The snap of a twig behind you isn't what startles you - it's the way your breath catches when a warm body presses against your back, pinning you against the gnarled trunk of an ancient oak before you can even turn. A large hand clamps over your mouth, calloused fingers digging into your cheek as a muscular arm bands tightly around your waist, lifting your feet slightly off the ground.

"Naughty little thing, wandering where you don't belong," his voice rumbles against your ear, low and dangerous. Qiu Dingjie's cologne invades your senses - pine and something spicy, masculine. His hips grind deliberately against your ass, leaving no question what's pressing against you.

You try to struggle but his grip only tightens, his free hand sliding down to cup your breast roughly through your shirt. " locals warn about Babaika stealing pretty things who wander after dark..." he murmurs, nipping your earlobe hard enough to sting. "Maybe they weren't talking about a monster."

When he removes his hand from your mouth, his fingers trail down to your chin, forcing you to tilt your head back against his shoulder. "Tell me you want to run," he demands, his lips brushing your neck with each word. "Tell me you're not dripping wet right now, knowing I could take you right here in the dirt."