Page 4 of Smoke the Enemy

Leaning forward, I lick a droplet of saltwater from his chiseled jaw. Then I stare into his eyes. My lips only a breath away from his, I tell him in a voice firm and sure, “Fuck me, Soren. Fuck your Little Mouse. Make sure there’s no misunderstanding to whom I belong.”

His hand still gripping the back of my head, he brings our lips together. I can’t breathe. I am drowning in him now. My lungs protest, but the rest of my body hungers for more of him. He moves his lips to the side of my mouth and growls against my skin, “Say it again.”

“Fuck me…” Cold, salty water splashes over my shoulders, but all I can feel is the heat of him. Pain shoots through my bottom lip only to be followed by the sensation of him sucking on it. “Soren,” I gasp as my body is lifted with the water, but he is my anchor, keeping me from drifting to sea.

His mouth fully claims mine again. One arm is wrapped securely around me while his other hand slides my bottoms down. I barely registered that he’s leading us back toward the shore. He guides me down onto the sand at the shoreline. The ocean almost seems to try and pull me back in as its waves crash against my feet and water rushes up toward my shoulders before retreating. Then I feel him. Soren rocks into me just as the waves had, in one smooth motion, and then he retreats as the moonlight provides the only light. Water cascades around us. I lick and nibble along his neck, tasting the salt from his skin. His shirt is clinging to his body, and I fight against it to touch his skin. I manage to remove it. My tongue and teeth run along his muscled shoulder, lapping at the water droplets. He hisses when I sink my teeth into him, not enough to break the skin, but I definitely mark him.And why does that send a thrill through me?

“Stop thinking so hard.” Soren is ever the watchful one. He misses nothing, even me tensing up. “Do whatever feels right, Little Mouse.”

“I’m afraid of what I like…”

Soren suddenly slows down. His eyes connect with mine as he thrusts into me slowly. The sudden change of tempo and the look in his eyes shocks me. I stare back at him, wanting desperately to know what he’s thinking. The answer isn’t there, or maybe it is, and I just don’t understand it.

“What?” I ask in a whisper.

“Never be afraid. Not with me.” A few strands of his hair have fallen in front of his glistening eyes, and I watch water droplets fall from the tips. I gently tuck the stray hairs behind his ears. He catches my wrist and brings it to his lips to place a tender kiss against the inside. “I likeeverythingyou do.” He nips the skin and then places an open-mouth kiss on it. “And I know your wanton desires, and there’s no need to fear the darkness… the illicit… Listen to your body. Embrace it. Don’t hold back or overthink it. Relish it as I worship your body.”

“And I want to worship your body,” I pant as I run my hands along his.

“Mine is for you to do with as you please. Use it for your darkest desires.” He leans down and I can hear the smile in his voice as he whispers, “Seek pleasure in this flesh, my little sinful harlot. Let’s see how many sins I can get the lustful church mouse to commit.”

“You really are immoral, Soren Carmichael.”

His voice lowers, “You love it.” The way he says it, it sounds more likeyou love me.

He pulls back and our eyes connect again. Something stirs inside of me that goes beyond lust, but that’s ridiculous. We barely know each other — wrong, I don’t really know him at all. Everything with him has been masks and secrets. It’s fitting that we’re sharing this moment under the veil of night. We’ve always been this way. I wish the waves would wash away all the lies and deceit that we’re wrapped up in together. Maybe what we hope for is that the water cleans and baptizes us so that we could start fresh. Unfortunately, Soren Carmichael is destined to remain in the darkness — honestly, I don’t know that there’s any other way for him. I just wish I could walk away, but in this moment, I can’t. Does he know what he’s doing to me?

I dig my fingers into his flesh, desperate to hold on to him. I don’t know what I’m doing, or what we are. Doubt. Fear. Lust. It’s all meshed together, and I don’t see that there’s any way we can have a future. Alex is back and in my life, and now there’s some babble about a stupid navy tie he had and a teddy bear that he gave me. Apparently, all the brothers have a tie and it’s extremely symbolic if they give it to a woman. Now I’mhis.I feel that Steffan has already claimed me, and Soren is definitely claiming me right now.

“Soren?”

“Yes?” He moans into my neck as he deepens his thrust.

“What are you thinking?”

That gets me a dark chuckle. “Right now? That I fucking love your tight little pussy. I can’t bury myself deep enough.”

Meanwhile, I’m falling in love with this man and his brother and worried about our future. There’s also a killer on the loose and it could be very well be my ex. His brother and their secret society. What does it all mean? And I don’t know how, but I do know there’s some connection between us, as in the brotherhood, me, and the murders.

His nose nudges mine, and the gesture is so tender and out of character from how he’s been with me up until this point. It’s tender and sweet. His hands roam my body slow yet possessive. Even the waters have calmed down to where it’s only gentle waves, swaying our bodies. My breasts press against his chest as his soft lips press against mine. I want to cry because my mind has been reeling, and the exhaustion of everything suddenly calms with his caress. He pulls back, and then presses his lips more firmly, but not aggressively. My lips part and he deepens the slow, sensual kiss. He told me to beg him to fuck me. This isn’t fucking. It started out that way, but this is something else. My heart beats faster at the realization. I can’t catch my breath. “Soren,” I moan against his lips.

“Sshh. We both need this.”

“This isn’t what I begged for,” I remind him.

“It’s what you need. I’ll take care of you, Little Mouse. You’re scared, but you don’t need to be.” He has my body tightening with pleasure with each slow and deliberate move. The water and Soren are everywhere, worshiping my body. I’ve already accepted that I can’t walk away now, so I throw myself into Soren’s kiss. I fully give myself over to him. Something primal inside of me completely takes over. I’m needy for him, this stranger whom I’ve only known as a man behind a mask, forever hiding in the shadows. It’s crazy. All of it. My head is spinning with the realization that I don’t even care because I want Soren. I always have, and probably always will. Pure, carnal pleasure takes over as I roll us over and climb on top of Soren. He balances his legs and helps support me as I move against him.

“There’s my Little Mouse.” Soren moans in pleasure and nips my chin as the water splashes against us from my movements. “Take it, baby. Show me what you want.” My head falls back, but Soren wraps his hand around my throat and forces my eyes to fall back to his. “Takewhat you want,” he whispers against me in a jagged voice.

That does it. I come violently against him. With his hand on my throat, Soren crashes his mouth against mine and swallows my scream of pleasure. He pounds into me hard and fast. “Now, it’s my turn…and I’ll take what I want.”

Yes. Take it.I can only think the words because there’s no way I can speak. Soren rolls us back over, and then flips me onto my stomach and begins fucking me from behind. He’s giving me what I begged for. His thrusts are almost brutal, but I can feel another orgasm building. I suck in my lips and dig my fingers into the sand as he ruthlessly penetrates me, and the cold waves slap my skin. Goosebumps coat my skin, but I’m not sure if they’re from the ocean or Soren. Possibly both?

“Say it,” he hisses. “Say it, again.”

“Fuck me.”

“Again.”

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