Beauty In Her Madness (Winterland Tale #3) - Stacey Marie Brown Page 0,10

to the spot and ripping out the air in my lungs. He stood taller than six foot-five and his shoulders were impossibly broad. His jet-black hair was styled back, a thick scruff accentuating his carved jaw. He was dressed in dark jeans, boots, and a black T-shirt, which showed off his muscular biceps. The clothes weren’t meant to be tight, but they clung to his chiseled physique like they wanted to hug him. His appearance was raw. Dangerous. Ten thousand times sexier than any male model I had ever seen. He appeared calm, cool, and slightly bored, but I could feel a wildness, a breath away from violence. Vicious. Brutal. Cold. Cruel. Like he could tear into me and shred me to pieces without hesitation.

A zing ran up my spine, my body quaking as his lids narrowed on me, his tongue sliding over his full bottom lip.

Though I couldn’t deny the force of his eyes, the intensity of them flicked a recognition in me. A sense I’d had them on me before.

His gaze rolled slowly over my figure, taking his time. His heavy scrutiny traced my barely clad figure as if his hands were actually on me, causing my breath to stumble.

“You’ve grown up.” His tone wrapped around my body with pounding heat. Everything about him and this room screamed cold and unfriendly, but I didn’t feel anything but fire scorching through my veins.

“Who-who are you?” I stepped back, my body curling in defense. “Where am I?” I glanced around, seeing stairs set between this man and me. “D-did you kidnap me?”

A slow smirk pulled on his upper lip. “You know I never had to kidnap you, Dinah.” The way his voice curled around my name shot fear across my chest. “You came willingly.” His eyebrows lifted, his eyes drifting back down my breasts, stopping between my thighs. “Literally and figuratively.”

As if he conjured wind, a gust drove between my legs, the air licking me, parting my mouth with a gasp. A smug smile curved the side of his face.

“Then what do you want with me?” I brushed off the sensation, trying to plan my escape, inching myself closer to the exit.

“Oh, that is a loaded question, little one.” His eyebrow lifted, his lip snarling. Fear and something else fired into my system, shivering my bones. I had heard that pet name before, but I couldn’t think of where. “What don’t I want to do with you? It’s all I’ve been thinking about for years. And you deserve all of it.”

My thighs clenched at his veiled threat, and I swallowed nervously, my breasts rubbing against my tank.

His eyes dropped to them, a smirk curling at his face, the tip of his tongue slipping over his bottom lip.

Sugarplum fairy. This man was incredible. He almost didn’t seem real. Men this sexy, smug, and confident always unnerved me. They made me feel out of control. Stupid.

“What are you going to do to me?”

“You are in my home.” He motioned around. “I should be asking you that. What do you want with me? Tell me, little one, what brought you back here again?”

“Again? I don’t know who you are.” A prick of irritation sprung from my mouth.

“You sure?” His free hand rubbed his chin.

“Yes. I’ve never seen you before.” I’d remember. Though strangely, the claim crumbled like dirt on my tongue. A lie. “I want to go home.”

“Then go.” He motioned to the mirror.

I glanced at the glass then back to him, my lids narrowing.

“Don’t tell me you forgot how to use them.”

“Use what?”

“The mirrors.” He pushed his body off the wall, stepping closer, making me retreat.

“Mirrors?” This guy was totally bonkers. Great! Just my luck to be kidnapped by a hot crazy person.

“Seems you have lost yourself, Dinah.” He took another few steps, backing me up more.

“What are you talking about? Are you insane?”

“Possibly.”

“I’ve never met you before. And I certainly don’t want to again. Let me go and I swear I won’t report you to the police or anything.”

“Report me?” His boots clipped my toes, driving me back again. My spine hit the stone wall, his physique moving in on me, so close I could feel the fabric of his pants brushing my bare legs. “What would you tell them?” He towered over me, his body engulfing mine.

His scent was clean, like when it first snows and everything is vivid and fresh, every breath sharp snapping your lungs with life, energizing your body. It was one of my favorite smells. Scott