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She was a romantic. She looked at me, and her eyes were a deeper blue, the color of the ocean. I could fall into those eyes if I wasn’t careful.
The atmosphere changed, and I was suddenly aware of how close we sat to each other, how quiet it was all around us. We had more privacy here than we would ever have at the house, even when everyone cleared away and left us alone. There would always be someone, and shifters would always be listening.
Out here, it was just her and me.
She looked into my soul, her lips parted slightly, and I couldn’t help myself.
This was trouble.
Getting too close put us both in danger.
If I kissed her, and I felt something the way I had last time, it meant there could be more, and I couldn’t let that happen.
Despite knowing the facts, I couldn’t resist her. My primal urges ignored my voice of reason, the logical facts, and I leaned in a little. When she didn’t pull away, I kissed her.
9
KINLEY
Everything about Braxton was supposed to be scary. He was a vicious lion shifter, cold and harsh, difficult to get through to. He wore a poker face that wouldn’t buckle for anything, and everyone jumped when he so much asthoughtabout snapping his fingers.
Right here, right now, alone in the forest with Braxton, I wasn’t scared of him at all. The magnetic pull was incredible. I didn’t know what it was about him, but I ached to be closer to him.
When he kissed me, I melted. His power wrapped around me, the magic pushing up against me. It was strong, demanding. Instead of cowering to it, my rabbit leaned into the magic. She’d responded the same way last time.
Braxton slid his hand onto my cheek and cupped it, and his tongue slid into my mouth. I mewled softly—the taste of him was familiar, like in a different life. I knew this feeling, this taste. It was as if I’d known him for a lifetime.
What was happening? Why did I feel so drawn to a man I didn’t know, a man I shouldn’t have felt this way about?
All kinds of thoughts popped into my mind. At first, I’d thought this was Stockholm Syndrome, where a woman fell in love with her captor. This wasn’t that. I’d have been drawn to him even if he hadn’t owned me. It was just how it happened—our story of how we met.
That’s crazy! You don’t know him; he owns you, and you’re thinking about romance stories!
Hewasa beast, though, and I was locked in his cabin, a beauty in distress.
I ordered myself to stop thinking. This wasn’t that. This wasn’t a fairytale. Everything in my life had been a nightmare since I’d started shifting. With my foster parents, I hadn’t been able to talk to them, and no one else would have understood. I’d had to navigate it all alone, and after the attack, being auctioned off and belonging to someone wasn’t a joke.
I just didn’t get the idea that being a possession felt like this. Something about Braxton feltright.
When his other hand slid around my body, caressing my back, I stopped thinking altogether and savored the sensation of his touch. His hand was gentle but strong, and he drew mesmerizing circles. I leaned into his touch, letting him know I wanted more. He moved his hand only to push it under my shirt, and I relished in the feel of his broad, rough hand on my skin. Slowly, he moved his hand lower. He traced circles on my lower back, and finally, he cupped my ass as best he could while we were seated on the rock.
My body ached for his touch. I was wet; I couldn’t help myself.
Heat washed over me, and I should have been terrified of this moment, but I wasn’t. I’d never done any of this before, but Braxton was careful, gentle. His magic was thick all around me, and I could taste his desire, but he held back. I could almost feel his strain.
My heart raced as he kissed me deeper, more fiercely. My skin was on fire with need, every nerve ending alive with pleasure and anticipation. I wanted more.
I wanted it all.
You’ve never done this before.
Fear tugged at me. Braxton paused as if he could pick up on it.
“It’s okay,” I whispered.
My need for him was bigger than my fear. I wanted him to keep doing whatever he was doing.
Braxton broke the kiss and stood. He took my hand and pulled me up, so I was standing, too. He leaned down and scattered kisses across my cheek, my lips, my neck. Carefully, gently, as if I was made of glass, he drew his fingertips from my back to my hipbone, tracing a line on the bare skin. Electricity ran through my body, and my breath hitched in my throat.
