The storm rages on outside, but inside, the fire between us is just getting started.
Chapter Six
Archer
The storm outside is relentless, hammering against the windows like it’s trying to tear the place apart. But in here, in the dim glow of the candlelight, everything feels still. Bella is standing by the fireplace, arms wrapped around herself, staring into the snow-covered world outside, her body tense, her mind clearly running miles ahead.
I can feel the tension too, buzzing in the air between us. The pull. It’s been there all night, hell, since the moment I walked through the door. Every part of me is drawn to her, every inch of my skin itching to close the distance. I take a step closer, watching the way the light from the fire makes her skin glow, highlighting every curve, every soft edge.
“I can hear you thinking from over here,” I say, keeping my voice low, a little rough. There’s something dangerous in the way I speak, something neither of us is willing to address just yet.
She turns to face me, lips parted like she’s ready to throw up another wall between us. But when our eyes lock, I see it. That spark. That same want that’s been driving me mad all night. And it’s right there, in the way her gaze drops to my mouth for a fraction of a second, before snapping back to mine.
“You keep looking at me like that,” I step closer, my voice dropping even lower, “and I won’t be responsible for what happens next.”
Her breath hitches. I see the slight tremble in her hands before she crosses them tighter over her chest. “I’m not looking at you.”
“Liar.” I’m right in front of her now, my hand coming up to brush my thumb across her jaw, tilting her face toward me. I don’t let her escape it, the charge between us, the heat simmering just beneath the surface. “You’ve been looking at me like you want this since the minute I walked in.”
She doesn’t deny it. Her breath catches, her eyes searching mine, but she doesn’t pull away. Instead, she leans in—just a little, just enough for me to know I’m not the only one ready to lose control.
I can’t hold back anymore. I close the gap, my mouth crashing down on hers, hot and demanding. The second our lips meet, the world outside disappears. The storm, the cold, everything fades until there’s only the heat between us, only her body pressed against mine, her hands sliding up my chest, gripping me like she’s afraid to let go.
She kisses me back, hard, matching my intensity. There’s no more hesitation now, no more pretending we can fight this. I feel her body arch against mine, desperate, like she’s been holding back just as long as I have, and now she’s done. Done fighting it. Done pretending.
I break the kiss, just long enough to catch my breath. “I want you,” I say, my voice rough, full of everything I’ve been holding back. “Tell me you want this too.”
Her eyes are dark, blown wide with desire. Her lips are swollen, her breath shallow, and when she finally speaks, her voice is barely a whisper. “I do.”
That’s all I need.
I grab her hand and pull her toward the couch, the firelight flickering in the background as we fall into the cushions together. Her body is soft, warm, and everything I’ve wanted to touch for too long. The need that’s been building between us all night finally breaks free, and I kiss her again, slower this time, letting the moment build, my hands sliding up her sides, feeling the heat of her skin beneath her shirt.
She shivers at my touch, and I can’t help but grin against her lips. “You cold?”
“Not even close,” she breathes, her hands tangling in my hair, pulling me down to her again.
I groan as her body moves against mine, her hips arching up to meet me. She’s driving me insane, every inch of her pulling me deeper, making it impossible to think about anything but the way she feels against me. I kiss down her neck, tasting her skin, breathing her in. Everything about her is intoxicating, and I’m drowning in her.
My hands roam over her body, slipping under her shirt, feeling the soft curve of her waist, the smoothness of her skin. Her breath hitches as I slide her nightgown higher, and I pause, giving her a moment to stop me if she wants to. But she doesn’t. She looks up at me, her eyes burning with the same need that’s been driving me crazy since I walked into this inn.
“Don’t stop,” she whispers, her voice shaky, but steady with desire.
I grin, tugging her nightshirt off and tossing it to the floor. “Wasn’t planning on it.”
I kiss her again, deeper this time, my mouth moving down her neck, over her collarbone, tasting every inch of her as her hands slide up my back, pulling me closer, her nails digging in just enough to drive me wild.
I can’t hold back anymore. I pull my own shirt off, and the second I do, her hands are on me, exploring, teasing, making it impossible to think about anything but how badly I want her.
“Archer…” Her voice is a breathy whisper, and the way she says my name sends a shiver straight through me.
I look down at her, breathless, my hands braced on either side of her, holding myself above her. “Tell me you want this as much as I do.”
She looks up at me, her lips swollen, her breath coming in shallow gasps. “I do,” she says, her voice stronger this time. “I want this.”
That’s all it takes.
I sneak a hand over her thigh, rubbing at the heat between her legs. She shrieks and twists away with a laugh.
