The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and pine, the rustling of leaves above them the only witness to their tryst. A pale moon cast its glow through the swaying branches, illuminating their forms in shifting patterns of silver and shadow.
Stephen smirked as his gaze locked onto hers, a glint of amusement flickering in his eyes.
"You've grown bold, haven't you?"
Aurora merely shrugged, stepping closer, her eyes never leaving his. "I was only speaking the truth."
His smirk deepened. "Don't plead for mercy later," he warned, his voice low and edged with something darkly tempting. Before she could respond, he pulled her against him, his mouth capturing hers in a heated kiss.
She yielded instantly, parting her lips, granting him entrance as he caught her wrists in one hand, pressing them above her head against the rough bark of the tree.
