Chapter 48: Under His Sway

My heart is galloping, threatening to burst right out of my chest. My breath is ragged. My skin is suddenly very warm, aching for his touch.

He leans closer, never touching me, but closing the distance between us in one slow, deliberate movement. Heat rolls off him in waves, and my skin prickles all over. I try to tear my eyes away from his, but I can't.

"Do you really want to pretend I don't have any sway over you?" he asks in those rich, deep tones of his. His voice is like a caress, sliding up and down my body. "Do you want to pretend that you don't want me as much as I want you?"

It takes a moment to find my voice.

"It's...just physical," I manage. "It's lust. People feel it all the time. With lots of other people."

"So this is ordinary to you?" he says. "This heat between us? You feel this all the time for other men?"

"No," I say quickly. "I'm not... I mean, that's not what I meant. Do I feel lust for you? Yes." Just admitting that out loud makes me ache between my thighs. "