Maxim’s voice is low, rough with intent. “Forget about it,” he murmurs, turning toward me with that dangerous glint in his eyes. “Right now, I want to focus on you.”
Before I can react, he’s already closing the distance between us, backing me up against the rough bark of the tree behind me. My heart races, and I glance around, my cheeks heating with embarrassment.
“Someone could see us,” I whisper, my voice barely audible as I look past him, scanning the quiet landscape. The Highlands may be remote, but the idea of being caught makes me nervous.
Maxim smirks, leaning in until his lips are just inches from my ear. “Then you’d better be quiet,” he says, his voice dark and teasing. “If you don’t want to be noticed.”
Before I can respond, his lips crash against mine, all rough hunger and need. His hands grip my waist, possessive as they pull me closer. I gasp against his mouth, the intensity of his kiss igniting something deep inside me. His hands move lower, fingers brushing the hem of my sundress, and without a word, he lifts it slowly, his touch firm and deliberate.
“Maxim…,” I whisper, trying to regain some composure, but he silences me with another kiss, his tongue exploring mine as his hands move beneath my dress, his fingers grazing the bare skin of my thighs.
“Shh,” he breathes against my lips, his mouth curving into a wicked grin. His touch grows more urgent, sliding higher up my thighs until I’m trembling beneath his hands. I bite my lip, trying to hold back the sounds that threaten to escape.
Maxim’s lips trail down my neck, leaving a scorching path as he presses me harder against the tree. My head tilts back, eyes fluttering shut, and the world around us fades. All I can feel is him—his rough, commanding touch, his lips on my skin, the way he’s completely taken control.
He grips my hips tightly, lifting me slightly, and I wrap my legs around his waist instinctively. The bark digs into my back, but it’s nothing compared to the heat between us. His lips return to mine, capturing them in another bruising kiss as his hands roam beneath my dress, claiming me in a way that only he can.
“Maxim…,” I whisper again, more breathless this time, my pulse pounding in my ears. The thrill of being out here, exposed, adds an edge to everything, heightening the intensity of his every touch.
He pulls back just enough to look into my eyes, his expression dark with desire. “Stay quiet,” he orders softly, his thumb grazing my lower lip, “if you don’t want anyone to know what I’m doing to you.”
My breath catches as his words send a shiver through me. The pressure of his body against mine, the way he’s pinned me to the tree, makes it impossible to think about anything else. I can only nod, unable to speak, as his hands grip me harder, lifting me higher against him. He ruts against me, slow but deliberate, and I have to bite down hard on my lip to stifle a moan.
It’s quick, heated, the passion between us surging like wildfire as his lips devour mine again, the urgency in his movements growing with every second. The world could fall apart around us, and I wouldn’t notice. Not with the way Maxim consumes me, claiming me completely in this moment.
As we reach the height of our frenzy, I cling to him, my fingers digging into his shoulders, my body trembling with the effort to stay quiet. He growls low in his throat, his hands gripping me tighter as we move together, the air around us thick with tension and desire.
Finally, when the moment passes and our breaths come in ragged gasps, he pulls back slightly, resting his forehead against mine. His fingers slide out from under my dress, and he lets the fabric fall back into place. My heart pounds in my chest, the world slowly coming back into focus as I catch my breath.
Maxim’s lips brush mine one last time, softer now. “See? No one noticed.”
I nod, still dazed, my legs shaky as I lower them from his waist. He steps back, smoothing my dress down as if nothing had happened, while I struggle to find my footing, both physically and mentally.
“Let’s go,” he says with a satisfied smirk, grabbing my hand and leading me away from the tree, as if he hadn’t just claimed me under the open sky.
I follow, my body still buzzing with the aftershocks of our stolen moment, my thoughts a jumbled mess of desire, embarrassment, and the thrill of being completely his.
*****
THE END
