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I shouldn’t be staring at her. It feels like an invasion of her privacy. And worse, it’s doing things to my emotions that it shouldn’t. But I can’t seem to help myself.
Every time I drag my eyes away from her, they slowly travel back to check on her once more.
When I catch the first harsh shudder that ripples through her body, my stomach knots with fresh concern. She’s still wearing my suit jacket and is lying relatively close to the fire, but she must still be cold.
Chewing the inside of my cheek, I watch her more closely now, this time to see if I need to intervene before she becomes hypothermic. Not that the night is particularly chilly. It’s late summer, after all, and though the air is a bit crisp, it’s not entirely unpleasant to me.
I hope she’s not going into deeper shock or something. If so, that could mean her head injury is worse than I thought.
She shivers again, curling more snugly around her core in her sleep. My chest tightens as her trembling grows prolonged.
“Blyat,” I growl, throwing my hard-earned discipline out the window when I can’t stand her discomfort any longer.
I move closer.
Despite all the reasons I know I should keep my distance from Sergio Sakharov’s daughter—at the top of the list being my unreasonable attraction to her—I pull her into my arms, trying to warm her with my body heat since my jacket and the fire aren’t enough.
Shuddering against my chest, Alina releases a shaky breath as she wakes from her restless sleep. Her blue eyes peer up at me through dark lashes as she leans against me, her ear pressed to my chest. I can feel how cold it is through the fabric of my dress shirt, and I hope she doesn’t notice that the pace increases at her sudden proximity.
“What are you doing?” she murmurs in confusion, her voice still laced with sleep, but she doesn’t pull away. If anything, she snuggles closer, as if instinctually seeking my shelter in my arms.
“Warming you up. Your teeth are chattering so hard it’s making my teeth hurt,” I state gruffly. I can’t admit that it physically causes me pain to watch her shiver.
Draping her legs over mine, I let the ground support her hips as I cradle her in my lap, my arms and thighs enfolding her.
“Thank you,” she breathes as I rub one palm up and down her arm to create friction.
“You’re welcome.” Trying my best to ignore the way she melts so softly against me, I focus on providing her with enough warmth that her muscles can relax once more. Her enticing scent of vanilla and jasmine fills my nose, and I inhale more shallowly to avoid becoming aroused.
Slowly, her trembling eases, and her breaths calm as she reaches an acceptable temperature once more.
13
ALINA
Though Mishka has given me plenty of signals that he wants nothing to do with me, when he holds me in his arms, I can’t help but want him. Everything about him breathes masculine strength, and it makes my stomach quiver to be so close to him. He’s a solid rock, and yet, he feels so warm and comforting, like the perfect weighted blanket or hot chocolate on a cold winter day.
His powerful, callused hands knead my muscles as he tries to heat me up, and it’s working wonders—though perhaps not in the way he intends. A fire ignites deep in my belly, making me crave more of him as it warms my flesh. The way our bodies fit together so perfectly sends sparks of excitement rippling across my skin.
Gone is the icy chill that seeped into my bones as I slept. In its place is an inferno of attraction that makes it nearly impossible to keep my hands to myself.
Looking up at Mishka’s chiseled, masculine face, my eyes land on his full lips, and I desperately want to know what kissing him would be like. I wonder if they claim and conquer as easily as his body and eyes. Swallowing hard, I lick my lips, my heart fluttering as a wave of nervous excitement gives me courage.
And though I’ve never been so scared of getting rejected in my life, after everything that’s happened tonight—after how close we came to dying—I want to be daring. To take this chance.
Mishka’s eyes drop questioningly to mine as I straighten slightly from the frigid ball I’d rolled into, and before he can drop his arms, I lean in, gently pressing my lips to his.
Liquid fire pounds through my veins as a jolt of electric longing blasts from my lips straight down my spine. My eyelids sink closed at the overwhelming sensation.
To my astonishment, Mishka doesn’t resist.
And he doesn’t pull away.
I melt into him, my hand sliding up his powerful chest to grip the back of his neck. His arms tighten around me, pulling me closer as my heart hammers against my ribs. His tongue strokes out, tracing the seam of my lips, and I gasp at the tingling excitement that unfurls in my belly.
Taking advantage of the moment, he deepens our kiss, his tongue tangling with mine as he tastes me with alluring need. My ravenous groan vanishes into his mouth as we kiss passionately, our lips locking.
Consumed by the heat of the moment, I wrap my arms fully around his shoulders.
