Soulbound by Kristen Callihan Page B

reason.”
    He rested his head against the grimy wall and sighed. “Fair enough. Now, what do you want?”
    Biding her time, Eliza soaked a length of linen with cool witch hazel. Under the slashes of his brows, Adam’s deep-set eyes narrowed, and a low growl of protest rumbled in his throat as she came near.
    “I… don’t…” His ruined pectorals twitched. “Need help.”
    Gently, she lowered the cloth onto his chest. His body tensed, ropy muscles bulging in response, and then he let go with a sharp breath. His tension eased on a sigh. “Better,” he rasped.
    Eliza prepared another cloth and assessed how she could best help him. Two separate lengths of chains, each attached to heavy cuffs around Adam’s wrists, held him fast. Secured to a set of rings driven into the stone cell wall, the chains had been pulled tight and forced his arms up over his head so that he was stretched out and barely able to move.
    “Lean forward, if you can, and let me see to the rest.”
    With a muffled grunt, he complied, tilting his big body towards her. She was able to reach around his neck and drape the cloth along his shredded shoulders. So set was she upon her task that she did not consider how close she’d brought herself to the man. Not until the heat of his breath ghosted along her neck.
    Every hair upon her body stood on end, and she froze, aware of her own breath and of the way her breasts brushed against his chest. She dared not turn to meet his gaze. It did not matter. Awareness lit between them. Of his cheek and hers mere inches apart. Of his scent, that delicious amber and myrrh scent. It had her eyes fluttering, wanting to close if only to heighten her sense of smell. He made a small, strangled sound, barely audible, and yet it struck the core of her.
    Get away. Get away now!
But she could not.
    Unwanted and uninvited heat coalesced between her legs and spread outward, up her torso and down her thighs. Her eyes closed then, as she held herself very still for fear of leaning closer and pressing her now heavy breasts against him. And it disgusted her. She could not be attracted to this man. Not him. Anyone but him.
    The sound of his indrawn breath and the feel of his lips brushing her neck had her eyes snapping open. Her body tensed further.
    “Are you…” – she swallowed past a wave of heat – “smelling me?”
    He was silent for a moment. “Aye.” Defiance shaped his tone, and then it went husky as he inhaled again. “Aye, dove. I cannot resist. Your sweetness is a ray of sunshine in this hell.”
    Craning his neck forward, he drew in another deep breath, and a low, rumbling groan escaped him. “Gods, but I could drown in the scent of you and not be sorry for it.”
    The realization that she’d nearly arched her neck to give him better access finally snapped her out of her heated fog. Eliza reared back. And Adam regarded her through lowered lids, not at all repentant, but as if daring her to come back to him.
    “That is enough,” she said, wishing the words came out steady and firm. “I’m not here to —”
    “Get me off?” he supplied lightly, a wicked gleam entering his pale amber eyes.
    She gritted her teeth. “Yes, that.”
    He mocked a shrug but then winced. “Fair enough, sweeting. But as you continue to ease my pain, while ignoring the place I need soothing most, I cannot help thinking you mean to tease me.” His hips shifted the slightest bit.
    The urge to slap him was high, but Eliza sank into herself where it was calm and nothing could affect her. She’d learned that from him. Nothing like being chained to a man to teach a woman about self-preservation. When she spoke, her voice was a shard of ice. “You’re trying to drive me off, aren’t you?”
    He seemed to flinch in surprise before sagging a bit. “Yes.” Mulishly, his gaze slid away before returning with renewed defiance. “Though I did not lie. Your scent is an addiction. I want more of it.”
    No, she would not react. “And