Page 18 of The Cousins and the Brunette

We fit together perfectly, like two puzzle pieces finally complete. I’d never felt such an intense connection, physically or emotionally. Sebastian made me feel cherished, desired, his every touch searing into my very soul. In his arms, the rest of the cruel world fell away until there was only us, lost in exquisite sensation and tender romance.

Sebastian trailed his lips down my body, leaving a scorching path of fire in his wake. His hands slid up my trembling thighs, teasing and stoking the flames of desire that threatened to consume me.

My wetness was a blatant invitation for him to claim me fully. With a low growl, Sebastian gripped my hips and pulled me closer to the edge of the bed. I gasped as he positioned himself at my entrance, the anticipation almost too much to bear.

“Please,” I whimpered, desperate to feel him inside me.

With one powerful thrust, Sebastian entered me, filling me so completely that I saw stars. I cried out in ecstasy, my body stretching to accommodate his impressive size. He paused for a moment, allowing me to adjust before he began to move.

Our bodies found a primal rhythm, rocking together in perfect sync. Sebastian’s thrusts grew harder and faster, each one hitting that sweet spot deep within me. I wrapped my legs around his waist, urging him deeper still. Our moans and gasps of pleasure mingled in the air, an erotic symphony of lust and passion.

“Oh god, Sebastian!” I cried, my nails raking down his sweat-slicked back. The coil of tension inside me wound tighter and tighter, threatening to snap at any moment.

Sebastian reached between us, his fingers finding my sensitive nub and rubbing in firm circles. It was my undoing. With a keening wail, I shattered around him, my inner walls clenching his shaft like a vice.

“Elizabeth!” he roared, his own release overtaking him. I felt his member pulse inside me as he emptied himself, filling me with his hot seed.

We collapsed together in a tangle of limbs, chests heaving and hearts racing. The musky scent of our lovemaking hung heavy in the air. As we lay there basking in the afterglow, a pang of guilt pierced my sated haze.

This was just sex, not love. I was only pretending to be Elizabeth, giving Sebastian what he wanted in order to achieve my own ends. But in that moment, with his strong arms wrapped around me and his heart beating against mine, it was hard to remember that this was all a lie.

Chapter Six

BYNN AND THE PILLOW MINT

The basement’s chill wrapped around me like a cold embrace, but it was the descending footfalls that caused my chest to tense. Joel appeared in the basement, the embodiment of suspicion, filling the doorway with his imposing presence. I straightened up against the wall of my cell, gripping the bars to anchor myself in the here and now.

“How are you today, Elizabeth?” Joel’s voice was as hard as the concrete beneath us.

The question grated on my nerves like nails on a chalkboard. As if he actually cared about my well-being while keeping me locked up in this dank hellhole. I bit back a scathing retort, opting instead for a more measured approach.

“As expected, given your hospitality.” My response was sharp, edged with the sarcasm that had become my shield.

He stepped closer, the light from overhead throwing thin shadows across his rugged features. “Your father, what’s his endgame? Why did he betray us?”

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. Here we go again with the Shoemaker inquisition. If I had a credit for every time they asked me about that manipulative bastard’s plans, I could buy my way out of this mess.

“I don’t know. Why don’t you ask him yourself?” I was tired of pretending to be Shoemaker’s daughter, but I had to keep up the charade for Kay.

Joel’s jaw clenched, his fingers curling into fists at his sides. “Don’t play games with me, Elizabeth. Your father’s actions have hurt my business.”

I swallowed hard, my throat dry as sandpaper. The lie sat heavy on my tongue, but I forced it out anyway. “I’m not playing anything. I genuinely don’t know what he did to you.” Which was true. I had no idea why the Porters and Shoemaker were enemies.

He prowled closer to the bars, his presence suffocating in the confined space. “You expect me to believe that? You’re his daughter, for Christ’s sake.”

A bitter laugh bubbled up in my chest. If only he knew the irony of his words. I was about as much Shoemaker’s daughter as Joel was a humanitarian.

My hands tightened on the cold metal, my knuckles whitening. “Being his daughter doesn’t mean I’m privy to his schemes. You of all people should understand that family doesn’t always equal trust.”

Joel’s nostrils flared, a flicker of something—pain, maybe?—crossing his face before it hardened again. “You don’t know anything about me or my family. And it doesn’t change the fact that you’re our one bargaining chip.”

I leaned forward, pressing my forehead against the cool bars. “And what does that mean? Why did you kidnap me?”

Joel’s lips curled into a sardonic smile. “Oh, sweetheart. Daddy dearest has something we want, and you’re our way of forcing him to give it to us.”

The endearment made my skin flush hot. I wanted to reach through the bars and slap that smug look off his face. Instead, I plastered on a mask of indifference, determined not to let him see how much his words affected me.

I scoffed, rolling my shoulders to ease the tension. “Oh, really? I thought I was just eye candy for your drab little dungeon. How disappointingly utilitarian of you.”

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