"Faster. Just a little faster," Darius's voice came tight from behind.
The night wind lashed against them as the horse sped down the dirt road.
Killian did not respond. His grip tightened on the reins while his other arm held Josselyn steady in front of him.
Her body was burning.
"…hot…" Josselyn murmured faintly, barely audible. Her head dropped against Killian's shoulder. Her breathing was uneven.
Killian clenched his jaw.
"I know," he whispered. "Hold on a little longer."
Josselyn shook her head weakly. Her hand clutched the front of her clothes, then moved to her back.
"No… this is… too hot…"
Darius glanced back quickly.
"The lake," he said shortly. "We're close. It's the only way to bring her temperature down."
Killian did not hesitate. He steered the horse toward the darker part of the forest. Moments later, the sound of water reached them.
Water.
Josselyn's heart pounded. The urge to touch it surged violently. Before the horse had even fully stopped, she was already dismounting.
"Wait—"
Killian had not finished speaking when Josselyn staggered forward, nearly falling, then ran toward the lake.
Her movements were unsteady, as if her body no longer fully belonged to her.
"Josselyn!" Killian called.
She did not answer. Her hands were already tugging at her outer dress in haste, throwing it carelessly onto the ground.
Her figure was exposed, slender and fragile, almost as if it was asking to be held.
Josselyn glanced back briefly. She smiled at the two men behind her.
Darius froze in place.
Killian turned sharply.
"Turn around."
His tone was cold and firm.
Darius immediately looked away and stepped back without protest.
Killian turned his gaze forward again.
Josselyn was already at the water's edge. Without hesitation, she stepped in.
The lake rippled violently as her body submerged up to her chest. A faint mist rose around her.
"Ah… that feels so good…" she nearly cried out in relief. Her fingers skimmed the water's surface, letting droplets fall over her shoulders.
She saw Killian follow her. He had already stripped off his shirt, leaving only his trousers.
Josselyn held her breath. Her gaze trailed from his face down to his broad chest, then lower, to the defined lines of his abdomen.
A pulse throbbed deep within her, responding. Without realizing it, her hand moved beneath the water, touching herself.
"He shouldn't have followed me like this," she murmured. She could not tear her eyes away from his body.
The closer Killian came, the more her fingers pressed and moved, uneven, desperate, building a dizzying sensation.
"Don't come closer…" she whispered to herself, though her body betrayed the words.
Killian was already close enough to reach her.
"Josselyn…"
She immediately submerged, diving away from him. But what she saw beneath the water made her falter.
A dark shape, long and thick, was visible beneath the fabric of his trousers.
'I remember now.' Josselyn moved closer silently. 'We did it all night… and it really was that loud.'
She squeezed her eyes shut briefly, then shook her head, sending ripples to the surface. She dove again, circling him.
'But will it happen again today? I would even accept not being able to get out of bed tomorrow from exhaustion,' she thought, unable to suppress her smile.
Suddenly, her hand was pulled upward.
Startled, she almost cried out.
"Stop circling like that. You're making me dizzy."
His deep voice sounded as her back collided with Killian's bare chest.
His arm wrapped around her waist.
"Has the heat gone down?" he whispered near her ear. He brushed her hair aside, his gaze falling to the bandaged shoulder.
"Killian…"
Josselyn held her breath. His breath against her neck made her shiver.
"You rushed into the water and forgot to remove your bandage," he said, touching it lightly.
The bandage on her back was already a mess, half undone by the water.
'Ah… right, my bandage. I need to take it off before the wound worsens.'
She hurried to remove it.
But Killian was faster. He pulled it away completely.
Then he froze.
There was no wound.
Only faint redness remained, as if it had just closed.
"…what is this?"
His voice was barely there. His hand touched her back, pressing lightly, tracing as if searching for something.
"Hngh…"
Josselyn did not realize the sound she made. Her body tensed as the heat changed.
It no longer just burned. It spread, slowly descending. His touch accelerated everything, gathering in one place that stole her breath.
"Killian… stop."
His name slipped from her lips in a soft whisper.
Killian inhaled sharply.
He noticed the change in her. His hand paused, uncertain.
"This morning, you rejected me," he said, gripping her arms and pulling her slightly away from his chest.
But Josselyn's awareness was slipping. She caught his hand and guided it forward, pressing it against her chest.
"Oh really? I don't remember that," she said softly, clearly teasing.
Her body leaned back, seeking relief. Her breath trembled.
Killian exhaled, his jaw tightening. For a moment, he hesitated. But the way she touched him made thinking impossible.
He paused for a second, long enough for Josselyn to close the distance. Then he kissed her neck, slower, deeper.
His hands no longer hesitated, pulling her closer.
"Did you do this on purpose?" he whispered.
This time, when he kissed her lips, it was not just impulse. It was a claim.
"Hold on tight," he said, breaking the kiss.
Josselyn caught a flash in his eyes before he lifted her.
Their lips met again, more urgent.
She barely had time to breathe as he deepened it, leaving no room for thought.
He carried her toward a large rock at the edge of the lake, never truly breaking the kiss.
When he turned her around and pulled her hips back, a sound escaped her. The rough surface of the stone against her bare skin sent tremors through her body, tightening everything inside her.
"Oh, your body seems impatient," Killian said with a faint smirk, deliberately slowing down.
"Put it in…"
Killian smiled faintly but did not comply immediately. He simply watched her, savoring her loss of control.
"Beg me, Josselyn," he growled, restraining himself. His hands moved without hesitation, drawing a reaction that cut off her breath.
Then it was no longer just touch. He made her feel everything at once.
"Ah…"
Josselyn winced as a sharp sensation spread through her body. Yet what escaped her lips was not pain, but a long, broken moan.
"You like it," Killian murmured.
"Killian… please…"
The pulsing inside her spiraled, demanding release.
As if to prolong her torment, he withdrew slightly, then slowly dragged himself between her thighs.
Her body arched as the tip pressed against her most sensitive spot.
"Stop teasing me…" her voice trembled.
The moment she finished speaking, he thrust into her without warning.
"Kill—hngh…"
Her body froze for a fraction of a second.
Then everything shattered.
The first thrust sent pleasure crashing through her entire body. The next filled her completely, making her walls tighten around him.
With each movement, his name spilled from her lips, broken, uneven, uncontrollable, blending with the rhythmic sound of water splashing, fast and deeply sensual in the fading light.
On the other side of the large rock, someone stood stiffly.
His jaw tightened, his breathing heavy, forcing himself to focus on anything but the sounds behind him.
"Damn it. Now they're doing it anywhere."