Lena’s hands explored his body, tracing the dips and curves of his muscles, feeling them shift and flex as he moved against her. The restrained power in him, the coiled strength that was now hers to command—she needed more. She dug her nails into his back, urging him on. And his control cracked a fraction.
“David... god...”
She felt it—the shift from careful to hungry. His grip tightened at her waist—not rough, just firmer. Like he’d reached the edge of his restraint and decided it no longer applied.
He growled into her neck, his hips pistoning now. She tightened her legs around his waist, drawing him deeper, craving more of him. He complied, his thrusts becoming harder, faster, hitting that sweet spot inside her that made her toes curl.
The pleasure built again, tightening around him. His mouth found hers, his tongue mimicking the actions of his hips. She sucked on his tongue, tasting herself on him, and reveled in his possession. This was her man, her lover, her partner.
He broke away from her mouth, his breath coming in harsh pants. “Look at me, Lena,” he snarled, his voice hoarse with desire. She forced her eyes open, meeting his intense gaze. The connection was electric; his eyes burned into hers, seeing into her very soul.
He pushed back, changing the angle, hitting a new spot inside her that made her cry out. His hands gripped her hips, holding her in place as he pounded into her, his eyes never leaving hers. She was helpless, held captive by his gaze, his body, his very being.
She screamed his name, convulsing around him. He rode out her release, hips pounding, his grip on her hips tightening. Then, with a last thrust and a guttural groan, he came undone, pulsing inside her, her name on his lips like a benediction.
They stayed tangled together, hearts still racing, breaths slowly finding the same rhythm. The world narrowed to warmth and skin and the steady beat of him beneath her cheek.
Other sensations slowly filtered in—the cool air against damp skin, the lazy thrum of her pulse, the weight of his arm anchored around her waist.
David brushed a strand of hair from her face, his touch gentler now, reverent in a way that made her throat tighten. She leaned into it, eyes closing as his thumb traced the curve of her cheek.
He rested his forehead against hers. “Well,” he murmured.
She huffed a quiet laugh. “That escalated.”
“Yeah.” He brushed his lips over her temple. “You safe?” The question wasn’t about the room. She understood that.
“Yes,” she said. “With you.”
He traced a slow line down her arm. “This isn’t a onetime thing, Spark.” It wasn’t a question.
She met his eyes, steady now. “I know, Geek.”
“What happened to Genius?”
She didn’t hesitate. “Upgrade.”
His mouth curved. “That sounds suspicious.”
“It is,” she murmured. “You’ve added a few new credentials. Very hands-on ones.”
He huffed a low laugh against her skin and pulled her closer. “I’ll take it.”
His forehead rested against hers, breath warm and uneven. Not controlled now. Not distant. Present. With her.
She had been handled before. Wanted before. But never like this. Never chosen. And for the first time in a very long time, Lena didn’t feel as if she was bracing for something to go wrong.
She felt held.
Chapter 38
Thunderstruck
The resort’ssecurity office smelled of bitter coffee, burned plastic, and something acrid and metallic that made Lena’s throat itch. A wrongness hovered in the air, sharp and electric. The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, flickering intermittently, casting everything in that falsely bright light that somehow made the shadows darker.
Zach sat motionless at the security console, his arms crossed, his face unreadable. But it was David who made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up—tension flowed off him in waves. His jaw was locked, his hands clenched in fists behind his back like he was trying to force himself to be still. When he spoke, his voice was careful. “Zach found something. You need to see it for yourself. Confirm our suspicions.”
Lena stopped in the doorway, her skin crawling, nerves flaring to life. The chilled air from the vents snaked across her skin, raising goosebumps along her arms. Her feet were rooted to the floor. “If it’s another system glitch…”
