(Indigo Lounge #3) Spiral

by Zara Cox

  “And the tattoo?”

  “Definitely after. I needed something to hold on to...a reminder that my journey wasn’t complete...when the temptation to just give in became overwhelming.”

  He uttered a single, explosive curse, his eyes burning with anger and determination that shortened her breath.

  Slowly, he removed his hand from her wet, sticky heat. Her face flamed when she caught a glimpse of just how much she’d fallen over the edge. The scent of her soaked sex drifted up and swirled around them, weaving a potent spell of arousal.

  Keeping his gaze on hers, he circled her parted lips with the wetness on his fingers. She tasted herself on his fingers, the essence sweet and musky and heady in a way she’d never have anticipated. Over and over he coated her mouth, his movements slow and erotic.

  Then pulling his hand away, he leaned in close until his mouth brushed hers, until his own lips glistened with her juices.

  “I’ll make you another promise, sweetheart. I promise to fuck you so hard, so completely and thoroughly that every bad thing in your existence will become a distant blur for the next seven days. You will have no room to think of them, much less let them attempt to interfere. You’re a magnificent, incredible creature, Leia Michaels. Somewhere along the line, someone’s attempt to make you forget that. With every fuck, with every orgasm, I intend to remind of your sheer glory.”

  His mouth crashed onto hers, ramming the words home so forcefully, they became branded on her skin...on her psyche. He forced them down her throat with his tongue, imbedded them into her body with his hard hands and didn’t relent until she gasped for breath.

  Tears spiked the back of her eyes, brimmed underneath her lids when he reluctantly released her, picked her up and strode into her bedroom.

  With gentle hands, he laid her on the bed, pulled her trousers off and tucked the heavy sheet around her. He turned to walk away and stared at his retreating figure, unable to fathom the swirl of emotions whizzing through her. “Why?”

  He stopped at the door and slowly turned around.

  “Because you deserve nothing less.”

  Chapter Twelve

  “Ready?”

  Leia checked her skis one last time. The wind whipped up her hair, the air frigid and bracing in a way that reminded her she was alive.

  As far as the eye could see, snowcapped mountains glinted under the cloudless blue sky that reminded so much of the eyes of the man next to her. The helicopter had dropped them on top of the second highest peak in Switzerland.

  But the rush of the ten-minute ski wasn’t the reason her blood all but sang through her veins. And it wasn’t the reason he was asking the seemingly simple question.

  She looked at him. “Yes,” she replied firmly.

  His eyes shone with approval and she beamed, unable to stop herself from basking in the heat that sizzled from him.

  How very quickly she was coming to know him. While Leia didn’t fool herself into thinking she knew nearly enough about him to form a solid judgment, in the past six hours he’d been relentless in seeing to her every need, starting from his firm knock on her door the moment they landed.

  He’d whisked her away to breakfast at a exquisite little café, leaving the crew to deliver her bag to the private lodge they’d be spending the night in before their flight in the morning. They’d been picked up after breakfast and delivered to heliport in Geneva, Switzerland where the private helicopter had flown them straight to where their ski guides waited in Zermatt. In the few hours since they landed and were whisked away, she’d learned enough about Noah to know what pleased him.

  He was possessive. That would only become a problem if he found out about Warren. And she didn’t intend to let that aspect of her life intrude on this moment out of time.

  He loved to touch her. She didn’t have a problem with that.

  He more than anything else preferred when she used her voice. No problem there either. To Noah King, the reverse of the idiom actions speak louder than words was true.

  With another smile, he pulled down his goggles. “I’ll race you.”

  “What do I get when I win?”

  His brows shot up. “When? You’re feeling brave, sweetheart?”

  “I have a few surprises up my sleeve.”

  He waited until the couple next to them shoved off the summit. They were fast, experienced and traversed the trail with smooth speed and efficiency.

  But she knew they would be nowhere as magnificent to watch as the man beside her. And nowhere near as fast.

  Her body was in good enough condition thanks to the three-times-a-week private training sessions she’d been taking since she turned eighteen and the once-a-week sparring matches with Warren.

  But Leia hadn’t hit a black run for almost two years. If she were to have a hope in hell of winning, she’d need to bring her A game.

  She calculated how quickly she could traverse the terrain and turned to find his eyes trained on her. The look in the blue depths terrified and excited her at the same time. Predatory and determined, his eyes also held a gentleness that unsettled her a little.

  “If you win, I’ll let you come as hard and fast as you want to the first time.”

  Her heart slammed against her ribs and her body grew hot despite the sub-zero temperature. “And if you win?”

  Blue eyes darkened to midnight and muscle twitched at the corner of his mouth. “I get to dictate how long to keep you on the edge for. Deal?”

  Recalling how excruciating the pleasure/pain had been the last time, she bit her lip. She couldn’t fathom how she would remain sane if he kept her on the very edge of her endurance as he’d promised last night.

  She eyed the steep run which until recently had been a black run but had been re-classified to a yellow.

  “I tell you what, I’ll give you a one-minute head start,” Noah drawled.

  The fine hairs on her nape bristled at his superior tone. “What makes you think I need one?”

  He shrugged. “Take the minute or don’t. I’m just trying to get us off this mountain before I freeze my balls off.”

  Her gaze dropped to his crotch and the black and red ski suit he’d chosen to wear. Her mouth watered at the sight of his broad shoulders and lean hips, then immediately dried at the latent power of his thighs as he flexed his legs on his skis. The thought of all that power, about to be unleashed on her should’ve made her take a step back.

  Instead, she closed the gap between them and raised her face to his. “I’ll tell you what.” She deliberately kept her voice low so he’d have to bend to hear her. Her mouth brushed his ear. His throat bobbed in a swallow. “I’ll be waiting at the bottom to warm your frozen balls for you. And if you’re very, very lucky, I might even use my tongue. How’s that, sweetheart?”

  Before he could respond, she planted an open mouthed kiss on his startled lips, turned around and launched herself off the mountain.

  The skin-flaying curse whipped past her eardrums as she dug her ski poles into the soft powder and hurtled down the steep pristine white slope.

  The two couples who’d left minutes before had chosen the safest path to the bottom.

  Leia chose a more challenging route, which she’d tracked when the helicopter turned to land. It held a steep drop about halfway down, one that most skiers would think twice before using. She didn’t dare look behind her even though she could hear the faint swish of Noah’s skis as he came after her.

  She veered to the right at the last minute, tucked her knees beneath her and held her breath and careened off the edge.

  Noah’s, “Shit!” ripped through the clear frigid air.

  She laughed, knowing he’d left it too late to follow her shortcut. She landed hard, her teeth jarring as she absorbed the shock and fought to stay on her feet. Luckily, almost twenty years of experience came to her aid. Memories of skiing with her father flashed across her mind.

  Logan Michaels had loved skiing. Aspen had been his favorite winter playground, f
ollowed by Val D’isere and he’d taken her along each year. By the time she’d turned ten, she’d transitioned to yellow runs.

  Unfortunately, his vow to have her on a black run by the time she was thirteen never materialized.

  She blinked hard at the tears that prickled her eyes and shoved the accompanying pain back beneath the heavy blanket she’d thrown over her memories. She’d mourned her father—as much as it was possible to do when her life had been turned upside down almost moments after his death.

  Besides now was not the time to revisit the past.

  The growing sound of skis brushed her ears and she picked up her speed, pushing even harder against the power of the man behind her.

  She flew over a small outcropping of rocks and felt a momentary freedom as she soared mid-air. Her landing was smoother this time and she slammed her skis harder into the snow. A small copse of alpine trees stood between her and the finish line.

  She hated skiing through trees. Despite her skill and agility she was very aware that one wrong move and it would be over. She forced herself to reduce her speed despite the fire of the challenge burning in her veins.

  The other worrying thing was the reckless promise she’d thrown at him on top of the mountain. She’d never warmed a man’s balls before, never mind with her tongue. But no way was she about to confess to Noah King that she’d only had two sexual experiences in her life. The first had been clumsy and embarrassing.

  The second had been life changing...

  She had to win.

  Being kept on the knife-edge of orgasm for hours on end couldn’t be so bad...could it? Yes, it could. She’d foretasted that insanity on the plane and that had lasted barely twenty minutes.

  God, she would lose her mind if he kept her in a heightened state for even one hour.

  The shush of skis drew closer. Digging deep she ignored the burn in her thighs and raced through the trees. Bursting into blinding sunshine she spied the billowing flags that signaled the end of the run.

  The group made up of guests and crew stood to one side. One or two turned to watch them and Leia saw them raise their hands and point excitedly.

  Too chicken to check how close Noah was but knowing he was gaining in on her by the growing sound of his skis, she pushed herself harder.

  Now the whole group had turned to look and most were shouting encouragement.

  “Come on!”

  “He’s right behind you!”

  “Give it up, baby. I’m going to win.”

  That he had to raise his voice told her he wasn’t as close as she’d thought. She ventured a quick look over her shoulder and saw he was at least ten meters away.

  “No chance in hell, sweetheart.”

  His teeth bared in pure intimidation before she whisked around and gave it everything she had.

  Her skis skidded across the finish line just as the tops of his swept into her eye line.

  She punched the air to applause and turned to see Noah shaking his head, his eyes narrowed on her face.

  “So, you like winning.”

  “I like teaching cocky guys a lesson or two every now and then, yes.”

  The corners of mouth lifted in a smile so sexy, heat surged through her belly. “Touché. Congrats on winning.”

  For some reason she was sure he meant it, although he continued to smile in a way that made her jumpy.

  His next words confirmed why he was so damned pleased with himself. “Although the view coming down wasn’t that bad either. In fact, watching you move gave me a fair idea of how well you can hold certain positions.”

  “Excuse me?”

  He leaned close and whispered in her ear. “No, baby, you’re not excused. Not when watching that little ass move has made me as hard as that fucking mountain. You won’t be excused until I am well and truly satisfied.”

  Before she could answer, Bjorn chose that moment to approach and relieve her of her ski poles. He was followed closely by another valet bearing hot drinks.

  She watched, half-amused at Noah’s narrow-eyed look in Bjorn’s direction before she picked up the mug of cognac-laced cocoa to warm her fingers. She took a sip and looked up to find Noah accepting a coffee, his gaze firmly back on her.

  The look in his eyes as he drank told her he intended to claim her on his terms in the very, very near future. As she watched, he knocked back the rest of his drink and strolled to her.

  “You’re done with the drink, I think.”

  She relinquished it with a glare of her own. “Am I ever going to finish a drink with you around?”

  “Sure. You can drink as much as you want. When we’re done. It’s time to go. There’s the urgent matter of your diamond-studded tongue, a private lodge and my frozen balls that needs serious and immediate attention.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Noah was pretty damn sure this hard-on was going to kill him. His vision blurred every time he so much as breathed. Or the Jeep bounced over the snow. Or Leia slid him one of those surreptitious glances she thought he couldn’t see.

  She coupled each look with a tiny mangle of her lower lip. She was nervous. Understandable. Hell, he was too. But what she didn’t seem to get was that each time he caught a glimpse of those small, sharp teeth, he grew harder, his cock throbbing a dire warning that he was going to die if he didn’t do something about his erection soon.

  Their driver turned into a single-track lane and the chain-covered tires squealed as they went up a steep incline for almost a minute before leveling off into a circular driveway.

  He saw the private lodge and Noah was immediately glad he’d chosen it instead of returning to the five-star Indigo Geneva Hotel where the rest of the guests were staying.

  After watching her ski, seeing how she sleekly and sexily she handled herself on the slopes he’d almost lost it by the time he’d crossed the finish line. Waiting for an hour to get back on the chopper back to Geneva had been out of the question in his state.

  Hell, he’d have fuck her in a yurt in the middle of snowstorm or up against a tree and risked cock frostbite if it came to it. But this would do fine.

  “Wow, this place is perfect!”

  He hid a smile and unzipped his jacket and drank in her pleasure as she took in their surroundings. Tall alpine trees heavy with snow embraced the thick wood and stone lodge and provided a backdrop of refreshing green and white. The three-story house was secluded with the next house almost half a mile away.

  “I’m glad you like it. Wanna explore the inside too?” Noah knew he didn’t quite succeed in keeping the wild anticipation firing through his veins out of his voice. The only exploration he intended to do was with her. Fully and thoroughly.

  She turned from admiring the trees and woodland around them and looked at him. She slicked a hand through her hair, flicking it to the side in a gesture he’d come to learn as a nervous tick. Hell, nervousness vibrated from her.

  He’ll need to take it slow.

  Fuck.

  That might be a problem. Deliberately turning away from her, he dismissed their driver and walked up the steps into the house.

  The living room soared two stories high, with a giant granite fireplace that crackled with a log fire. On the polished wood floor a large furry rug had been laid, complete with half a dozen pillows. On the square of rock that passed as a coffee table, a sterling silver bucket chilled with a bottle of champagne and two long flutes next to it.

  The scene was set with one thing in mind, and he was having a hard time not grabbing her and getting started. He shrugged off his jacket, threw it on the nearest chair and headed to what he hoped was the kitchen.

  He needed to occupy himself with something before he gave in to the hot images flooding his mind.

  “Are you hungry?” he threw over his shoulder.

  “Umm...yes. I could eat.”

  He groaned under his breath and entered the large kitchen. He was sure shiny, expensive gadgets lined the countertops and every conceivable luxury had been prov
ided for them. But Noah didn’t see a thing beyond his lust haze as he blindly pulled open the fridge and eyed the neatly arranged silverware and plates of food. More than enough to sustain them for the next eighteen hours.

  He picked up the nearest tray containing exquisite, handmade finger food and set it on the countertop.

  “Oh, smoked salmon and cream cheese bagels. Love those.”

  He breathed a sigh of relief. “Great. Would you mind grabbing—?”

  She’d shed her puffer jacket and the bottom half of her ski pants while his back was turned. The long sleeve thermal shirt molded her small breasts so perfectly saliva flooded his mouth. His gaze dropped to the black leggings clinging to her taut, shapely thighs and legs and he groaned again under his breath.

  He gripped the edge of the counter so hard his bones screamed in agony.

  She stopped in the process of grabbing the plates from where they’d been stacked on the counter. “Noah, are you okay?”

  He speared a hand through his hair. Thought about cracking a joke to avoid the stark truth. Then decided against it. She needed to know who she was dealing with.

  “Hell, no. I can’t look at a surface in this place without imagining you spread across or over it and me fucking you into oblivion on it. So, no, I’m not okay. But I’m trying to take it slow for you.”

  Her eyes widened. “For me? Why?”

  He laughed. “You’re nervous. I thought doing something mundane like eating a meal and...talking might set you a little at ease.”

  “At ease. Before you devour me?” Her breath hitched at the end, like she was having a hard time breathing.

  He laughed. The sound came out rough and alien. “Shit, am I being that obvious?”

  “A little. Okay...a lot.”

  “Fuck.” He grimaced and shut his eyes.

  “But...that’s not why I’m nervous.”

  He raised his head. “Then what is it?”

  She traced a finger absently over the hard top. He wanted that finger tracing his skin so badly he locked his knees to stop from launching himself over the aisle and grabbing her.