Page 91 of Carnal Games

I suck in a sharp breath when my finger touches Kian’s as we both lean forward to press the button at the same time. I straighten, rubbing the pad of my finger where I felt him. Before the tension can thicken into a fog, the elevator arrives and opens with a ding. It seems the fog has already enveloped me because Kian’s low command jolts me.

“Step in.”

“Sorry,” I mumble and rush inside, followed by him.

Noticing a little too late that the interior is tight and narrow, built for fitting a maximum of four people. Despite Kian standing in the far corner, our bodies are a hairbreadth away. It’s somehow worse than his car. The hair on the back of my neck stands on end as we’re shut inside.

The car lurches upward.

So does my heart rate.

It pounds in my ears as I become hyperaware of Kian’s steady breathing. Afraid he’ll hear how mine is the opposite is when a tiny movement on the floor catches my eye.

It’s a fat lizard, heading straight for me.

One second, it’s perfectly peaceful, minus the sound coming from the air vent above us. In the next, a terrifying scream pierces from my throat.

“Ahh! Oh my god!” I cry out, backing away in a panic, but there’s nowhere to run. I drop everything to the ground, uncaring if my phone and laptop break. “Get it away! Stop the car! Let me out!”

Something grazes my shoulder, and I jump, dancing on my tiptoes as I screech, “No! It’s on me! The lizard is on me!”

Whipping around, I connect with something solid. Blindly, I grab it, trying to use it as a shield. I vaguely recognize the shape I’m hugging as a person, not a wall.

In the next breath, I’m airborne, my feet no longer touching the floor where the damn slimy reptile is crawling.

Tightening my hold, I bury my face against their neck and hiccup, “Please don’t put me down.”

The grasp around my limbs tightens until I’m securely tucked against the wall of muscle. The addictive scent of spice and dark chocolate soothes my nerves, but I’m still frazzled. I won’t calm down until we’re out of this closed space.

“Make it go away,” I beg. I’m past the point of caring that I sound like a lunatic. Insects or bugs or tiny reptiles of any kind scare the shit out of me. I have this irrational fear they’ll slither inside my body via my nose or my ears to eat me from the inside.

Just the thought brings another wave of fright.

“Get me out,” I whisper.

A ding echoes, then the buzzing noise of the elevator opening. I don’t loosen my death grip until the figure moves, carrying me effortlessly.

A cool breeze skates over my arms and thighs, making my panic recede. Not enough to push me into action and step down. The lizard could’ve followed us.

“Is the lizard gone?

“Yes,” comes a husky reply.

“Are you sure?”

“I am. You’re safe. You can step down now.”

It seems my savior is also having a hard time letting me go, as their fingertips dig into my waist instead of loosening their grip. Hold on… is there an arm underneath my ass?

Slowly, the events of the last few minutes rush through my brain.

Holy shit!

No way!

Did I climb onto Kian’s body? This isn’t what I meant when I wished to climb him like a tree. Why do I keep getting into embarrassing situations with him? It’s like God doesn’t want me to make any other impression besides one of a crazy loon.

Awareness sinks in and I can’t suppress the small shiver that rocks my spine. My entire front is plastered against his torso. My flimsy top is a silly barrier between my heavy breasts and his chest that isn’t as steadily breathing as when we stepped into the elevator.