Semua Bab Every Shade Of Desire (short story collection): Bab 21 - Bab 30

The wind slammed against the lighthouse like it wanted in. Cara sat on the edge of the couch in the small living area, knees pulled up, trying to look like she wasn’t rattled. The power had flickered twice already. Each time the lights dimmed, her stomach twisted tighter. She wasn’t scared of storms usually. But this one felt personal. Like the island itself was closing in.Eli had been checking things for the last hour. Moving through the rooms with that quiet certainty of his. She kept catching glimpses of him — broad shoulders in the doorway, the way his jaw flexed when he listened to the wind. Every time their eyes met she felt it low in her belly. Heavy. Aching.She hated how aware she was of him. Nine years out here alone and he still moved like he knew exactly what he was doing. The kind of man who didn’t need anyone. It made something in her chest hurt in a way she didn’t want to name.Another flicker. The lights went out for three full seconds this time. When they came back,

Marcus stood at the trailhead at 6am, backpack straps already digging into his shoulders, wondering what the hell he was doing out here. His therapist had said “do something that scares you.” Mountains scared him. Being alone with his thoughts scared him more. So here he was.Then she stepped out of the truck.Rhea Donovan.The second he saw her, something in his chest tightened hard. She was strong. Not in that gym way — real, practical strength. Shoulders that carried weight like it was nothing. Thighs that flexed visibly under her hiking pants as she moved. Dark hair pulled back, sharp eyes that looked like they missed nothing. She was beautiful in a way that hit him low and sudden, like a punch he didn’t see coming.His cock twitched in his pants. Hard. Instant. He shifted his weight, trying to adjust without being obvious. Jesus Christ. Get it together, man. She’s your guide. This is not why you’re here.“Marcus Webb?” Her voice was clear. Professional. Confident.“Yeah. That’s m

I woke up with her body pressed against mine and for the first time in months my chest didn’t feel hollow.Rhea was still asleep, face tucked into my neck, one leg thrown over mine. Her breathing was slow and warm against my skin. The sleeping bag had us trapped close together, skin on skin, and I could feel every inch of her. The soft weight of her breast against my chest. The curve of her hip under my hand. The way her thigh rested right against my cock, which was already hard again. Aching.Jesus Christ. What the hell did we do last night?I should feel guilty. I should be pulling away, putting distance between us, remembering she’s my guide and this was supposed to be a fucking therapy trip. Instead I tightened my arm around her waist and breathed her in. She smelled like sweat and smoke and something sweet that made my chest hurt in a good way. After fourteen months of nothing but my own hand and bad memories, having her here felt like oxygen.She stirred. Made this soft little s

Nate stood in the kitchen doorway, arms crossed, watching Zara’s hand hover near the drawer like she couldn’t help herself.It was 11pm. Day Three. She’d made it this far, but he could see the crack widening. Her shoulders were tense. Her jaw tight. That little restless bounce in her leg that she did when she was fighting the urge to reach for the screen.“You’re really going to do it?” he asked, voice low.She froze. Turned slowly. The guilt on her face lasted half a second before the bratty defiance took over. “It’s one text, Nate. One. My best friend is having a crisis and I—”“You lost the bet,” he cut in. Calm. Controlled. But his heart was hammering against his ribs. “The phone stays in the drawer. That was the rule.”She crossed her arms, chin lifting. “You’re really going to be like this? It’s not even a big deal.”Something hot and dangerous coiled low in his stomach. He’d been hard for days. Aching. Holding back. And now she was standing there, looking at him like she wanted

Nate woke up with Zara curled against his chest like she belonged there. The morning light was soft through the curtains, and for a second everything felt quiet. Normal. Then she shifted in her sleep, her bare thigh sliding over his, and his cock hardened instantly against her hip.Jesus Christ. Even in her sleep she’s killing me.The official week of the bet was over. Rules technically done. But neither of them had said the words out loud. Neither of them wanted to.He brushed her hair back from her face. She stirred, eyes fluttering open, still hazy with sleep. For a moment she just looked at him — soft, unguarded, like she was seeing him for the first time without the armor of jokes or her phone or the distance they’d both pretended was normal for eight months.“Morning, Master,” she whispered, voice husky. A small, shy smile tugged at her lips even as her cheeks flushed.The title hit him low and hard. His cock twitched against her. “Still calling me that?”She bit her lip. “You l