The next session arrived with all the anticipation of an approaching storm. Samantha had spent the day in a state of heightened awareness, every nerve ending seemingly attuned to Marcus's presence as they moved through their daily routines with careful politeness. They'd maintained Evangeline's rules to the letter—no sexual contact, no lingering touches, nothing that could be construed as anything more than platonic affection. It had been simultaneously the most frustrating and oddly intimate twenty-four hours of her recent memory.
Now, as they stood outside Evangeline's private room once again, Samantha could feel the weight of anticipation settling over them like a physical presence. Marcus's hand hovered near the small of her back—close enough that she could feel his warmth, but not quite touching. Even that near-contact sent sparks dancing across her skin.
"Ready?" he asked, his voice carrying that particular rough edge that appeared when he was fighting for control.
