Tone low, almost sad, he said, “I’m saying I’m not afraid of the possibility. Death happens to all of us sometime or other.”

Well. How was she supposed to deal with this man? She’d never had trouble intimidating an opponent before.

Another clap of thunder, even louder than the first.

With a sigh, Torin moved in front of her and framed her face between his gloved hands. “Look at me, princess. Please.”

He’s touching me. And it’s good, so good. I need more. Have to have more. She couldn’t not focus on him.

“I’ve got something to tell you,” he said. “Something that’s going to change your life.”

Don’t ever let me go. “O-okay.”

“Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit—wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.”

She blinked, her mind unable to compute his meaning. “I...don’t know how to reply to that.”

His thumbs traced the seam of her lips. He glanced up at the sky, nodded and released her, the corners of his mouth twitching. “I think our storm decided to go away.”

“That’s nice.” Touch me again.

He returned to the fire pit.

Tempt him...anything to prompt another physical connection.

Self-perseveration spoke up. Have we not learned our lesson? Must we be taught twice? Bad boys do bad things.

Don’t care.

She wanted Torin. And so she would have him.

Yesterday we longed to kill him. Today we long to seduce him?

So what? I’m a girl. I’m allowed to change my mind.

They would be a couple, she decided. Touch—pleasure—had been denied her for far too long. A fact his presence had never allowed her to forget. He’d had other girlfriends so he knew how to handle a romantic relationship. They could do this, could make this work. And they would be vigilant, cautious, never courting danger.

All she had to do was get him to agree.

There was no better time to try. “I’m dirty,” she announced. “Absolutely filthy, and I’m going to take a bath.”

“Good for you.”

So mocking.

So unaware of his coming fall.

“Be a dear and help me remove my dress,” she said.

A strangled sound left him. “It has no ties, no zipper. You tug it on and off.”

“Well, good news, then. As strong as you are, you shouldn’t have any problems.”

His gaze swept over her and heated. He licked his lips, as if he could already taste her. “What game are you playing, princess?”

“Does it matter?”

“Yes. And why the hell are you looking at me like that?”

“Like what?”

“Like I’m a hero. I’m not a hero. I’m a villain.”

Did he not realize that only made her want him more? “Well, be a good little villain and help me out of my dress.”

“No.” His tone dovetailed into guttural as he added, “I’m not going near you.”

He’s definitely tempted. How thin was his control?

“Very well. I’ll near you.” Hips swaying, she closed the distance between them. She reached out.

He jerked away only to return—closer.

She wrapped her fingers around his wrists and guided his hands to her hips.

He resisted. At first.

“Relax, warrior. We’re protected by our clothes.”

His fingers clenched around her and held on tight. Did he think she would float away like a forgotten balloon?

“What’s...next?” he gritted.

Not exactly surrender, but close enough.

She leaned forward, careful as her breath fanned over his ear. “All you need to do is feel good.”

“I can do that.” He tugged her against him. Suddenly they were flush, the softest parts of her cradling the hardest parts of him. A growl rose from low in his chest as if, in this stolen moment, he’d regressed into little more than an animal. “I’m doing it right now.”

The pleasure...thoughts of being careful evaporated like mist. “Would you like to do more?”

“More. Yes.” His lips parted as he fought for breath. Eyes glazing with a wildness she’d never seen from anyone other than condemned prisoners, he squeezed her hard enough to bruise. “I’m going to take more, and you’re going to like it.”

Any other day, she would have loved such unrelenting pressure. But the fever had left her fragile and sore and there was a good chance that, this close to the brimstone, she was weakened more with every second that passed.

“Be careful with me,” she whispered.

It was like she’d punched him. He cursed and stepped back, severing contact.

Unacceptable. She followed him, and when he could go no farther, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “I didn’t tell you to stop, warrior.”

“You should have.” His lids slowly dipped, hooding his eyes. “What about your vow to hurt me?”

What about it? Her blood heated as she rubbed, rubbed against him. The delicious friction heightened her need for him, tension coiling deep in her belly. What would happen if she nipped at his lips...thrust her tongue in his mouth?

Must resist the urge!

“Keeley.”

“Don’t talk,” she said. “Just move against me.”

A moment of inaction. Then he undulated his hips, his erection pressing against her core. As she gasped, he retreated. He circled back and another gasp left her. He jerked her even closer, rubbed her even harder.