“Col,” she breathed. He stilled.
“Is this…is this not slow?”
Her lips curved up. “It’s too slow,” she said cheekily, and sighed as he moved his mouth over the soft curve of her breast, where it was revealed by the chemise.
“Is this…too slow?” Col murmured, an answering smile in his voice.
“Yes,” she breathed, and he mouthed the aching tip of her breast over the chemise, sending a tremor throughout her body.
She moaned and her fingers curled into his back.
Col felt her stiffened peak through the thin fabric of her chemise, and the shivers that rocked through her body as he gently teased it with his teeth. He was in sync with her, his senses picking up the quickened pace of her breaths and heartbeat, the scent of arousal that now underlay the night blooming flowers, her soft tugs pulling him closer.
He wanted to remove the barrier of the cloth, and with his fingers he gently lowered the side of her clothing. The fabric slid to reveal a creamy shoulder, the slight trembling of her body. He watched her carefully, attuned to her every reaction. She moved her hand up — he froze. He would only go as far as she allowed.
But her hand completed moving the other strap down, over her arms, baring the rosy-peaked breasts to him.
He took a deep breath, her eyes on him, questioning.
“You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, Katie Cooper.” Col said in wonderment, and he could feel her muscles loosening with his words.
“Just for tonight,” she breathed, “please, Col, just for tonight, call me Lily.”
“Lily,” he said, his voice thickened with desire. “As you wish. Lily.” The syllables rolled easily on his tongue. Lily. The name suited the fragrance that emanated from her, along with her arousal. It matched her beauty, unfurling in front of him, as she let the chemise and overskirt pool around her feet. She stood naked before him, the rosy tips of her breasts, the feminine curves of her body, the soft curls over her sex, all bared to his worshipful gaze. He was stunned by the power of her allure.
Her eyes were upon his, questioning, as if she were fearful that he would find her wanting.
Col’s breath caught. “Lily, truly you have bewitched me.” A shy smile curved her lips, and she slid her hands under his shirt, running it over his abs, pulling the fabric upwards. He shivered as her palms grazed his nipples.
“I want to feel your skin on mine, Col.” Her voice was ragged. “I want to feel all of you.“
“As you wish,” he said again. “Lily.” He raced to accede to her request. His t-shirt went flying onto the floor, followed by his boots, one by one, hitting the floor with a definitive thunk.
She watched as he unbuttoned his jeans, and slid the zipper down over his thick arousal. Her eyes widened.
And then she reached for him.
He moaned as her fingers stroked the length of him, marveling in the feel of her exploring, shuddering as she clasped him in her smooth palm. Finally freed of his jeans, he reached around her, and gently lowered her onto the bed.
“Col,” she sighed. He would never tire of the sound of his name on her lips. But first, he would worship her, as he had longed to do. As she deserved to receive.
He palmed her breasts gently in his large hands, and she shivered as he lowered his mouth over one pebbled tip, moving his fingers over the other one. She gasped as he swirled his tongue, teasing it, before she arched into him, hungry for more.
Her scent rose again, as he suckled, another wave of arousal sweeping through both of them. He pressed his mouth to the other, eager peak, and slid his hand down her curves, all the way to the delta between her legs.
His fingers found her readiness for him, as she arched again, inviting more of his touch at her core. He hardened to an almost unendurable degree, but he would force himself to wait.
He had an equally demanding need to taste her.
His mouth followed the path his hand had taken, and wordlessly, she parted her legs further as he dipped his head, pressing his lips at the molten core of her. A choked sound came from her as he swept his tongue.
It was as exquisite as the first kiss they shared: nectar, honey, the lushness of a divine garden. He could not help but indulge, taking her in, until she shuddered with her release. Again and again, her fingers clutching at the short hair on the top of his head, the sweet sounds of her release echoing about him.
She was calling his name.
With a final kiss of her core, he raised himself up so that his body was over hers, enveloping her smaller frame. She looked at him, heavy-lidded, with a sultry smile. “Col.”
He could not resist the enticement in her voice, especially as she drew her legs up around him. He moved himself into place, and started to slide his erection in.
She was so small beneath him, he was scared of hurting her. He looked at her again, and was stunned at the desire that filled her eyes.
“Col, please,” she sighed, and she tilted her hips upwards. With a groan, he buried himself to the hilt, reveling in the clasp of her around him, the soft moans that she made. Slowly, they began moving together, he rolling his hips in a rhythm older than time. They were completely, perfectly, in sync. Almost as if this joining was fated, he thought, until he lost the capacity for further thinking.
She called out his name again, as another release swept through her. The sound and her pleasure ignited his own in powerful bursts.
He had never felt such a union before, so complete that it nourished him body and soul. It was a miracle.
It felt meant to be.
They lay together, her body nestled in his, in her tiny bed. His fingers stroked her gently, the scent of her pleasure, the silkiness of her skin an intoxicant. He murmured to her in the now ancient language of his tribe, until she fell asleep in his arms.
Shortly before dawn, he reluctantly tore himself away, with one last lingering look at her sleeping form. Even in repose, she was exquisite, her dark lashes fluttering against her cheek, that lush berry lipped mouth slightly open, inviting kisses.
He covered her with the blanket from the other bed, and gently pressed his lips against hers. After departing from her room, he shifted and propelled himself into the woods on all fours.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
The exit opened up here, at the edges of the town called Gardendale, where the small houses and one story shops soon gave way to larger, more attractive properties. The dark haired man with the olive complexion had never been here before, even though it was a decent-sized town only a few hours from Denver. But then again, he never had reason to. The main attraction that he knew of in this area was some kind of Renfaire thing - although maybe that was something to think about in terms of selling The Rage.
His bandaged hand throbbed from where it rested on the steering wheel of his beat up Kia Santa Fe. He’d have to pull over soon, change up the dressing. This was a minor setback, but soon, he would make it up to El Monstruo. And he’d be driving something a lot sweeter, like a Lexus or Nissan Altima. He had contented himself the last few hours driving, making up a wishlist for all the things that would be different.
Soon.
As soon as Rey brought back that fucking bitch who stole from El Monstruo. The bitch who was proof that she was the thief, and not Rey. The bitch who possibly still had not only the stash that she was meant to deliver, but one more stash of a premium cut that had disappeared from the apartment. He had bellowed when he had come home after being hauled into El Monstruo and discovered her gone, and both stashes missing.
He tightened his fingers reflexively, and winced at the sharp pain that lanced through him. Fucking bitch. Because of her, El Monstruo had taken a finger. All because she didn’t show up with The Rage. Rumor had it that the severed digit would be boiled down, and the bones added to a necklace that El Monstruo wore beneath his shirt. Next time, it would be his whole hand. Or his life, because there really shouldn’t be a next time.
It continued to pulse w
ith pain, a constant reminder of what she had cost him. But at least it wasn’t his trigger finger. Or the other part of his body that would have him singing soprano and pissing into bags.
Fucking bitch.
He had called in every favor he could, to get photos pulled from tollbooths and other road cameras, and found the direction she was headed in. It had taken time, but it looked like she hadn’t gotten far, anyway. Dumb bitch didn’t swap out license plates or cars, which was fortunate for him.
The trail had stopped near here, which meant either she was nearby, or the car had broken down. Either way, he would find her, if he had to go to every gas station and auto repair shop in the area.
He was going to make a great Enforcer for El Monstruo, part of the reason why he hadn’t just had his entire hand or arm taken. And he was going to make that bitch sorry she had ever crossed him.
His hand throbbed again. Maybe he’d cut up pieces out of her first. After all, he didn’t have to deliver her to El Monstruo intact.
“You have a glow about you today,” Rosa said. She was at the Center for the brief break before the lunch rush. Both were watching the twins as they were making a collage with glitter glue and shapes that Luna was cutting out with blunt-tipped kid scissors.
Lily smiled, “I lost my roommate yesterday, so I had the room to myself.”
“Oh?” The twins’ mother looked at Lily, her eyes twinkling. “You did, did you?”
A slight flush crept up Lily’s cheeks. “I meant I had a good night’s sleep.”
It was only a few hours, but Lily had woken up feeling fully rested. And incredulous. Had the night really happened?
Right then, she wished she could confide in Rosa. She missed Lucie terribly, and badly wanted someone to talk to.
It was like that meme: Pictures, or it didn’t happen. Here it was, Tell your girlfriends, or it didn’t happen. If it weren’t for the unfamiliar, but delicious sensitivity at her core, the slight ache in her thighs, the puffiness in her lips after being thoroughly kissed—and often, she would not have been surprised to find out it had been one helluva vivid hallucination.
One that she would welcome over and over again.
“I wish sleep would make me smile like that,” Rosa teased. “But then again, I’d probably give just about anything just to be able to have a full night’s sleep.”
Lily squeezed her friend’s arm in sympathy. It was already difficult for a single mom to raise twins, but even more so when she knew Rosa worked late and showed up early as soon as the Center opened.
“Ouch!” Luna stood up, sucking her finger. Somehow she had managed to cut herself with the blunt-tipped kids’ scissors.
“I’m going to go take care of that,” Lily said to Rosa apologetically.
“No worries, I have to get back to work,” Rosa said. “See you at lunch!”
Lily immediately sent Luna to the first aid station, and took over with the kids. She relaxed into the cutting of cloud shapes, unicorns and dinosaurs, and her thoughts flowed into what had happened last night.
It had been incredible. She never had pleasure —or even release—like that before. Rey had been her first, and only, lover. It had been about his needs, when he wanted it, the way he wanted it. She hadn’t ever felt she could ask —the way she did with Col—but then again, she hadn’t even thought the connection that they had experienced together was even possible.
It was the first time she understood the phrase, “making love,” even though no words of love were exchanged. Col had been so focused on her reactions, her desires and needs that she had felt an awakening of sorts.
It was a novel experience, letting herself go, because she inexplicably trusted in someone’s ability—his eagerness—to give her so much pleasure.
And each time he called her Lily, as if it were a prayer, she melted a little bit more.
A side of her that she didn’t recognize had emerged, the raw, essential part of her that wantonly demanded what she wanted, and was open and welcoming of the pleasures that he had drawn from her. She had risen and met him throughout as equals, journeying with him to the peaks and ebbs of passion.
So much so that she realized much later that he had entered her without protection. So much so that she had eagerly welcomed him in, not even once thinking of it.
She was already on birth control, but she didn’t know if he had been with, or….Oh, God. What if he was still with a partner or even multiple partners? She had told him she was just out of a relationship, but she had never asked him about his status.
They had never stopped to talk, she had been so unlike herself. She only knew what she wanted at that moment, uncaring about what had come before or would come after.
And based on what Lily had overheard from Merek, Barric and Aylwyn about their exploits in “wenching”, his recent experiences with other women might be the last thing she wanted to hear.
But then again, Lily was just passing through, right? Sure, keep telling yourself that.
The rational part of her brain, the one that didn’t invite him in, didn’t wrap her hand around him, didn’t part her legs and all but beg him to enter her, that part that took the night off the minute he showed up, finally decided to make itself known. She couldn’t let herself fall for him. She couldn’t expect anything more than nice memories from an unexpected fling and maybe a funny story to share with Lucie when she finally got to catch up with her best friend again. So really, aside from the safety conversation they needed to have, it wasn’t her business if Col had one or a dozen sidepieces.
A tsunami wave of jealousy swept over her at the thought of him with another woman. Or other women, plural.
Col asking if they would allow him to worship them.
Col trailing his mouth on the inside of their thighs before he—
She nearly broke the little scissors she was cutting with.
“That unicorn is so funny looking, Katie!” Brady pointed to the busted shape that Lily had between the blades.
“It is, isn’t it?” Lily agreed, and set it aside to start a new one.
It was a necessary dose of realism. Any thoughts of a relationship with Col were as fanciful as chasing down a unicorn.
Lily squared her shoulders with firm resolve. She was just going to enjoy this time with Col for what it was, and look forward to seeing him again throughout the remainder of her time here. If they had amazing sex again, great, and if not, she would know that this connection was what she should be holding out for, in her next relationship. Another piece of evidence why her relationship with Rey was well and truly over, as if she needed more.
So why did she keep looking at the windows and door for him? Why did she keep hoping that he would walk in, and tell her that he was thinking of her as much as she couldn’t stop thinking of him?
Here was where she was taking the exit off the path to crazy town. She forced herself to concentrate on the here and now, the two preschoolers who were finding it a lot more fun to squeeze out the contents of the glitter glue bottles, Luna returning with smiley face bandaids on her finger, TraceyAnn coming back from either the Staff Caff or to complain abbot Luna to Rika again.
She would not think of Col. Instead, she poured all of her concentration into the much more urgent task of cutting out the perfect unicorn.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Blake Rickert’s suite of offices was on the second floor over a loud Mexican restaurant, with music blasting over the speakers. It was carpeted to muffle the sound from below, and had formerly been a series of law offices, each with their own door and walled off from the rest.
Blake’s business had boomed when Simon founded the Faire, and the number of employees and tourists first doubled, then tripled, and then doubled again. The need for hotels and bed and breakfasts led to Blake’s business expanding, and it was a testament to his success that the agents who worked for him were rarely in the office during the day, when it was prime time to show prospective clients choice locations.
Blake, however, handled Simon’s and other private clients’ accounts personally, so he kept regular office hours, with rare visits outside. Not even Blake’s agents knew that Simon was a client. In the unlikely chance they were to see Simon dropping by, they would assume he was perhaps a potential client, or inquiring about property that Blake was handling for one of his private clients.
It was rare that they met face to face nowadays, so Simon was looking forward to catching up with the realtor who had helped him so much when he moved back to Gardendale.
“Is it always this empty?” Miller asked as they came up the flight of carpeted stairs.
“During this time of day, I think so.” Simon said, clinging to the railing. The stairwell was narrow, and he felt a little uncomfortable with it being a borderline confined space. Even almost was enough to put his nerves on notice.
He concentrated on a spot between Miller’s shoulder blades ahead of him, and tapped his sternum with his free hand as they ascended. Finally, they made it to the landing with Blake’s offices, and relief washed over him.
“Why don’t you find the washroom, and run some cool water on your wrists?” Miller suggested. Simon knew that it didn’t escape Miller’s notice, even behind his back, of his claustrophobia starting to rear up. Splashing cold water on his face or the inside of his wrists would help reset him.
“Good idea.” Simon knew where the washroom was. It was the room helpfully labelled RESTROOM closest to the landing. “Why don’t you go ahead, and let Blake know we’re here?”
“Sure thing,” Miller went ahead into the farthest office, with Blake’s name on the door.
Simon went into the washroom, and immediately turned on the tap, letting the water run cool over his wrists one at a time, before cupping his hands to dip his face. He forgot to take off his glasses, so he did so now, in order to wipe them clean on the edge of his t-shirt.
Col: His Destined Mate Page 20