Page 6 of Taming the Lion
Instead, she closes the distance, her lips brushing mine in the softest kiss. Tentative. Testing. I can feel the hesitation in it, but I can also feel the fire beneath, just waiting to ignite.
I deepen the kiss, pressing just a little harder, tasting her, savoring the way she melts into me. Her hands reach up, fingers threading through my hair, and that small, unsure kiss turns into something more. She rises on her tiptoes, wrapping her arms around my neck, pulling me closer, her body pressing against mine.
And fuck, my body responds instantly. My cock strains against my pants, painfully hard as the heat between us builds, her soft curves pressing into my chest, her scent driving me crazy. My hands roam down her arms, feeling the goosebumps that rise beneath my fingers, then I slide them to her waist, pulling her even closer until there’s no space left between us.
The kiss turns hungry, her lips parting for me as my tongue grazes hers, tasting her, needing more. She gasps against my mouth, and that sound, that little sound of pleasure, drives me over the edge. I grip her waist tighter, feeling her body arch into mine, and I’m barely holding on, my control slipping with every second.
But just as I’m ready to lose myself in her, she pulls away, breathless, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she takes a step back, her eyes wide and filled with something I can’t quite place—desire, fear, and something deeper.
I freeze, my heart pounding, my hands still tingling from where I touched her. “Sophia,” I breathe, my voice rough with frustration and concern. “What is it?”
She swallows hard, her hands trembling slightly as she lowers them from my shoulders. “I… I can’t,” she whispers, her voice tight, filled with that hesitation again.
I want to pull her back to me, to kiss her until she forgets whatever’s holding her back, but I don’t. Not yet. Instead, I takea slow breath, stepping forward, but careful not to crowd her. “Talk to me,” I say softly. “What’s going on?”
She shakes her head, blinking rapidly, her hands balling into fists at her sides as if she’s trying to hold herself together. “It’s not you… it’s me. I just—” She breaks off, looking down at the ground, her shoulders tense. “I don’t know how to do this.”
I reach out, gently lifting her chin so her eyes meet mine. “You’re overthinking it,” I say, my thumb brushing her jaw. “I’m right here. We’re right here. Nothing else matters.”
She bites her lip, and I can see the war waging inside her, the way her past still has its grip on her. I don’t know everything she’s been through, but I know enough to understand that she’s scared. Scared of letting someone in. Scared of being vulnerable.
But I’m not going to let her run from this. From us.
“Don’t fight it, Sophia,” I murmur, stepping closer, my forehead resting against hers. “You don’t have to be scared with me.”
She closes her eyes, and for a moment, I think she’s going to let go, going to trust me. But then she shakes her head again, pulling away, her arms wrapping around herself as if she needs the physical barrier between us.
“I’m sorry,” she says, her voice barely above a whisper. “I just… I need time.”
My heart aches for her, but I nod, swallowing down the frustration. “I’ll give you all the time you need,” I say, my voice rough but sincere. “But when you’re ready, I’m not going anywhere.”
She puts more distance between us, and I can see the turmoil in her eyes. The conflict between what she wants and what she’s terrified of.
“I get it,” I say, my voice low, even though it feels like the air has been sucked out of my lungs. “I do.”
She nods, her expression torn, before turning and walking away. I watch her go, my mind a tangle of emotions—desire, frustration, guilt. I’m in deep, and I know it. But I also know that this isn’t over. Not by a long shot.
The tension between us isn’t something that can be easily dismissed. It’s there, simmering beneath the surface, waiting for the right moment to boil over. And when it does, I’m not sure either of us will be ready for what comes next.
Chapter Five
Sophia
I try to keep my focus on Zeus as I make my rounds by the animal enclosures. His familiar golden eyes follow my movements, calm and steady, as if to remind me that everything is under control. But nothing feels in control today. The air feels too thick, every sound too sharp, as if something dangerous is just out of sight, waiting to strike.
The whole circus is buzzing with rumors about Rajah’s disappearance, and it’s getting harder to ignore the unease that’s settled deep in my gut. More than ever, I need to know Zeus is safe. He’s my constant, my anchor in this chaos. The thought of someone targeting him, of him being the next to disappear—it sends a chill crawling up my spine. I grip the metal bars of his cage tighter, my pulse quickening.
“Don’t worry, big guy,” I whisper, reaching through the bars to brush my fingers against his thick mane. He lets out a low rumble, his version of reassurance. “No one’s getting close to you. Not while I’m here.”
I try to believe it, but something is eating at me, and I know exactly what it is: Alex.
He’s been on my mind more than I’d like to admit. The moments we’ve shared, the quiet conversations, the way his eyes seem to burn with something I can’t quite name—it’s been chipping away at the walls I’ve built for so long. And that’s dangerous. I’ve let him in, more than I’ve ever let anyone in. I hate that I’ve done it, but I also crave it. His presence feels like a reprieve, a tether to something real amidst all the uncertainty.
But trust… that’s something I don’t give easily. Not after everything.
I glance toward the trailers where Alex is supposed to be prepping for his next act, and just the thought of him sends a pulse of heat through me. He’s intoxicating, in a way I’ve never experienced before—like he sees through all my defenses, even the ones I’m not aware of. That pull between us is dangerous, and I know it, but I can’t seem to resist.
With a final glance at Zeus, I start making my way back to the main tent, trying to shake the distraction Alex has become. As I walk, the noise of the circus fades into the background, and I hear something—a low murmur of voices nearby. I slow my steps, instinctively quieting my movements as I move closer.
