Nicholas glanced down at the notification before his eyes tracked back to her face.
He leaned one hand against the railing behind her, his other arm locked firmly around her slender waist, pulling her flush against his body.
Bending slightly, his lips hovered intimately close to her ear. His warm breath ghosted down the curve of her neck, sparking a shivering thrill. "Serena, when you get to Pier Seven, don't push your luck."
Serena shivered slightly from the heat of his breath, but she tilted her chin up, beaming beautifully at him. "Define 'push my luck'."
"No risking your own life just to bait them, and no diving headfirst into a trap when you know it's rigged." The arm banded around her waist tightened even further, leaving zero space between them.
She was practically molded to his chest, the sheer heat radiating off his solid frame bleeding right through the thin fabric of her dress.
"Does my darling patron really trust me that little?" she teased, her eyes sparkling with vibrant amusement.
Nicholas didn't take the bait. He just stared down at her.
The usual lazy arrogance in his striking eyes had vanished, replaced by an intensity that made Serena's heart flutter.
She slowly looped her arms around his neck, trailing her fingers along his broad shoulders until she reached his jaw. Her thumb gently stroked the sharp line of his chin.
"Don't worry," she murmured, leaning in to brush a soft kiss against his lips. "I've got so many family members waiting for me at home. I wouldn't dream of throwing my life away."
She lingered for only a second, intending to pull her arms back.
But his grip on her waist locked down like a vise.
Before she could even take half a step back, she was hauled effortlessly against his chest again.
Their lips were barely an inch apart.
A dangerously seductive glint sparked in his striking eyes, dark emotions swirling as his gaze swept from her smiling eyes down to her mouth.
"So many family members?"
His thumb slowly traced the curve of her waist, his voice dropping an octave in warning. "What about me?"
It was low, rough, and entirely too tempting.
Serena let out a soft laugh at his obvious jealousy.
This man...
Even now, he was fighting for the top spot against her own family.
Her fingers twitched at the back of his neck, pulling him down just a fraction closer.
"You..." She dragged the syllable out, her slender fingers drifting up from his jaw to lightly caress his bottom lip. "You're completely different."
"They're waiting for me at home."
"But you..." She pinched his lower lip slightly, forcing him into a mild pout as she flashed a blindingly stunning Smile You always be right my
side."
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The maddeningly soft friction against his lips forced Nicholas's eyes to darken even further.
Her words ignited a spark in his chest, fanning the smoldering desire in his gaze into a full-blown inferno.
But the playful teasing in her eyes faded, replaced by something deep and deeply sincere as she looked up at him. "I know youre always righ there."
"That's exactly why I feel so safe moving forward."
me."
"Because I know that if I ever miscalculate, you'll burn the world down to protect
Her lips curled into a smile, and she leaned up, pressing a soft kiss to his slightly pouted lips.
It carried an intimacy meant solely for him.
A flicker of emotion passed through Nicholas's eyes, and he finally let out a low, rough chuckle.
Then, he dipped his head and captured her mouth.
The kiss was aggressive and dominating.
It carried the heavy, burning tension she had been teasing out of him all day, mixed
with the raw frustration of their imminent separation.
Serena's back was pressed against the freezing metal rail, but she was entirely consumed by the scorching heat of his body.
Nicholas locked one arm iron-tight around her waist, plunging his other hand deep into her soft hair to cradle
the back of her headely
severing any chance of her pulling away.