His hand shot forward.
His body bent smoothly as his arm slid behind her thigh, lifting her before she could react.
“Ah!” she gasped, startled as her balance gave out.
His other arm wrapped around her waist with ease, catching her weight effortlessly and pulling her down until she was straddling his lap.
Her head dipped instinctively. When she looked down, her eyes met his—wide, stunned, her breath uneven.
Magnus, however, looked completely unfazed.
His hand slid from her thigh to the curve of her hip, fingers resting there as he muttered casually, “Apply it properly.”
She froze for half a second.
Then, forcing herself to regain control, she swallowed and focused again. Carefully, she resumed applying the medicine, moving over the marks on his chest, her touch steady despite the tension coiling through her body.
As she worked, his hands began to move.
Slow. Lazy.
They slid from her hips to her waist, thumbs pressing lightly, tracing an unhurried path that made her body stiffen in response.
She squirmed, discomfort and fluster colliding. Pressing her hands against his chest, she pulled back slightly and looked at him.
“Stop it,” she said quietly.
He paused.
A small, amused smile tugged at his lips—and then, finally, his hands stilled.
Relief washed through her, though the fluster remained.
She continued in silence. When she finished with his chest, she hesitated only briefly before wrapping her arms around him to reach his back, her movements careful, her body tense as the closeness became unavoidable.
The moment she did, his hands tightened.
They slid over her waist, fingers spreading as he pulled her closer, closing the small gap she had tried to keep between them.
Her palms flattened instinctively against his chest as she tried to push herself back. Instead of loosening his hold, he tightened it further, drawing her in until her body was pressed fully against his.
She focused on her task, forcing herself to ignore the heat and the tension coiling between them. Finally, she finished applying the medicine to his back.
She straightened slightly, creating just enough distance to breathe, and looked down at him.
Instead, his hands slid again and suddenly he pulled her closer. One hand lifted to her face, fingers curling gently around her jaw as he tilted her chin up. His face leaned toward hers, close enough that she could feel his breath.
Her breath hitched.
Embarrassed, she tried to pull back, but straddling him left her with nowhere to go. Her balance wavered, and instinctively, she pushed at his chest to create distance. She didn’t expect him to give way.
Magnus was sitting at the edge of the bed when she shoved him.
The push caught him off guard. His balance slipped, and before she could register what she’d done, he tipped backward, falling onto the mattress and dragging her down with him by instinct.
His back hit first, the bed dipping sharply beneath his weight. She followed a heartbeat later, a soft gasp tearing from her lips as the air was knocked from her lungs.
She landed straddling him.
