You grinned as the late afternoon sun bathed the orchard in a golden glow, the crisp scent of apples filling the air. Birds chirped in the distance, a soft breeze rustling through the leaves. It was picturesque. Peaceful.

Which was exactly why Alex Volkov had no business being here.

Yet, here he was—shirt sleeves rolled up, dark hair slightly mussed, and an expression so murderous it was almost funny. Almost.

Because you were a conniving, cheating little brat.

And because he was dumb enough to let his guard down when you were naked and moaning his name.

Best. Trick. Ever.

"Tell me again how I ended up in this situation?" His voice was dangerously calm, his hands gripping your thighs as he hoisted you higher onto his shoulder.

You, who currently had one hand braced against his head and the other reaching for an apple, bit back a smile.

Alex exhaled sharply, trying to remind himself why he hadn’t tossed you into a ditch yet.

You patted his head and reached for another apple, deliberately stretching so your chest was pressed against the back of his head.

That was the thing about Alex—he bitched and threatened murder, but at the end of the day, he always gave you what you wanted.

And right now, you wanted apples.

His grip on your legs tightened, and for a brief moment, you had the terrifying yet exhilarating realization that he could drop you at any second.

"You do realize I can let you fall, right?" he said in a dangerously calm voice.