Page 11 of Tempting Alec

As the tension between them began to ease, Alec motioned for her to follow him. “We need to find a place to camp for the night. We’d be safer if we kept moving, but we both need to rest.”

She doubted he needed to rest but appreciated that he recognized she did. Samantha had once told her that a true Dom, not some wannabe, took care of his sub—saw it as his responsibility. Maybe having left him that night in Chicago had been a mistake.

Grier nodded in agreement, pushing herself away from the tree and falling into step beside Alec. They walked in silence, the only sounds the crunch of leaves beneath their boots and the distant call of an owl. The forest had grown darker, the moon having taken to hiding behind the clouds, leaving them to navigate by its faint light whenever it appeared, and yet that meager amount seemed to be enough for Alec.

After what felt like hours, they came upon a small clearing, sheltered by a thick canopy of trees. It wasn’t much, but it would provide some cover and a place to rest for the night. Alec set to work quickly, gathering branches and leaves to create a makeshift bed, while Grier searched for firewood.

As they settled in for the night, Grier found herself watching Alec, her thoughts drifting back to everything that had happened. He was a force of nature, a man who thrived in situations that would break most people. But there was more to him than just strength and skill. There was a depth to him, a dedication to his mission that went beyond duty. And Grier couldn’t help but feel drawn to that, even as she reminded herself of the dangers of getting too close.

Emotional attachments were a liability in their line of work. She knew that. She had seen it time and time again, how feelings could cloud judgment, how they could lead to mistakes that cost lives. But as she sat there, watching Alec’s strong, capable hands as he tended to the fire, she couldn’t shake the pull she felt toward him.

The fire crackled softly, casting flickering shadows across Alec’s face. His blue eyes glinted in the firelight, and Grier’s breath caught in her throat as he turned to look at her, his gaze intense and unreadable. She felt a flush of heat rise in her cheeks, and she quickly looked away, cursing herself for the sudden rush of attraction.

But Alec didn’t look away. He shifted closer, his movements slow and deliberate, and Grier’s heart skipped a beat as she felt the warmth of his body beside her. She forced herself to remain still, to keep her breathing steady, even as her pulse quickened.

“So, the G stood for Grier,” Alec said, his voice low and rough, sending a shiver down her spine. He did remember her.

“Yes.”

She decided she might as well take the bull by the horns. Turning to face him, her green eyes met his, and the air between them seemed to crackle with tension. Grier’s mind screamed at her to pull back, to maintain her distance, but her body refused to listen. She was drawn to him, to the strength and intensity that radiated from him, and she couldn’t fight it. It had only been one night, one scene with no real sex involved, but it had haunted her.

Alec reached out, his hand brushing against her cheek, the touch sending a jolt of electricity through her. Grier sucked in a sharp breath, her pulse pounding in her ears as he leaned in closer, his lips hovering just inches from hers.

And then he kissed her.

The kiss was fierce, demanding, and Grier found herself responding with an intensity that surprised even her. She had never been one to lose control, to let herself be swept away by passion, but with Alec, it was different. He ignited something inside her, something primal and undeniable, and she couldn’t resist it.

Alec’s hands were everywhere, his touch possessive as he pulled her closer, his lips never leaving hers. Grier’s mind spun, her thoughts a whirlwind of desire and confusion, but she couldn’t bring herself to stop. She didn’t want to stop.

Alec shifted, pushing her down onto the makeshift bed of leaves and branches, his body pressing against hers with a force that left her breathless. He was dominant, commanding, and Grier found herself responding to his control in ways she had never imagined. She arched against him, her fingers digging into his shoulders as she lost herself in the heat of the moment.

Every touch, every kiss, was a reminder of the power Alec held over her, and Grier was both thrilled and terrified by it. She had always prided herself on being in control, on keeping her emotions in check, but with Alec, all of that went out the window. He made her feel alive in a way she had only felt once before—that night at Club Southside—and it was far more intoxicating than any liquor or illicit drug could have been.

As the passion between them reached its peak, a small voice in the back of Grier’s mind warned her of the dangers of letting herself get too close, of allowing herself to be vulnerable in a world where trust was a luxury she couldn’t afford. And yet, as Alec’s hands roamed over her body, she couldn’t bring herself to care.

So, for now, in the quiet darkness of the Russian wilderness, Grier allowed herself to forget all of that, if only for a little while.

Chapter 6

Alec

Without thinking, his hand reached up, tracing the line of her jaw. She didn’t pull away, didn’t recoil, didn’t run. He knew this was a bad idea. She’d made it clear in Chicago that she wanted nothing more to do with him, and yet, she’d haunted his dreams for months. Her lips had parted effortlessly when he’d fused his mouth to hers, slipping his tongue past her teeth to explore the recesses within. Grier moaned as he did so, her fingers wandering down his neck, over the expanse of his chest hidden beneath the heavy sweater he wore.

“Alec…” she moaned, his name on her lips feeling like a jolt of electricity.

The sizzle of arousal that surged through her seemed to frighten her. Alec knew he should back off, knew he should leave her alone and let her pull away, but he couldn’t. His hand clamped around hers, guiding it insistently towards the growing hardness between his legs. A gasp escaped her lips, both from shock and the undeniable thrill that coursed through them both.

“Alec, I didn’t mean…” But the words died in her throat. There was no denying the raw desire in her eyes as they fixed on his, dark and hungry.

“Shh.” It was a whisper, and it was a command.

She seemed lost in the heat of the moment, her hand betraying her inner turmoil as it plunged into his jeans to wrap around his engorged length. He was hard, impossibly so, and the reality of what he was planning to do struck him with a dizzying force.

“I want you, Grier. I’m going to have you unless you tell me right here, right now, to stop.”

Did he want this? Did she? Alec realized the answer to the first was obvious, the answer to the second was not nearly as important as it should have been. She’d wanted him that night in Chicago; she wanted him now. He could smell her arousal, feel her nipples stiffening beneath the thermal shirt she was wearing. The questions swirled in his mind, tangled up with the adrenaline that had kept them alive thus far. But as her grip tightened and a low moan reverberated from his chest, the answers seemed to matter less and less.

“Alec, we can’t just have sex here in the wilderness.”

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