core when he suddenly pulls away, his controlling hands firmly pushing up my skirt and trapping my thighs into place. I protest with a low moan, but he shushes me fast—roughly enough that I shiver in delight.

His hands glide up my thighs, pushing up my skirt as he slips into the space between my knees. “Do you want me here?” he purrs, his voice low and exuding unmistakable desire.

I bite my lower lip and nod eagerly, barely recognizing myself in this fervor of lust. But rational thoughts flee swiftly as his fingers hook into my panties, dragging them torturously down my legs. My head falls back against the shelves with a gasp, combusted nerves aching for his mouth to replace the delicate fabric.

His kiss then glides up the sensitive inner skin, higher and higher until I am mindless, quivering for that first taste... Oh, fuck. Is this really happening? It is, and I want every decadent second of it. His tongue slips between my soaked folds and I cry out as stars explode behind my eyes.

“That’s it,” he growls, arrogant and satisfied. “Come for me, babe. I want to hear you come.”

His commanding words pierce through the haze of my pleasure. Nobody has ever spoken to me with such authority in the bedroom before. I would normally bristle at such a presumption. But right now, I’m willing to surrender control.

Inhibitions blur as my heart rate spikes, tense like a bowstring ready to burst. Rational thought flees, no match for the onslaught of sensation. And when his tongue strokes that excruciatingly sensitive spot again, ecstasy shatters me with brute force.

I become one with his kiss, lost in the glorious rapture radiating from every nerve ending. A ragged cry rips from my throat—I am his, utterly conquered by intimate expertise I cannot hope to match.

Slowly, he straightens, holding me close against his muscular form. One hand trails up my back, tangling into my hair and gently tilting my head to meet his hypnotic gaze.

“You… are exquisite,” he murmurs, voice laden with desire. His piercing maroon eyes see into my very soul, leaving me exposed and trembling despite my usual composure.

We remain entangled during endless moments as I drift back to reality, pinned by his ravenous stare. I believed myself experienced, but this royal fiend leaves me utterly undone with just a mere taste of his skills. And I find myself longing for so much more.

I offer him a sleepy smile while he kisses my brow gently. Here in his arms, I am contented. This isn’t the start of something lasting or beautiful—and that’s fine. Right now, the moment is perfect. And that is enough.

He smiles, dark eyes searing into me as he traces small circles on my thigh with a tantalizing touch. “How was that for an escape?” he purrs, mischief and desire hanging from each word.

I laugh, shaking my head in disbelief. “Better than anything I could have imagined,” I manage, breathless. Wow. I’m tempted to praise him more, but I hold back because the guy’s cocky enough without it.

He leans down, pressing one last brief but tender kiss to my forehead. I mourn the loss of contact as he straightens, my body still thrumming. But then, the intensity in his gaze quickens my pulse for an entirely different reason.

Stooping briefly, he retrieves my discarded underwear from the floor. His intimate handling of the delicate fabric makes me flush with heat. But I take them with as much dignity as I can muster.

Once I’ve made myself presentable again, he offers me his hand. “Let’s get out of here,” he murmurs, voice low and determined. The words send a thrilling shiver through me. Just who the hell is this wonderful man?

Fires of hell—I wouldn’t mind staying locked inside here a while longer. I’m aching to have him, or at least return the favor. As I sweep back my tousled dark locks of hair, I heave a heavy sigh. Fuck. Why would he stop now? I want to say all these things, but I struggle to reclaim some dignity as I follow him.