He looks impressed. The corner of his mouth twitches, almost a smile.
We keep going. Every time he corrects my stance, his hands land on me. Big, warm, calloused palms on my waist, my shoulders, my hips. Each touch sends a jolt straight through me, like electricity under my skin.
My breath catches every single time. My body is on fire, hyper-aware of how close he is, how easily he could pull me against him.
I hate how much I like it.
We move into a new drill. He steps behind me, wraps one thick arm around my waist and the other across my chest, locking me against his bare torso.
His body is hard and hot, slick with sweat. I can feel every ridge of muscle, every inch of him pressed to my back.
“Try to get out,” he says, voice rough near my ear.
I struggle, twisting and pushing, but he’s too strong. My heart pounds. Heat pools low in my belly. I’m breathing hard, and it has nothing to do with the effort.
“Again,” he murmurs. “Use your hips. Drive your elbow back.”
I do. I fight harder, grinding against him as I try to break free. The friction is unbearable. I can feel him getting harder behind me, his breath hot on my neck.
The sexual tension is so thick it’s suffocating. My nipples are tight, my thighs slick. I want to hate him. I want to push him away.
But I also want him to bend me over and?—
Focus, Calina.
I manage to drop my weight, twist my hips, and drive my elbow back hard enough to make him loosen his hold. I spin out of his grip, breathing fast, cheeks flushed.
He stares at me, chest heaving, eyes dark with lust.
“Not bad,” he says again, voice lower than before. “You’re quicker than I expected.”
We’re both breathing hard, standing too close. The air crackles between us.
I wipe sweat from my forehead and decide to say something to distract myself from this feeling.
“At the gala… you were talking to the head of The Pantheon. My brother told me the real reason you wanted this marriage. You’re using our family name to climb higher, aren’t you? To get into their precious little club.”
He doesn’t deny it. He just watches me, calm and unapologetic.
“You catch on fast,” he says simply.
“So it’s true,” I whisper. “You’re riding our back for power.”
He doesn’t look ashamed. If anything, he looks impressed that I figured it out.
“Can we get back to what we were doing or do you have more questions that you already know the answers to?”
We continue training. He shows me another hold. This time from the front, both his arms wrapped around me, pinning mine to my sides. His body is flush against mine, hard and unyielding.
I can feel the heat of his skin, the steady thud of his heart, the way his thighs press between mine.
“Get out of this one,” he challenges. “If you do, you win. You get to choose your prize.”
I look up at him, our faces inches apart. “Anything I want?”
His voice deepens. “Anything.”
I smirk. “You’re on.”
