Beyond the Maze

The door burst open and slammed back against the wall. Keane stomped into the room. Aubrianna whirled around to meet the ominous storm of masculine anger coming towards her. Her heart slammed against her chest. Her pulse quickened. She stumbled over the breath caught in her throat at the pure virility of the man.

No way can I be attracted to such a Neanderthal. Yet, the man appeared to be tormented by unknown demons. He exuded an aura of control and respect, but there was something in the lines around his eyes. Keane Chadwick dealt with an internal conflict that was quite obviously keeping him from restful sleep. A dark secret he was apparently loathed to share with anyone. His dark hair, still damp from the rain, clung to his head and neck. Dark eyes were leveled on her without so much as a blink.

“Leave us, Ella!” He stopped only mere inches away. “Now!”

I will not be intimidated. She nailed him with her own adamant glare. Aubrianna stood rigid, her back straight, wearing nothing more than her under petticoat and drawers.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing bursting into my room?”

His fingers wrapped around her upper arm, and he yanked her closer until they stood toe-totoe. “This is my room, in my house, and I will burst into any room whenever I damn well please!”

“Well, I beg to differ,” she said, her chin raised, her gaze melded to his. Her voice sounded relaxed and confident to her own ears, but her insides jiggled like Jell-O. “No gentleman would enter a lady’s bed chamber uninvited.”

She watched Keane’s eyes travel down between them. Perspiration beaded across his
forehead and upper lip before he exhaled a heated breath that feathered over her bare shoulders. He swung his eyes back to meet hers. She inhaled sharply. The thin white petticoat did little to shield her aroused nipples from his open gaze. He smelled of leather. His gaze drifted along the curve of her chin to her mouth. Feathery gasps escaped from her lips. The tip of her tongue slipped across her lower lip.

Smoldering heat ignited in the pit of her stomach, radiating outwards to consume her body. Her skin flushed from her cheeks to her toes.

She gulped a jagged breath when her body met the hard wall of his chest, and his lips crushed hers. His tongue licked along her lower lip. Her breasts pressed against his chest, her nipples hardened into turgid little beads. She struggled to free herself.

His tongue swept into her mouth and sent sparks of desire skipping down her spine.
Delicious excitement built in the pit of her stomach. She whimpered, relaxing into him. Her hands, once flattened against his chest to push him away, now grasped his shirt. Aubrianna leaned into his kiss, deepening it. Passion licked every nerve, setting her on fire at the thought of Keane’s naked body against hers.

Their tongues tangled. Desire spiraled and exploded into molten heat that raced through her veins at breakneck speed. He reached for her hair and twisted it into a ball around his fist, holding her to him. She molded her slender figure to his large frame in perfect unity. His hard cock pressed against her belly, and a guttural groan escaped from the depths of his chest.

He released her, stepping away. Her lashes fluttered, and her eyes focused on his. Passion raged in his dark gaze. He stared transfixed, and she watched while reality began its slow descent. His body trembled. Or, was it her own?

“Get dressed and eat, then have Ella show you to my study.” He turned and left the room.

* * *

Aubrianna stared in silence, her fingertips pressed against her lips. What the hell had just happened? Shaking herself mentally, she turned towards the bed and finished undressing. She reached for the nightgown, slipped it over her head, and let it flutter down over her body, teasing her sensitive skin like a caress. Sitting on the edge of the bed, her mind attempted to make sense of what had transpired between them.