He didn't speak as he carried me. His arms were like steel bands around me, his strength absolute. I buried my face in his neck, inhaling the scent of him—whiskey, rain, and something that was just purely, intoxicatingly male. My heart hammered against my ribs, a wild rhythm that matched the thunder outside.

His bedroom was dark and cool. He didn't place me down gently; he dropped me onto the center of the massive bed. The mattress dipped under my weight, and I landed with a soft gasp on the crisp, cold sheets. For a second, I just lay there, my body buzzing, watching him. He was a dark silhouette...