Page 198 of Elemental Becoming

His voice is mockingly innocent, though the mirth in his eyesgives him away completely. Then, just as easily, he rolls onto his side beside me, propping his head against one hand as he studies me.

“Yes!” I say immediately, because if I don’t learn how to do this, I’m never going to survive the rest of the day.

“Alright,” he murmurs, brushing his thumb across my cheek. “Close your eyes. Breathe.”

I obey, though concentrating becomes significantly harder when he’s touching me like that.

“Now,” Thane continues, his voice lower and softer. “Feel the bond.”

He places a warm palm over my heart, the pressure light but impossible to ignore.

“The connection,” he murmurs. “Instead of pulling away from it, visualize sealing it off. Like closing a door.”

I focus immediately. I picture a door between us. Heavy. Solid. Impossible to force open. Slowly, carefully, I push it shut.

“Close your mind,” Thane says quietly.

“I’m trying,” I snap, more flustered than angry.

Gods, he’s too close.

Even without hearing his thoughts, I can still feel the shape of his presence brushing against my mind, waiting at the edges of the bond. Every time I almost manage to shut him out completely, I feel him there again, teasing. Testing. Entirely too entertained by all of this.

“You’re thinking too loudly again,” he murmurs against my skin.

I groan, shoving at his chest. “You’re not helping.”

Thane laughs, low and husky, completely unbothered. “No, you’re just overthinking it.”

I roll my eyes. “Then explain it better.”

Thane moves before I can react, flipping us effortlessly until I’m suddenly straddling him.

Gods.I can feel everything.

For one brief moment, Thane closes his eyes and inhales intentionally, deeply, as though forcing himself to regain control. By the time he exhales, the restraint is back in place.

Controlled.

Hard.

Dangerous.

I inhale sharply. “Um . . . what are you doing?” I ask, my voice embarrassingly uneven.

Thane’s hands slide over my thighs.

“Teaching you.” His voice is far too smooth, far too calm for this to be considered a reasonable lesson.

But this is absolutely a problem. Because I can feel him inside me, making it nearly impossible to hold onto a single coherent thought. I was already struggling through this lesson before. Now I don’t stand a chance.

I swallow, shifting slightly—and immediately regret it as I feel him throb between my legs. Thane’s fingers flex against my thighs. His storm-gray eyes darken further.

My entire body goes still.

“This isn’t helping,” I mutter, my eyes squeezing shut for a moment.

One corner of his mouth lifts. “It’s working perfectly fine for me.”