Page 67 of Deceptive Vows
“Don’t get too smug about it.” She nipped at my bottom lip, drawing a growl from deep in my chest. “I’m still trying to decide if this is a terrible idea.”
“And what’s your conclusion so far?” I asked, pressing closer.
Her breath hitched. “That I’ve had worse.”
I laughed against her mouth, unable to contain my happiness at finally having her in my arms. “Such high praise.”
“Shut up, and kiss me again,” she demanded, pulling me back to her.
And I did—thoroughly, with every ounce of need I’d been harboring since the moment I first saw her across that crowded club. Because Thea Kalantzis was finally in my arms, and I had no intention of ever letting her go.
Chapter Twenty-Three
THEA
I shouldn’t have lethim kiss me or encouraged it to continue, but… even the chill of the door through my clothes couldn’t cool my skin. He’d kissed me as though he were branding me—ruining me for anyone else.
And I was. Completely.
His scent surrounded me, cedar and citrus laced with something darker—masculine, magnetic, addictive. Each breath filled my lungs with his essence, making my head swim. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat thundered against my palm, matching the franticpace of my own.
“Kiss me… please.”
I had never begged for affection from a man, but it felt as if I couldn’t get enough of him. His touch, his muscled body pressed against mine, the way every movement set my nerves on fire. His taste lingered on my lips, rich and intoxicating, burning and soothing all at once.
Somewhere in the distance, the city hummed, but all I could hear was the rough catch in his breathing when my fingers traced the lines of his tattoo.
His fingers danced across my skin, circled my belly button, and continued the featherlight assault along my waist, leaving tingles in their wake. “Say it again.”
I hesitated. If I said it again, it wouldn’t be the heat of the moment. It would voice every ounce of want I had for him, and he’d know it. I would be welcoming, practically begging for his possession of me.
The word “possession” made my stomach knot. My mother had belonged to men. They’d used her up and then discarded her. I swore I’d never follow that path. But Nazar wasn’t asking to own me. He was offering something else entirely—something terrifying and precious.
He was offering me a partnership. A shelter. Ahome. Something sure and solid that I could choose for myself. And the scariest part?
I wanted it.
My thoughts fractured into opposing forces. Logic screamed warnings—this man could reduce my carefully constructed defenses to rubble. I’d spent years ensuring no one had that power. The little girl who’d watched her mother destroyed by men whispered that I was making the same mistake.
Yet something deeper pulled against those fears. The way he looked at me, not just with desire, but with understanding. The security I felt in his arms that I’d never found elsewhere. The realization that my walls, built to protect me, had also imprisoned me.
I’d almost convinced myself to step away when the words tumbled out, betraying my resolve. “Please… please kiss me again.”
Warm breath hit my neck as his lips reached my ear and his teeth caught the lobe, pulling on it slightly. “If I kiss you again, you’re mine. All mine.” He straightened and his eyes locked with mine. “When I kiss you this time… I’m claiming you. If you don’t want that, you need to tell me now.”
I opened my mouth, instinct ready to reject the very concept of belonging to anyone. No man had ever dared suggest he could possess me. I was Thea Kalantzis, not some trophy to be claimed. The words of defiance formed on my tongue, sharp and certain.
As our gazes remained locked, I recognized something I hadn’t expected. This wasn’t about control or dominance. This was vulnerability disguised as strength. He wasn’t demanding surrender—he was offering his own. The realization stilled my protest, the words dissolving before they could escape.
When his mouth covered mine again, everything was different. This kiss was slower, more deliberate, tender, and filled with sweet demand. His hand cupped my face, thumb brushing my cheekbone with surprising tenderness. The contrast of that gentle touch with the hard press of his body against mine made my head spin.
I wanted to sink into him and let the world around us fade away as I slid my hands up his chest and locked my arms behind his neck. When I lifted on my toes, meeting his body with my own, a growl vibrated in his chest.
His hands, which hadstayed at my waist, began a deliberate journey upward. Fingers splayed across my silk-covered back, tracing the curve of my spine with a reverence that belied his obvious hunger. Each point of contact sparked a new wave of heat that radiated outward, making me arch instinctively into his touch. Even through the thin fabric, I could feel the slight calluses on his palms, a reminder of the strength contained in those gentle hands.
Just as his touch reached the sensitive spot between my shoulder blades, the unmistakable buzz of my phone shattered the moment.
“Sorry.” Breathless, I fished my phone from my pocket. “It might be Lucas or?—”
