Helena straddled Kayden's hips, her knees digging into the dirt for leverage, one hand gripping the hilt of her sword, the other pressing the flat edge hard against his throat.
"Don't think you can distract me," she snapped, her hair falling loose around her face. "This won't work."
Kayden didn't flinch. In fact, the faintest, most insufferable smirk curved his lips. "Really? Then why," he said slowly, his gaze flicking downward in blatant emphasis, "are you still sitting on me?"
Helena's eyes narrowed, but she didn't move. "Position advantage. Nothing else."
"Mmh." His voice was low, smug. "So it's not because you're… enjoying this?"
She snorted. "You wish."
But then—damn him—he shifted his hips just enough that she felt it. His body was tense beneath her, the heat radiating up like a slow burn.
"That's not fooling me," she said firmly. But her grip on the sword tightened just a fraction too late.
