The warm water swirled around my body as I sat in the small bathtub, my back to his broad chest, his powerful legs encasing mine. My lips parted slightly as his fingertips traced patterns over my shoulders, down my arms, leaving trails of goosebumps despite the heat.
"Why are you resisting so much?" he whispered, his breath tickling my ear. "We both know how this story ends."
I swallowed hard, keeping my eyes fixed on the rippling water. He was beautiful, powerful—someone any woman would trust with her body and heart. But that was the problem. I'd trusted before, and it had nearly killed me.
"You don't have to do this," I murmured, feeling his hands still on my shoulders. "You can find another mate, someone whole... someone worthy."
His grip tightened, almost painfully. "Don't."
The single word held so much emotion that I fell silent. His fingers found their way to my neck, tilting my head to the side, exposing my throat to him. My pulse quickened under his touch.