Tongues gyrated, hands wandered, breaths were sparse but heavy all at once.

The lust I'd held inside, afraid of letting loose, afraid of being caught—it all poured out now as Axel and I exchanged heated kisses standing before the balcony doors.

Outside, the world seemed to be ending. Lightning and thunder clashed over the horizon in a deadly dance. Waves crashed over the shore, splitting sand into piles. Water whooshed up to the green hedges plummeted with rain.

But nothing phased me as I drew down the sides of Axel's shirt, hands slipping on the wet fabric. Nothing phased Axel as he tugged my dress over my head and tossed it aside, leaving me in my soaked underwear. He removed his sticky jeans, and stood back, licking his lips, admiring me. The lightning strikes illuminated my fair skin, left shadows along my curves that he was ready to grab and never let go of.

"Wait," he said, as I leaned forward to pull his boxers down. "I'm going to run us a bath. We'll get cleaned up and have way more fun that way."

Though Axel's spicy cologne had reached my nostrils, I also got whiffs of that distinct wet smell that wasn't appealing when my libido was urging me to get naked. "Okay," I said, biting my lip, instinctively covering myself up with my arms. My bra was a lacy, see-through number, and my hardened nipples poked out, ready to be toyed with.

"I mean, what else are we supposed to do while on lock-down?" Axel reached out and swept a few fingers over my cheeks.

I had a couple of ideas—sit down and talk about our situation, come up with more back-up plans for the rest of the wedding events—but my aroused center thought otherwise. With this tall, handsome, fucking perfect man standing nearly naked in front of me, I wanted anything but to talk.

"Hang on." I cocked my head. "How can we have a bath? The power is out."

Axel flipped around, his rounded, firm ass bouncing as he headed for what I imagined was the bathroom. "We have a heavy supply of hot water. And," he turned on his heel, moving backwards, "this place is built for floods and outages. Well, except for those damn doors."

He disappeared through a door, and I heard faucets turning and water tumbling into a tub.

I continued to hug myself as I sat on a chaise facing the window. "Those damn doors will get me in serious trouble," I whispered to myself, shivering at the sight of yet another whip of lightning striking over the Gulf.

I well and truly was stuck. And of all people, stuck with Axel Levine. The man who was off-limits to me, who stirred up so many mingling emotions inside of me that I felt nauseous and insane whenever he was near. Sneering one second, smirking the next, I never knew what to think of him, how to interpret his behavior.

Until now. Until witnessing him handling this situation like a pro, not once divulging any fear, any anxiety—if it was even possible for him to be fearful or anxious, which I doubted. He directed his employees with grace, assisted guests who, for some, didn't know who he was, and communicated with local officers with politeness. Even when the power went out and we ended up locked in, he'd only flinched, barely gritting his teeth, only once clenching his fists.

After that, he'd focused on my panic and attempted to draw it away with a kiss. Then another. And another.

I couldn't be in here alone with him.

Craning my neck, I sighted my bag where I'd left it in a heap on the floor. If I texted Chi, had them figure out a way to rescue me from this—

But Chi would be locked in too, wouldn't they? I'd seen them entering a bridesmaid's room.

"Worth a shot," I mumbled as I fetched my phone from my bag and began typing a text.

I was too frantic, though; if I sent such a message to Chi, they'd break down doors to come rescue me. I wasn't in physical danger, as I'd implied in the text. Only in imminent peril of making yet another mistake with the same broodingly hot man I repeatedly made mistakes with.

I threw the phone into my bag, then sat back down. Maybe I could make a break for it—using the balcony, somehow? It'd be slick out there, and I'd risk falling and getting struck by lightning; but I had to save myself before I got too deep. Axel Levine was perilous for my mental health, for my career. The more I found myself near him, the less intense my restraint. And I needed that restraint.

To my misfortune, the balcony doors were locked, too. I huffed, keeping my hands wrapped around the knobs as I glanced out at the chaotic world, dreading how the universe wanted me here, in this predicament. The universe wanted me to put my career in jeopardy for Axel.

Giant waves continued to batter the beach below, bushes swayed and swerved in the gust. Lightning and thunder took their distance farther in the Gulf, thankfully, but the rain didn't subside. If anything, it got harder the longer I fixated on the outdoors, praying to the weather gods to give me a damn break.

"Mother nature, I curse you," I said, my breath fogging up the window.

A gentle tap on my shoulder startled me, and I whirled around.

Axel smiled at me, his arm still extended towards me though he was no longer touching me. "Don't curse her," he said, sliding his hand into mine, sending shivers cascading down my spine. "Come, the bath is ready."

I tugged out of his grip, shaking my head.

"What?" He narrowed his gaze. "Did you change your mind? No bath? I mean, you're fucking gorgeous, but we both stink, so—"

"—it's just that...I can't...doing this right now, while the storm rages on, while guests have questions and concerns, while Violet is freaking the fuck out—"

Axel took hold of my shoulder, drawing me nearer. "There really is nothing else we can do, Vivienne. Until the local officers answer me, we're useless. My staff is out there, checking on the guests, I promise." He squeezed. "All you can do is relax and take care of yourself, because if you're a wreck, how can you help others?"

I knew he was right, but something jolted in my belly as he guided me to the bathroom.

Though the electricity was out, the opulence within the room took me by surprise, though it shouldn't have, considering every other wealthy aspect of Axel's life. And yet the black marble counters and gold-rimmed mirrors and the near jacuzzi-sized tub took my breath away. To add to the decadence, Axel had set up rows of white candles on the tub's rim, on the counters, on the ground, to illuminate the space. Their comforting glow spread a calming scent of lavender in the air. Luscious bubbles floated over the water, like a heavenly mousse.

"Wow." I took another step into the area, letting the sudden tranquility relax my sore and tense limbs. "You didn't have to do all this."

Axel arrived behind me and massaged my shoulders. "It's been a day. A week, even. All the planning, all the stress—you deserve a break."

I cringed. "Do I, though?" I wriggled away from his wonderful fingers. "I fucked everything up. Slept with you, didn't better plan for weather disruptions, slept with you again, and now we're about to—"

"—we're about to take a bath, to get cleaned up from the storm that dumped on us." He sat on the edge of the tub. "You didn't fuck anything up. I certainly didn't help," he offered a weak smile, rubbing the back of his neck, "because I wanted you so badly. Seconds after spotting you in the lobby. Still do. But I'm not pressuring you. I never have, remember?"

I gulped, but nodded. No, I'd been the bold one to approach him at the bar, to insist on no names, no information. I was to blame for my errors, yet I'd taken it all out on him.

"Okay." I unfastened my bra, and shyly removed it, letting it drop to the floor. On some strange instinct, I covered my breasts, which prompted Axel to stand up and turn around, giving me privacy.

I hurried to escape my rain-drenched underwear, then twisted my hair up into a bun. I tested the water before plunging into it with a moan of pleasure.

Axel headed to the door, about to exit—but my vision of his backside, of those strong legs, of those bulging arms that had held me up against that window on our first night together...

No, I can't pass this up.

One last time. Stuck together in this room, this was the best way to pass the time. And if he was willing, well...so was I.

"Wait," I said, sitting up, exposing my breasts as they bobbed atop the water's surface. The heat tingled my nipples, and electricity ran through me as Axel slowly rotated to me. "I'd...like it if you joined me."

He arched an eyebrow as he set a palm near the hem of his boxers. "Are you sure?"

I fixed a stern, but what I hoped was also sexy, gaze on him. "One hundred percent."

He immediately got out of his boxers, and as he paraded up to the tub, I drank in his splendor. That body—cut out of a sports magazine, a shape like no other I'd ever encountered. He was the definition of god-like, perfection in every ripple of muscle, every tiny ginger-brown hair on his chiseled chest. Even his eyes were like marble, so gooey and chocolaty they were unreal.

And that penis. That penis was what wet dreams were all about. The perfect size, girth, length; and I thought so the more I looked at it, remembering what it felt like inside me.

He slipped in behind me, snagging a silvery pouf hanging from the black-tiled wall. He squeezed a silky soap onto the material, then proceeded to wash my back, my shoulders, my arms; each move subtle, near soporific.

I swished around in the water, and located another pouf to wash him, too. Biting my tongue to not sigh out in delight, I cleansed his godly body and enjoyed every second of how he took care of me.

We said nothing, concentrating on caressing every inch of skin, of lulling each other into the state of relaxation we both so craved. We smiled softly, lifting limbs, standing up to get the parts that were under water, helping one another in getting comfortable.

Once washed, he held me, nestling my back to his torso, my body between his legs. We snuggled, still in silence—there was nothing to say, nothing to discuss.

When he leaned over my shoulder and delicately kissed my cheek, my heart skipped a beat. I inadvertently let out a moan, so he kissed me again. Again. And again. Reacting to my body as it grew rigid against him, he glided his lips to my neck, my jawline. He nibbled my earlobe, breathing heavily into my ear. Suggestive, but still distant, still giving me the option to stop this at any time.

But when I felt his erection pushing on my lower back, I knew I wouldn't stop him. I couldn't. The pulsating pleasure he experienced while giving me pleasure sent me over the final ledge towards my desire.

I snuck my hand into the water, then behind me, to grasp his cock. Coming into contact with his hardness, I gasped, sucking my lips in as his kisses continued to arouse me. I started stroking, lightly, not wanting to get ahead of myself.

My eyes rolled to the back of my head as I sensed one of his fingertips swirling around my nipple, and something sliding along my vagina's opening. Another finger—delicate, teasing my entrance, getting ready to creep between my lips and find my favorite spot.

I accelerated my stroking of his cock as he finally dipped into me, finding my clit to flick at it once, twice, three times, so many times I lost count. Heavy moans shot out of me as he pushed the finger into me, and my spine arched as I held on tight to his member, head tipping back as I closed my eyes.

"Fuck," he whispered in my ear, removing his finger from my depths, resuming the twirling around my clit. "I can tell how much you want this."

"I do," I breathed, turning my head to speak into his ear. "God, I want you so fucking bad."

As I made to flip in my spot, to straddle him, rub against his penis and intensify my arousal, he shook his head, grinning at me. "No, not in here." He stood up, taking his time so I could admire his dick up close, making me salivate for it. "Let's go to the bedroom. I want to spread you out on the covers and fuck you senseless."

I almost started masturbating right then and there, simply at the sound of his voice, the words he'd chosen.

☼☼☼