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Her other hand swept across his balls and his whole body jerked with the force of the added sensation.

Unable to bite back the sounds any longer, his moans filled the cabin as he gripped her hair at the roots with one hand, guiding her up and down his shaft, losing himself to the first ripples of a building climax.

Together, they found their rhythm, one that had Wilder rocking on his heels to meet every slide of her mouth. Everything faded away but her and the wet warmth of her lips, the caress of her tongue, building and building that heat inside him.

Thea moaned around his cock, the vibration sending a jolt of pure pleasure straight to his balls.

He felt them tighten, begging to empty into her.

She took him deeper still.

Wilder’s vision spotted and the stone where he gripped the mantel came away in pieces as he warred with his last thread of control. But the hot, tight glide into Thea’s throat was like nothing he’d ever experienced. His body answered to her every command, white-hot need coursing through him.

Then, she curled her tongue around him, hitting the sensitive underside of the crown of his cock, tipping him over the point of no return.

‘Thea —’ was all the warning he gave her, before release surged through his entire body. His climax hit him like an avalanche, barrelling into him and leaving him breathless. Completely uninhibited, he shuddered as he spilt himself into her mouth with a deep, carnal moan.

Thea lapped at him, taking everything he gave, swallowing him down.

A bead of sweat trickled down Wilder’s chest as he panted, unsure how he was still upright. As the world slowly came back to him, he realised he was clutching a handful of broken stone from the fireplace.

‘That was…’ But Wilder didn’t have the words for what it was. He didn’t have a single sensible thought in his head, other than that he needed to bury his cock inside Thea. He needed more of her.

Thea slid her mouth off him and kissed the sensitive skin below his hip, smiling softly, before pulling him down to the blanket on the floor. She was still naked, her body damp with sweat and arousal. He reached for the cushions and a throw on his armchair, making things more comfortable. Then he kicked off his pants and joined her, his heart swelling at the quiet intimacy between them.

In front of them, the fire crackled quietly, and Wilder didn’t hesitate to draw Thea into his arms and kiss her soundly, not caring that she tasted of him, relishing the feel of her bare skin against his.

He traced the lines of her curves, memorising the feel of her, his cock already hardening for her again. ‘You…’ Emotion cracked his voice and he found that he still couldn’t form the words.

Thea simply nestled closer, her lips finding his.

Gods, he could stay like this forever.

They kissed as though they had all the time in the world, a slow, unhurried exploration of one another, their hands drifting across each other’s bodies, learning every dip and hollow.

Wilder didn’t know how long they stayed like that, but the fire burned low, and when it was no more than glowing orange embers, the room grew cold.

‘Shall we go to bed?’ Thea murmured against his chest, tracing his nipple.

Bed… The two of them together, sharing his bed.

An act so normal, yet so intimate.

An intimacy they couldn’t come back from.

Thea laced her fingers through his and made to get up, goosebumps breaking out across her arms.

But Wilder hesitated.

Hurt flashed across Thea’s face before she masked it, pulling the blanket over herself.

Chest suddenly tight, Wilder got to his feet, needing to look anywhere but her, shoving his legs through his pants and tucking his still-hard cock away. The hurt she felt in this moment was nothing. He knew that from experience. People had been truly hurt on his watch.

To share a bed with him… To behisin that permanent way… It would only lead to more pain for her.

He was already keeping secrets from her, to keep her safe. To protect her. And he would do so at all costs. It was his duty.

He knew he was doing a piss-poor job of it. He couldn’t tame his desire, his rage, hisanythingwhen it came to her.