The fire crackled, spitting sparks into the night, each flicker painting the clearing in shades of gold and shadow. The roar of the waterfall had quieted to a steady backdrop, more like the heartbeat of the forest than sound now. Mist hung low over the ground, clinging cool and damp to bare skin, but the fire made the air between them heavy, charged.
Zain had retreated into his tent, too quiet, too oblivious. Junaid lingered at the edges of the clearing, his tall frame half-swallowed by the dark, gathering more firewood or maybe brooding, maybe pretending not to notice. Which left her alone with Alzan in the circle of firelight.
And Alzan knew it.
He sprawled lazily on the blanket beside her, legs stretched out, broad shoulders brushing hers like he'd measured the entire clearing and decided there was no space big enough for him except right next to her. His shirt was still hanging open from earlier, chest catching the firelight, the faint sheen of mist on his warm brown skin making him look carved out of something untouchable. His layered chains gleamed as he leaned back on his elbows, cocky and careless.
"You're staring, sunshine," he murmured, not even looking at her, just smirking at the flames as if her gaze was proof of something he'd already won.
Her cheeks flushed instantly. "I wasn't."
"You were," he said, finally turning his head, brown eyes glinting with mischief. "Can't blame you, though. I'd stare at me too."
She rolled her eyes, forcing her voice steady even though her pulse was rioting. "You're impossible."
"And you," he murmured, leaning closer, his lips so near the curve of her ear she felt the words more than heard them, "like me exactly this way." His voice was low, husky, threaded with heat that made goosebumps rise along her arms.
Her body betrayed her before she could answer her breath hitched, her skin tightening where his knee brushed hers, where his hand hovered just a little too close on the blanket between them. She should've shoved him away, told him to quit with the constant touches, the smirks, the voice that curled into places she didn't want to admit. But instead she sat still, thrumming with nervous energy, every inch of her aware of how close he was.
Alzan noticed, of course. His smirk sharpened into something darker. "Relax," he said, his breath ghosting against her temple, "I won't bite." He paused deliberately, letting the silence stretch, then added, soft and wicked, "Unless you want me to."
Her breath stuttered. Heat coiled low in her stomach. "Alzan "
"God, the way you say my name…" He chuckled, the sound low, vibrating with something dirty. He tilted his head, studying her face like he was cataloguing every flicker, every weakness. "You really don't get what you do to me, do you?"
The fire popped, sparks scattering into the night. She swallowed, unable to hold his stare, but he didn't let her look away. His fingers slid across the blanket and brushed her thigh, featherlight but bold enough to make her heart stumble. Not indecent, but far from innocent.Her own body was betraying her..
"Tell me to stop," he said, voice dipped into a dare. His thumb pressed firmer against her skin. "Say the word, and I'll behave."
But she didn't.And that was all he needed.
He leaned in and kissed her hard, messy, hungry. No hesitation, no careful testing. His mouth was hot against hers, lips crashing with shameless urgency, tasting faintly of smoke and fire. His hand clamped her thigh tighter, dragging her closer until her chest pressed flush against his, heat radiating through thin layers of fabric that suddenly felt useless.He could feel the wetness of her flower.
She gasped against his mouth, and he took it, deepening the kiss without hesitation, tongue brushing against hers in a slow, filthy sweep that made her stomach twist. His other hand slid up her spine, dragging her closer still, until she was straddling his lap without even realizing when it happened. His grin against her mouth was wicked, smug, like he'd planned it all along.
"Fuck," he muttered against her lips, voice hoarse, "you taste even better than I imagined." His tongue flicked against hers again, slow, teasing, and she shivered, heat curling down her spine.
She tried to breathe, to steady herself, but he wouldn't let her his mouth kept finding hers again and again, urgent and demanding, teeth grazing her bottom lip before sucking it into his mouth in a way that made her moan before she could stop it.
Alzan froze for half a second at the sound, then grinned, pulling back just enough to look at her, lips swollen and eyes glazed. "You have no idea how dangerous that little sound is, sunshine." His hand traced her jaw, thumb dragging across her spit-slick lips as if marking the territory he'd just claimed. "Makes me want to hear it again. Louder."
Her whole body was burning from pleasure, and still, she didn't push him away.
His grin softened, but only a little, turning into something sharp and cocky. "Don't worry," he whispered, brushing another kiss over her mouth, gentler this time but still loaded with heat, "this stays between us. Our little firelight secret." His thumb wiped at the corner of her mouth, erasing evidence while his eyes glittered with the satisfaction of having put it there in the first place.
A sharp crack echoed from the treeline. A branch snapping under a heavy boot.
Junaid.
Her body jerked back like she'd been burned, lips tingling, pulse thundering. She scrambled off Alzan's lap, smoothing her hair, trying to calm the storm in her chest.
Alzan just leaned back on his elbows again, the picture of lazy innocence, smirk still tugging at his lips like nothing had happened. His chest rose and fell a little too fast, though, and his eyes still molten, still heavy told the real story.
She pressed trembling fingers to her mouth, but it didn't matter. The taste of him lingered, heat still coiled low in her stomach.
And even as guilt curled sharp in her chest, she couldn't stop the thought from clawing through: she wanted more.
Now it was messed up.