Urania's distractions: Free read: a steamy scene from Beguiled, paranormal,time-travel romance!

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I made a full tray of crepes with Mateo’s “special” filling and carried it to my partners’ house. The smell was quite inviting and my appetite had now grown even more. I used my elbow to open the door. But when I got inside, Mateo was nowhere in the living room.

“Your order is delivered, sir!” I shouted, heading towards the kitchen.

“Mateo?” I raised my voice. No response. “He’s gone?” I whispered to myself, putting the tray on the table, disappointed.

“But I’m here,” a mocking voice said behind me, waking up the butterflies in my empty stomach; a long-lost, cherished feeling.

I turned with a start. Christopher was standing behind me, wearing only his jeans as he leaned his bare shoulder on the cold wall. How had I missed his car outside?

“Oh!” I flinched. “I thought Mateo …”

He walked toward me, stopping about a foot away, his bare chest too close. His smell dazzled me the same way as it used to last summer, a lifetime ago. When we weren’t worlds apart.

I tried to hold my breath.

“Did I disappoint you?” His eyes were burning mine, making them lock on his.

“Don’t be silly.” I tried to sound convincing.

“Then what? Did I frighten you?” He moved his body toward me, towering above me, making me feel too small.

I stepped back and felt the kitchen table behind me. “I think I should go.”

“I think you should. Coward,” he mocked. But he stood there, still menacing and so unearthly attractive.

We both knew the only escape was right behind him, but there was no sign that he intended to let me go. There was something in his look that scared me. Something dark and intimidating. Something baleful. Please don’t touch me! I thought. I knew if he touched me I would be easy prey in his hands. Yet, at the same time, I desperately hoped he would reach out.

And he did. His warm finger caressed my face, moving along the line of my jaw then tracing the outline of my lips.

“You have confused me, Emma. I thought you were a composed, bashful girl. And I find you ready to throw yourself at men, just like this. Are you aiming at Mateo now? I’d never guess he’s your type. And don’t say I’ve corrupted you.” His velvet, alluring voice was drifting me toward a dangerous path. A path I knew well.

“That’s…sick. I…I don’t like you when you talk like this.” That was the best I could come up with to say.

“Are you afraid of me now?” His lips brushed my cheek.

“Should I be afraid of you?”

“Definitely. You know what I’m capable of. You’ve seen it, isn’t that right?” He whispered, his lips brushing mine.

Yes, I’d seen. But I had chosen to hide this side of him in a dark corner of my mind, a safe distance from my heart.

“But I’m not going to do anything you don’t want me to. That was the reason you brought me here after all, wasn’t it?”

I was floating. His voice was mesmerizing, his smell the most potent drug, his body the ultimate challenge. His hands found mine and he pushed them behind my waist, locking them with his left hand, holding them still. His right hand was free to touch me anywhere he wished.

“I know your tricks, remember?” I whispered in a faint voice.

“You have no idea.” His breath felt hot behind my ear. “It will be like nothing we’ve done before. You must have realized how different I am this time.”

I shivered when his body pressed against mine. Then I heard him chuckle.

“What’s wrong, Emma? Doesn’t your boyfriend satisfy you? Do you want to make love to a dangerous killer like me? That’s risky you know. You may discover you can’t go back to your boyfriend after that.”

“Christopher! Stop! Why are you doing this?” My unconvincing tone made me sound pitiful.

“I’m not going to stop. You don’t want me to stop. That’s why you’re here.”

He unbuttoned my shirt. His scorching hand carved hot paths on my shivering body. I didn’t have time to react when his kiss blocked my voice, sending me away. Further than the time travel I had taken a few days ago. I was floating again. I knew my feet were no longer touching the ground. Christopher had carried me to his bed and when he moved to unzip my jeans, I realized it was too late. His hot breath on my breasts felt familiar. Everything about his touch was familiar. Only those cold blue eyes and the baleful grin belonged to a stranger. But I didn’t have to look into them. I could keep my eyes shut and pretend he was my Christopher again.

It took me a few seconds to realize he had stopped. I was still in another dimension when I saw his broad grin just a few inches away from my face.

“When you’ve finished, come back to the kitchen. I can’t eat all those crepes by myself.” Mateo’s calm voice said from the door behind Christopher, sounding like nothing had happened.

“Saved by the bell.” Christopher whispered, buttoning my shirt again. I covered my face with my hands. He got up and put on his jumper before walking to the door. He stopped and turned, his cold eyes staring at me.

“You have to stay away from me. Next time, nobody will come to your rescue.”