Page 4 of Surrendering to the Obsession

He kissed her again—deeper.

Then dragged his lips up her neck, tongue brushing lightly in a way that made her knees give a dangerous wobble.

She gasped when his teeth grazed her, just enough to make her legs weaken further.

Her body pressed into him, trembling against his hold, and he let out a low, rough sound that vibrated against her neck before he kissed her there again—hotter this time, mouth lingering, sucking gently on the sensitive spot until her entire body melted.

Her knees buckled.

He caught her instantly.

His hand left her wrists and slid under her thighs as he swept her off the ground, lifting her into his arms like her weight meant nothing. Her fingers clutched at his shoulders, breath uneven, skin flushed from his mouth.

His eyes stayed locked on hers—dark, hungry, burning.

Without breaking that stare, he carried her toward the house. She felt the tension in his arms, the heat of his chest, the steady rise and fall of his breath that wasn’t steady at all.

The rest of the world blurred and vanished behind them, leaving only the heat, the tension, and the unspoken need that crackled between them.

***

It was the next morning when Mia stepped outside, closing the door softly behind her. The sunlight was warm, but her body still felt a little sore from the night before.

Near the garden steps, Camila was standing with her phone pressed to her ear, laughing brightly.

“Yes—yes! Can you believe it? I was at that party!” Camila exclaimed, throwing her head back with dramatic disbelief. Her hands flew to her chest, then waved through the air as if painting the scene for anyone watching. “But… she’s changed so much! I honestly had to ask three different people if it was really her!”

Then, on a sudden pivot, she turned on her heels and her eyes landed on Mia. Her smile widened instantly, warm and genuine.

“Kiki, I’ll call you later,” she said breezily, ending the call before the other person could get a word in.

Mia approached slowly, her steps quiet, a hint of shyness coloring her expression. “Mrs. Graves… about last night… it was just—I didn’t think much when I slapped Ja—”

Camila lifted a hand with effortless grace, cutting her off. Her soft smile was warm, reassuring, dissolving any lingering tension.

“I don’t care what you did or didn’t do,” she said calmly. “You are my son’s wife. That’s all that matters.”

But as she spoke, her expression shifted ever so slightly—just a flicker of uncertainty passing through her eyes. Her gaze settled on Mia, searching, studying her carefully.

“You didn’t lie to me, did you, Mia? You married Alexander because you love him… right?”

Mia blinked, caught off guard, then nodded quickly. “Yes, of course. Why else would two people get married? Of course I love him.”

Camila’s lips curved, clearly pleased. But then her eyes darted over Mia’s shoulder, lifting knowingly, and her smile turned mischievous.

“Did you hear that, Alexander?”

Mia’s breath hitched. She spun—and there he was.

Alexander stepped out of the doorway, hands tucked casually in his pockets, moving slow and confident. A faint, knowing smile tugged at the corner of his lips—the kind that made Mia’s stomach twist with heat.

“Yes,” he said, calm, amused, his gaze locked on Mia. “I heard how much she loves me.”

He didn’t look away for a single second. Mia’s cheeks flamed crimson, and she felt utterly exposed under his magnetic stare.

Camila suddenly lifted her phone with a theatrical gasp. “Ah! I’m getting another call!” she announced, staring at her clearly silent phone. “Terribly urgent! Absolutely—urgent!”

Without waiting another second, she practically fled across the courtyard, leaving a stunned Mia behind.