Forbidden Heat

Chapter 1: The Edge of Desire

I couldn’t believe this was happening. My mind was a damn mess, spiraling out of control as I laid little Ethan down in his crib. My heart thundered in my chest, a wild drumbeat I couldn’t ignore. I stepped back, running a trembling hand through my tousled hair, trying to shake off the storm brewing deep inside me. But it was no use. The heat, the ache—it was consuming me. I glanced down at him, my sweet nephew, sleeping so peacefully, and yet, my body betrayed me. It wasn’t about him, no, never. It was about the man who’d just left the room. The man whose presence lingered like a drug in my veins.

I turned, my knees weak, my breath coming in shallow, ragged gasps. I could still smell him—sandalwood and raw masculinity—clinging to the air. My brother-in-law, Cade, had just been here, helping me settle Ethan for the night. His broad shoulders, that devil-may-care smirk, the way his dark eyes had lingered on me just a second too long. God, I was losing it. My skin prickled with perspiration, a sheen of heat blooming across my chest as I gripped the edge of the crib to steady myself.

‘Get a grip, Mara,’ I muttered under my breath, but my voice trembled with something I didn’t want to name. Need. Pure, unadulterated need.

The door creaked open behind me, and I froze. I didn’t need to turn to know it was him. I could feel his energy, electric and dangerous, filling the room. My pulse skyrocketed.

‘Couldn’t stay away, could you?’ I said, my voice sharp as a blade, though it wavered at the edges. I turned slowly, meeting Cade’s gaze. He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, his black tee stretching over muscles I had no business noticing. His lips curled into a smirk that could unravel a saint.

‘And you’re telling me you wanted me to?’ he shot back, his voice low, a gravelly challenge that sent a shiver down my spine. ‘I saw the way you looked at me, Mara. Don’t play coy.’

I straightened, refusing to let him see how much he rattled me. ‘You’re full of shit, Cade. I’m just trying to keep my sanity while babysitting your kid. Don’t flatter yourself.’

He pushed off the frame, closing the distance between us in two predatory strides. My breath hitched as he stopped just inches away, his heat radiating into me. ‘Oh, I’m not flattering myself,’ he murmured, his eyes dropping to my lips. ‘I’m just calling it like I see it. You’re practically vibrating with it. Tell me I’m wrong.’

I wanted to slap that smug look off his face. I wanted to shove him away. But more than anything, I wanted to pull him closer. My fingers curled into fists at my sides. ‘You’re an arrogant bastard, you know that?’ I hissed, but my voice was thick with something dangerously close to desire.

‘And you’re a firecracker waiting to explode,’ he countered, his hand brushing against my arm, the barest touch igniting a wildfire under my skin. ‘So, what’s it gonna be, Mara? Keep fighting this, or give in for just one night?’

My resolve cracked like thin ice. I stepped forward, closing the gap, my chest brushing against his. ‘If we do this, it’s on my terms,’ I warned, my voice a low growl. ‘I’m not some damsel you get to play with.’

His grin widened, dark and hungry. ‘Oh, sweetheart, I wouldn’t dream of it. I like my women with claws.’

Before I could fire back, his lips crashed into mine, hard and demanding, and I met him with equal ferocity. My hands gripped his shirt, pulling him closer as the world tilted beneath us. The heat between us was suffocating, a desperate, clawing thing that had been building for far too long. I could feel him, already hard against me, and a wicked thrill shot through my core. This was wrong. So damn wrong. But as his hands slid down to grip my hips, pulling me flush against him, I knew there was no turning back.