Deep in the Montana wilderness, a torrential rain-soaked night. Ivy got lost while photographing wildlife and lies injured in the rain.
Rain hammered against Ivy's freezing skin as she huddled beside a fallen tree trunk, searing pain shooting through her ankle. Her soaked white t-shirt clung to her body like a second skin, outlining every curve.
Suddenly, footsteps shattered the storm's silence.
"Fuck." A deep male voice cut through the darkness.
Ivy lifted her head, rain blurring her vision, but she caught sight of eyes that glowed golden in the black night. A towering figure emerged from the treeline, rainwater cascading down his solid chest, muscles rippling under the lightning's harsh glare.
"You shouldn't be here." Lucas crouched down, his presence so intense it left Ivy breathless. He radiated something wild—pine, rain, and something primal she couldn't name.
"I... I'm lost." Ivy tried to stand, but pain sent her stumbling forward, falling against him.
Lucas's arms locked around her instantly, pulling her into his heated embrace. Her breasts pressed against his bare chest, feeling the powerful rhythm of his heartbeat.
"You're hurt." His voice carried a possessiveness she'd never heard before, his hot breath caressing her neck. Ivy shivered, unsure if from cold or his touch.
Without waiting for an answer, Lucas swept her up into his arms. She had no choice but to wrap her arms around his neck, fingertips grazing his warm skin, feeling the hard planes of his muscles.
"My cabin's just ahead." He looked down at her, amber eyes burning with something dangerous in the darkness. "You need... tending to."
The last words came out as a low rumble that made heat bloom across Ivy's cheeks.
Raindrops traced down his jaw and fell onto her lips, salty and tinged with his unique taste. She couldn't help but lick them away, noticing how his gaze instantly blazed hotter.
"Who... who are you?" Her breath came unsteady.
"Lucas." His voice dropped to something like a growl. "And you, little photographer, have wandered into forbidden territory."
He carried her through the storm, and she could feel the heat radiating from his body, along with something wild and powerful that both terrified and thrilled her. Each step pressed her closer against him, her breathing growing shallow, heart pounding like a drum.
When the cabin's warm light appeared through the rain, Ivy realized—this night would change everything.
