Alex's P.O.V.

I pull the car off the main road and head down the narrow path leading to my beach villa. The drive was quiet, but I could feel Stella glancing at me every few minutes.

We turn into the long driveway. Stella shifts in her seat and her eyes widen as she takes in the view. The villa sits at the edge of the sand. It has the modern glass-and-wood design. The sound of the ocean is faint, but it's there, constant and calming.

I park the car and glance over at Stella. She's still staring out the window, her eyes filled with amazement.

"Is this yours?" She asks, turning her face towards me with a look of disbelief.

I nod, unbuckling my seatbelt. "Yeah. My father gifted me this place a few years ago. Ever since then, it's been my escape when I need to get away from everything." I pause, my fingers drumming on the steering wheel. "You're the first person I've brought here."

Stella's eyes glimmer with something unreadable, and she turns back to look at the villa. "It's beautiful," she murmurs, almost to herself.

I watch her for a moment, the way her lips part slightly as she admires the view. The glow from the sunset highlights the contours of her face, making her look almost ethereal.

I fucking want her right now.

Grabbing her chin, I command her, my voice husky with desire. "Climb on my lap right now."

Her eyes widen slightly in surprise at my sudden order. But instantly, they glint with excitement as she shifts over and straddles me in the driver's seat. My heartbeat quickens at the feel of her warm body pressed against mine.

She silently stares at me, encircling her arms around my neck as if she is waiting for my next command.

"Kiss me." As these two words escape my mouth, she immediately leans in and seals her lips with mine, gripping my hair. The kiss is full of passion and hunger, as always. I can feel her body responding to mine, arching slightly as our mouths move together, igniting a fire.

Her lips are so damn addictive! I can't get enough of them.

I slip my hands into her back jeans pocket and grip her firm, rounded buttocks tightly as I pull her closer and deepen the kiss. The sensation of her body against mine sends jolts of electricity through me, and I grind our bodies together, feeling the way she fits perfectly against me.

God! I'm hardening. I can't control myself any longer. She needs me, and I need her the way I never needed anybody before in my life.

So what the fuck I'm waiting for?

Although she reassured me this morning that she isn't going to regret it, something is still stopping me.

Maybe I'm scared that I might hurt her because I fuck like an animal. I lose control over myself and become so rough. Damn! She is so fragile and I don't want to scare her. I don't want to be the monster I know I can be.

I press my forehead against hers, trying to steady myself. "Stella," I breathe, meeting her gaze. "I can't... I don't know how to hold back."

"You don't have to hold back, Alex. I need you." She says, her thumbs caressing my neck, sending shivers down my spine.

"But I don't know how to be gentle when I fuck. I don't want to hurt you, Stella." I confess.

"Maybe I don't want you to be gentle." She stares deep into my eyes, her eyes filled with profound desire and need. "And I know you won't hurt me."

Her words ignite something wild inside me. I don't think twice. I swing the car door open and step out, her legs wrapped around my waist and her hands around my neck. Our lips collide in a desperate kiss as I carry her a few steps over to a nearby tree, holding her butt.

I pin her against the tree. The evening breeze touches our faces, but it does nothing to calm the heat surging between us. I tear my mouth away from hers before trailing my lips down the side of her neck. I bite and suck, tasting her skin, and she lets out a pleasurable sound.

Fuck! The way she moans. It's so satisfying.

My hands roam over her body, memorising the curves and every place that makes her shiver. She feels so small in my arms, so delicate, but I know she can take it—take me. And God, I'm going to give her everything she's asking for.

I set her down on her feet and see the way she pants, her lips swollen from our kiss.

"Take off your top," I order, my voice rough with hunger as I unbutton her jeans.

She doesn't think twice. Her fingers grip the hem of her top and pull it over her head in one swift motion. While she tosses her top aside, I yank her jeans down, kneeling in front of her. As she steps out of her jeans, I rise up.

Now she stands before me in just her black lace bra and underwear. My God! Every inch of her body is exquisite.

She's everything I want and everything I know I shouldn't touch—but I'm past the point of caring. I need to claim her as mine, here and now, and no force on earth could stop me.

Tonight, she'll be mine, forever and always.

I hoist her over my shoulder, and she lets out a surprised yelp. "What are you doing, Alex?"

I give her a light smack on her butt, feeling her tense in my hold. "Before, I was soft with you, and you know why. But tonight?" I pause, letting my voice drop low with promise. "Tonight, you're going to see the real me."

She shifts on my shoulder, her hands gripping me tighter as she lets out a small laugh. "I got a glimpse of the real you this morning, Alex. I can't wait to see the full picture."

I chuckle darkly as I carry her towards the water's edge. I drop to my knees on the sandy shore before gently laying her down beneath me, the sand warm from the sun's fading light.

I strip off my shirt and toss it aside. She fixes her gaze on my chest, rising onto her elbows, her lips parting slightly before she bites down on her lower lip. I keep my eyes locked on hers as I unbutton my jeans, letting them slide down before I kick them off, leaving me in nothing but my boxers. Her gaze drops, and she lets out a sharp breath when she sees the hard length of me pressing against the fabric.

Her cheeks turn crimson, but she doesn't look away. The sight of her like this—breathless, lips slightly parted as she takes me in—sends a thrill through me and makes me want to claim her even more.

God! I can't believe I'm finally going to bury myself inside and feel her tightening around me.

I hover over her, my hands framing her face as I meet her gaze, my body thrumming with desire. I've never wanted someone this fiercely before. But she is Stella, the woman who has been driving me crazy since my eyes landed on her.

"Although I can't promise I'll be able to control myself once I'm buried inside you." My lips brush against hers with each word. "Still, I need to know—do you want me to be gentle, or..."

Before I can finish, she cuts me off, her voice breathless and full of fire. "I want the real you tonight, Alex. All of you."

Her words unleash everything I've been trying to hold back.