Maxwell Thornton was like a wild wolf, instincts ablaze as desire surged within him, but it was Lily Bennett's words that truly unraveled him, challenging his patience again and again.
Lily let out a soft moan, feeling the forceful press of his firm lips, almost painful in its intensity. She hadn’t expected things to develop this way, yet her whole body tingled as if jolted by electricity under his fierce kiss. Maxwell no longer cared who had started this; he only knew that he craved the taste of her and the feel of her against him.
For days, he had been tormented with questions, asking himself what he would do if Lily and Monica were two entirely separate people. Yet no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t find a clear answer. This woman, he could no longer keep his distance from her. Memories of Monica had faded, and her name was but a whisper since the day he met Lily Bennett.
Even though he now knew Lily wasn’t the one he’d been searching for all this time, he couldn’t walk away. His desire to protect her, to embrace her, to love her—these feelings arose from a deep yearning, not just from the heat of the moment. He realized that ever since meeting her, she had claimed a place within him that he couldn’t relinquish.
When Maxwell’s large hand ventured into her most sensitive place, Lily’s body responded, warmth spreading throughout her, her breath quickening as a deep, undeniable desire took over. What scared her most was the growing ache and emptiness within, causing her to shift her body unconsciously, her discomfort becoming undeniable.
How could this be happening to her?
Reason battled against instinct, while her desires grew louder, leaving her overwhelmed under the unrelenting onslaught of his touch. When Maxwell finally pushed inside her, her soft depths clamped down on him, gripping tightly as he relished the intense closeness. He pressed in deeper, filling her completely, showing her the depth of his passion.
Each thrust brought him closer, until he pressed his lips against her ear, whispering in a low, fervent voice, "I want to be so deep within you that you remember—only I can be here, sharing this with you."
Caught in his grip, Lily felt like a delicate rabbit, her body helpless beneath him. Maxwell’s strength left her powerless, making her surrender to the sensations he ignited. Unlike her, however, Maxwell, who was firmly in control of his desires, held her gaze with intensity as he continued moving within her, each thrust reaching the deepest parts of her, over and over, claiming her with an almost primal fervor.
Sweat glistened on their faces as he increased his pace, each motion bringing them closer together. With one final plunge, he released himself, his breathing heavy as he lay atop her, not yet willing to let go.
“Now, will you still try to run?” His deep, seductive voice caressed her ear.
Lily knew that if Maxwell was committed to their relationship, she couldn’t escape even if she wanted to. Where could she possibly hide from him?
Looking calmly into his eyes, she whispered, "Maxwell, I won’t run. I’ll be here… until you’re the one who decides to leave."
With that, she wrapped her arms around his neck, her lips softening as she murmured, "If you want, then… let’s walk this path together. Do you want to try?"
"Of course. But what about you? Do you want to?" Pressed together so tightly that no space lay between them, Maxwell whispered, "On the way here, I thought of all the ways I’d have to convince you if you didn’t come home with me. Lily…”
When he said her name, drawing out each syllable in a tone as tender as a warm embrace, her heart raced wildly, her emotions spiraling under the weight of his affection. Maxwell hadn’t lied, and tonight was proving to be the longest night Lily had ever known. She’d once believed that their encounter in the coffee shop would be their first and last time, but she was so naive.
This man loved with an intensity that was all-consuming. Lily’s strength and stamina, honed through her father’s martial arts training, allowed her to endure more than most, yet even she was brought to her limit. She regretted rousing the beast within him, feeling the tightening of his arms around her, his body’s signals growing clear once again as his voice whispered hoarsely in her ear.
In the end, Lily relented, her mind swirling in a daze as she surrendered to his every word, her voice melting into soft, compliant murmurs.
“Maxwell… I was wrong…”
“Wrong how?” Hearing her admission, a weight lifted from Maxwell’s chest.
Lily’s voice softened. “I shouldn’t have tried to end things on my own, and I shouldn’t have left home… I should have talked to you first.”
“Is there anything else?”
Anything else?
Lily thought hard, her arms around his neck, her voice barely a whisper, “…I don’t know… you tell me.”
This was the first time he had ever seen her blush like this. If he’d known earlier that this was the way to make her listen, he would have done it long ago.