Caroline didn't realize when they got to the bedroom. It was as though time had folded in on itself, rushing her into this moment like a tide she hadn't seen coming. The next thing she knew, her back hit the mattress with a soft thud, the plush bedding giving beneath her weight as Lucien hovered over her, still kissing her like he didn't know how to stop.
His scent surrounded her—musk, leather, danger, and something faintly warm like cedarwood. Her fingers had curled instinctively into his shirt, and her heart was thundering so hard she could swear it echoed in the room. There was heat and intensity, yes, but also confusion and the kind of ache that spread from the center of her chest outward.
