Page 36
Christ almighty… What the hell was that thing, a small island?
The thing was less a bed and more a small kingdom. Jesus, it needed its own zip code. It even made me wonder if the man was a secret orgy fan.
Dark carved posts rose toward the ceiling, draped with heavy fabric and surrounded by enough space to comfortably sleep an army. Ornate carvings wound around the frame, depicting warriors, beasts, and scenes from legends I didn’t recognize, while thick blankets and countless pillows made it look entirely too inviting.
“This place looks impressive even upside down.”
Atlas’s chuckle followed me as he carried me further inside.
“I’m relieved it meets your barracks’ life standards,” he quipped, making me realize how long it had been since sleeping on my one-man cot back at the base.
Before I could continue my inspection, Atlas crossed the room and finally lowered me from his shoulder. His hands settled around my waist as he lifted me down with surprising care. But then the moment my feet touched the floor, he immediately changed his mind and tossed me backwards onto the enormous bed.
My cry of shock died the second I bounced.
Actually bounced… twice.
My hair flew everywhere as I landed amongst enough pillows to cushion a small avalanche. For a moment, I lay there staring up at the ceiling. Then I started laughing, my hand going to my chest.
Atlas, meanwhile, looked entirely too satisfied with himself.
Leaning back on my elbows, I watched as he loosened his jacket and shrugged it off before tossing it aside. The movement was casual, effortless, and somehow made it impossible not to watch. A moment later, he reached for the edge of his tunic and pulled it over his head. The action revealing broad shoulders, powerful arms, and the sort of physique that made ancient sculptors dedicate entire careers to carving marble.
I swear my mouth went dry to the point that swallowing felt like I had been forced to drink sand. Honestly, it was deeply inconvenient.
His eyes found mine immediately, and the smirk that followed suggested he’d noticed exactly where I was looking.
“See something you like?”
I forced my gaze away from his chest, which, like I said, was a work of art… although then there were his abs… Jesus, how many, eight… Holy Jezebel! Who the fuck had eight abs!? Okay, so I really was trying to tear my gaze away, but then I swear he flexed them on purpose, and I was lost again. That was until he cleared his throat, and I quickly made a point of looking around the room instead.
Naturally… I was fooling no one.
“It’s a nice fireplace.”
One dark brow lifted.
The man didn’t believe me for a second. I knew that when he asked, “Is that so?”
“Mm… mm… oh, and the bed, it’s, erm… lovely.”
“Is it? Um… Let me check,” he replied teasingly, before I felt the mattress dip beneath his weight as he began crossing the bed toward me. Now moving with the slow confidence of a predator that already knew exactly how this encounter would end. Every inch he advanced seemed to shrink the space between us, and despite myself, my pulse began doing increasingly unhelpful things.
I swallowed hard and,
Atlas noticed.
But of course he did, and the smug look appeared on his face immediately. And entirely unbearable… okay, not entirely, seeing as it was also sexy as hell.
“Why would you need to check? This is your bed.”
“Yes, but it’s never had you in it before, and I must say… it feels so much better.” He practically purred this as his hand started to stroke up my leg, taking the long material of my skirt with him.
“You think you’ve won, don’t you?” I asked, the challenge still lingering in my voice despite the fact that I was currently sprawled across his bed while he looked entirely too pleased with himself.
The corner of his mouth lifted immediately, that infuriating confidence returning as though the argument had never happened at all. The mattress dipped further beneath his weight as he moved closer, one knee settling either side of my thighs while his hands found my waist, drawing me toward him until there was barely any distance left between us. The look in his eyes made my pulse stumble.
“Of course, little warrior,” he murmured.
