Chapter 5 Darkness And Friction

• “If you burn us alive with those wax sticks, I am filing for divorce on Monday morning,” Aurelia says, her voice dry as she watches Thaddeus struggle to light a taper candle with a damp box of matches he found in the utility drawer.
• “You would need to find a lawyer first, and right now every phone in the state is a dead paperweight,” Thaddeus replies, his concentration entirely fixed on the tiny spark that finally catches the wick. The pale yellow flame flickered to life, casting long, wavering shadows across his sharp jawline and the high walls of the kitchen. “And for the record, these candles were a wedding gift from your grandmother, so technically your family is trying to set us on fire.”
• Aurelia lets out a quiet scoff, leaning against the cold stone counter as she watches him set the glowing taper on a small ceramic saucer. “My grandmother has questionable taste, which explains why she approved this marriage in the first place.”
• “She had good instincts,” he mutters, stepping close enough for her to feel the heat radiating off his chest. His hands find her waist immediately, pulling her against him before she can take a step back. “She knew I would end up cornering you in a dark kitchen three years later.”
• “You are insufferable,” she murmurs, though her fingers reach up to trace the lapel of his shirt, her lips parting as his head dips down to capture hers.
• The kiss starts slow, heavy with the quiet intimacy of the morning after, but it quickly escalates as his tongue parts her teeth, demanding a response she is all too eager to give. Aurelia sighs into her mouth, her hands sliding up to grip his broad shoulders as his fingers press firmly against the small of her back, lifting her slightly to mold her curves against his hard frame.
• “We still have to eat,” she breathes against his lips when he finally pulls back to press a hot, trailing line of kisses down her jawline.
• “We can eat later,” he rasps, his hands sliding beneath her sweater to map the smooth skin of her ribs with slow, agonizing care.
• “Thaddeus, my stomach is literally growling,” she protests with a breathless laugh, even as her hips arched upward against his touch. “Unless you plan to cook me, we need to inspect the pantry before the rest of the wine goes to my head.”
• With a reluctant groan, Thaddeus sets her back down on her feet, though he keeps one hand firmly wrapped around her hip as they navigate the dark, silent expanse of the oversized kitchen. Without the smart refrigerator illuminating their way or the automated pantry shelves sliding out on cue, finding breakfast requires hunting through low cabinets by candlelight.
• “Behold,” Thaddeus announces, pulling a dusty tin of imported crackers and a jar of truffle-infused honey from the back of a dark shelf. “The pinnacle of survival cuisine.”
• “My ancestors would be so proud of our resourcefulness,” Aurelia remarks, taking the honey jar from his hand and popping the lid off with a sharp snap. She dips her finger into the thick, golden liquid and held it out toward him. “Test it for poison, Drake. I refuse to die of botulism on our anniversary weekend.”
• Thaddeus stares at her finger for a long moment, his dark eyes darkening in the candlelight before he leans forward and catches her finger between his lips. Aurelia’s breath hitches sharply at the warm, wet drag of his tongue, her core clenching with a sudden, violent jolt of heat as he slowly pulls her finger free.
• “Tastes safe,” he murmurs, his voice thick and rough as he steps directly into her personal space, pinning her back against the pantry door. “Though I can think of much better things to taste right now.”
• “You are incorrigible,” she whispers, her hands sliding over his chest to grip the fabric of his shirt as his mouth descends on hers again, deep and bruising and completely starving for more.
• He does not give her room to breathe. His hands grip her thighs, lifting her effortlessly until her legs lock around his waist and her back presses against the wooden doorframe. Aurelia cries out softly into his mouth, her fingers tangling in his dark hair as he carries her away from the kitchen and toward the deeper shadows of the hallway.
• Every step he sent a jolt of raw tension through her body, the hard press of his length sliding against her center through their clothes making her spin completely out of control.
• “You are going to drop me,” she pants against his shoulder as he navigates the dark corridor purely by memory.
• “I have never dropped anything important in my life,” he growls, kicking the bedroom door open wider before tumbling them both onto the soft expanse of the oversized mattress.
• He lands heavily over her, his broad frame blocking out every bit of remaining light from the candle down the hall. Aurelia wraps her arms around his neck, pulling him down with a fierce, demanding hunger that matched his own. The corporate rules, the family expectations, and the silent penthouse around them dissolved into nothing, leaving only the heat of his skin and the heavy, intoxicating weight of his body pressing her deep into the sheets.
• The dark room around them fades into total irrelevance as Thaddeus slides his hands up under her sweater, his palms rough and burning against her waist. Aurelia meets every movement with equal intensity, her legs parting to welcome him closer as the heavy silence of the apartment fills with the sound of their ragged breathing.
• “You play with fire, Aurelia,” he murmurs against her lips, his dark eyes burning down into hers with absolute possession.
• “Then burn with me,” she whispers back, arching up to meet his downward thrust as the world outside slips completely away.