Close Encounters of the Sexy Kind: In the Stars Romance

by Abbie Zanders

  Hours later, Ryan’s lips continued to tingle from his kiss. Her body felt hot and achy with unfulfilled desire, the desire that Tiberius had so easily stoked with a single, incredible kiss. It was like something out of her cherished paranormal romances.

  He did it for her, no question, but she couldn’t afford to let her hormones blind her to the truth, not again.

  Jason Martinez. That had been his name; just not his real name. He had been young and handsome in an edgy, Miami vice cop kind of way. Right out of the academy, she had been working a downtown beat. A routine prostitution bust had turned into a lead on a human trafficking ring. Intensive follow-up had corroborated the story and revealed a possible link to Nez. When sexy Special Agent Martinez had shown up to enlist her aid in a covert sting operation, she had been starry-eyed and eager to prove herself. They had waited all night in an abandoned warehouse with the majority of the local PD ... while six blocks away, three young women had been drugged and loaded onto a ship bound for South America. Jason had disappeared the next day, and the body of the real Special Agent Martinez had been discovered several days later.

  The department had received a lot of bad publicity and had undergone a brutal internal investigation. Ryan had cooperated fully and was ultimately cleared of wrongdoing, but she had never forgotten. She had sworn she would never be duped by a handsome face and pretty words again.

  Until now, that hadn’t been an issue.

  Was Tiberius laying on the charm in the hopes of keeping the heat off Bait? Of wining and dining her and making her believe she was special so she would look the other way when something happened?

  Even as her head considered the possibility, other parts of her rallied in protest. She didn’t want to believe Tiberius would use her that way. He did have secrets, though. Of that, she was absolutely certain.

  He had said to listen to her heart. That he would answer all her questions. But could he be trusted? Was he genuinely interested in her, or was he just another accomplished con man? Until she discovered exactly why he was being so reticent, she would do well to proceed with extreme caution.

  Tomorrow, she was going to do some digging. Unfortunately, she realized, she didn’t know his last name. Why hadn’t she asked for his last name? She added looking up the county records on Bait to her mental to-do list. He had said he owned it with someone else—his brother, Quintus. Tiberius and Quintus. Their parents were either really old-school or nuttier than Betty’s sugared pecans.

  Wait ... Quintus. Q. Betty’s words: “Q is one of the owners.” Tiberius’s brother was the guy with the impressive package who had given Betty a private tour and sexed her up!

  Well, hell.

  That doesn’t mean Tiberius is the same way, her inner voice challenged. Siblings were often vastly different from one another. Betty’s older brother, for example, was nothing like his sex-crazed, outspoken sister. He was one of the most straight-laced, uptight, anal-retentive jerks she had ever met. Maybe this was a similar situation. Tiberius was the conservative, responsible one, while Quintus was the outgoing, good-time guy.

  The unexpected ache in her chest suggested otherwise, but she could hope, right?

  Chapter Sixteen

  The night had not gone as well as he had hoped. What had begun with so much promise had become a series of highs and lows he could not have predicted.

  Tiberius returned to Bait feeling conflicted. On the one hand, he was overjoyed. After the unfortunate incident at sea, Ryan had recovered beautifully and, ironically enough, her malaise, or his reaction to it, had cast him in a favorable light. His subsequent injury due to the flaming meat cooker had also turned out to be a positive, evoking the compassionate nature of his mate and her instinctive need to care for him. The highlight of his evening, of course, was when he had kissed her. In doing so, their bond had strengthened, allowing him to feel the depth of her desire for him and even catch a few glimpses of the incredibly intimate visions going through her mind.

  Unfortunately, lurking beneath that lust and desire was a quagmire of disappointment and disgust. His mate was a woman of principle, and in her eyes, Bait was little more than a cesspool of human iniquity. As an owner, he was doubly reviled, because not only was he promoting such miscreancy but profiting from it, as well.

  Tiberius understood why she felt that way. He had garnered enough glimpses to know that her unfavorable perspective was most likely rooted in her experiences as a police officer. Her exposure to the seedier criminal element had been decidedly negative and was bound to color her views.

  While he understood that, he wanted to believe that she was open-minded enough to see that he was nothing like the Slick Ricks of this world. That yes, while essentially engaging in illegal activities, Bait also had a positive impact on the community, particularly for those with limited options. Bait afforded them choices that hadn’t been open to them before, including education, fair salaries, better working conditions, and health care, to name a few.

  Convincing his principled mate could prove to be a challenge, but one he would gladly undertake. Many people now depended on him and Quintus, and if he could convince Ryan that he wasn’t simply lining his coffers, it would certainly make his path—their path—easier.

  “What are you doing here?” Quintus asked, strolling into his office, looking quite pleased with himself. “I thought you would be sealing the bond with your mate. Was she not completely ensorcelled by your twenty-one-step romantic plan?”

  Tiberius frowned. Quintus had been amused by his careful planning and attention to detail, believing outright seduction to be the proper course. Considering Ryan’s reaction to the sunset cruise and lobster as compared to his impromptu kiss, Quintus might have actually been correct in this case.

  “Not quite.”

  “A pity. I myself had a wonderful evening. Do you wish to hear of it?”

  “Not particularly.”

  “Well, I am going to tell you anyway, because I learned some interesting things about your mate.”

  “Oh?”

  “Do you remember the fiery redhead I spoke of the other evening? Well, I paid her a visit today. Did you know she owns and operates the pastry shop on the next block? Quite a good one, too. Ah, the female has a gift for crafting a buttercream icing that is absolutely out of this world. I highly recommend it, particularly on the nipples. And her Belgian chocolate ganache ... incredible! Somehow, the kinky little minx convinced me to dip my wick and went absolutely wild when I added crushed pecans to the mix. I tell you, my prince, chocolate is irresistible to human women.”

  Tiberius, used to Quintus’s tales, waved his hand in a “get on with it” motion. “And this has to do with my mate how?”

  “Oh, right. Well, according to the redhead, your mate is rather, well, I’m afraid there is no easy way to break this to you ... Your mate is rather parochial when it comes to pleasures of the flesh. It might behoove you to refrain from telling her your position here until the mating bond has truly had a chance to gain purchase.”

  “I’m afraid your counsel comes too late, my friend. She already knows.”

  “Ah,” Quintus said. “Is that the reason all did not go as planned?”

  “In part.” Tiberius fixed them each a drink and recounted the events of the evening. When he finished, Quintus whistled.

  “Bad luck for you, my friend, to find a mate who is not only appalled by creatures of aquatic origin but sexually repressed, as well.”

  “She is not sexually repressed,” Tiberius countered, remembering the passion in her kiss and the erotic images in her mind. “She is selective. There is a difference.”

  “Well, I suppose that is something the two of you have in common,” Quintus mused. “But what of the other stuff?”

  “I must trust in the divine connection fate has forged between us. My mate is a reasonable woman with an admirable sense of right and wrong. I shall simply appeal to her logical mind and compassionate heart. I am confident she will come around in t
ime.”

  “For your sake, my friend, I hope that is true. However, you may not have as much time as you think,” Quintus said, sobering. “The fiery redhead was not the day’s only source of information.” He got up and paced in front of the sofa, something he only did when he was apprehensive.

  “What has you vexed, my friend?”

  “The visit from the cannabis merchant, Drew. Something did not ring quite true with his story, so I conferred with others who have proven reliable.”

  “And?”

  “And, even the mention of this ‘Black Eagle’ was enough to strike fear in their hearts. Prior to our arrival, he was quite high in the criminal power chain. Many of those we vanquished for their vile activities had been operating under his command. Apparently, he is displeased with our interference and wishes to rectify the situation.”

  “Do we know how he intends to do so?”

  “Not specifically, no. However, the general consensus is that his retribution will be executed with extreme prejudice.”

  “A coup de maître?” Tiberius mused thoughtfully. “Clearly, he does not comprehend who he is dealing with. I have yet to hear of anyone capable of out-strategizing you, Quintus.”

  Quintus accepted the compliment with a slight tilt of his head. “No, he will not be successful, and certainly not in a direct assault. However, we should inform everyone to be on alert. Those closest to us are in the most danger, your mate most of all.”

  “If he even thinks of harming my mate, he will learn the true meaning of agony.”

  “It is imperative that you solidify your bond as quickly as possible, Tiberius.”

  “This is not something that can be rushed. If I push her too hard before she is ready, she will not accept the truth.”

  “You say that you were able to feel her emotions and see some of her mental images?”

  “The particularly strong ones, yes.”

  “Then you have already forged a mental pathway. Perhaps you should consider visiting her in her dreams, when she is most susceptible to suggestion.”

  “That is quite brilliant, Quintus.”

  “I have my moments.” Quintus smirked. “Now, if you will excuse me, I must see about ordering more of that chocolate ...”

  After Quintus left, Tiberius wasted no time in retiring to his personal chambers. He had some dream walking to do.

  Chapter Seventeen

  She was standing on a sandy beach, one she didn’t recognize. Pristine white sand stretched along the coastline as far as the eye could see. The sea before her was a lovely shade of turquoise, so crystal clear Ryan could see the bottom in some places.

  Where was she?

  A gentle breeze blew, whipping her clothing around her legs. She looked down to find herself wearing a toga-style dress. White and flowing, it wrapped around her body with stunning gold and aquamarine accents. It was beautiful, supremely feminine, and like nothing she had ever worn before. She liked it.

  She looked left, then right, examining the unfamiliar beach, when something in the water caught her eye. A ripple moved atop the water, growing ever closer, as if a large fish was swimming just beneath the surface.

  A dark shadow suggested something was coming her way, something big. She waited for the familiar panic to take hold, but it didn’t. She felt only anticipation.

  Her heartbeat quickened as it approached ever closer and became clearer. Long and sleek, her first thought was a shark, but it wasn’t a shark’s head that broke the surface. It was a man’s! And not just any man, but the one who had been consuming so many of her thoughts.

  Tiberius rose up out of the water like some kind of sexy sea god, looking sinfully handsome and smiling at her.

  As his upper body cleared the waves, she gasped at the sight of his rock-hard, gloriously naked physique. Then Ryan licked her suddenly dry lips, intrigued by the stripe-like tattoos that adorned his torso and disappeared beneath the water line. Perfectly proportioned, his body muscled but streamlined, the sight of him made her breath catch. Then his lower half came into view, and she lost her breath completely.

  He grew even bigger, heavier, as she stared, transfixed. Her breasts swelled, her nipples pebbled, and the sensitive area between her legs throbbed. She wanted this man, wanted to feel him against her, above her, beneath her, inside her.

  Forcing her eyes upward, she found the same hunger, the same desire mirrored in his gaze.

  A tiny voice in the back of her mind protested, reminding her that there were a lot of things she didn’t know about him, and that some of the things she did know were red flags.

  She silenced those warnings. This wasn’t reality. This was a dream, her dream, and reality had no place here.

  Ryan remained frozen in place as Tiberius made his way out of the waves and closed the short distance between them. When he was standing directly in front of her, dripping, tanned, buff, and gorgeous, Ryan closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Her nostrils filled with the scent of salty, masculine musk. Her mouth watered for a taste, urging her to lean over and lick his chest.

  Just as Ryan opened her mouth to ask Tiberius where they were, a sly smirk tipped his lips upward and he subtly shook his head. She understood it for what it was—a warning to remain silent.

  She watched as he lifted those large hands of his slowly up to cradle her cheeks. He swept his thumbs over her cheekbones, the touch alone enthralling her. Oh, how she wanted him to kiss her again!

  When he began to lower his head, she was certain he was going to do just that.

  He paused just short of her lips and whispered, “You are mine, Ryan Winslet, and I am yours.”

  She felt the truth of those words in her soul. Here in this world of her own making, anything was possible.

  He did kiss her then, a sweet, hungry kiss filled with promises that made her toes curl in the sand. He took his time, exploring her mouth as he explored her body with his large hands.

  A brush of his fingers, the flick of the golden clasp at her shoulder, and she was suddenly every bit as naked as he was.

  Tiberius immediately went to his knees, taking his bone melting kisses beyond her mouth. She tangled her hands in his dark, silky hair and looked down, enthralled by the sight of him worshiping her body with lips, hands, and tongue.

  “Tiberius,” she moaned, opening her legs to grant him access to the part of her aching for his attention.

  He wasted no time in drawing those long, skilled fingers through her slick folds. Then, when he put his fingers to his lips, she nearly came from the sight alone.

  He grinned wickedly, coaxing her onto a blanket that had mysteriously appeared on the sand. He then leaned over her, aligning his body atop hers. The thick, heavy length of him pressed against her, and she wanted nothing more than to take it, to take him, inside her.

  “Please.”

  “Soon,” he crooned, branding her once again with the scorching heat of his mouth.

  “Now.”

  He laughed. “So eager. So beautiful. So mine. Say you are mine, and I will give you anything you desire.”

  “I want you. Inside me. Now.”

  He lifted his hips, allowing his hard length to slide between her legs, teasing her with maddening strokes along her clit but not entering her. “Say it, Ryan.”

  There was no reason not to. It was her dream. There were no consequences to admitting the truth here. No one would ever know.

  “I am yours,” she breathed, “and you are mine.”

  “Forever,” he hissed as he pushed himself inside her and her world exploded ...

  Ryan sat up in bed, gasping for breath and feeling disoriented. It took a few moments for her to convince herself that she was in her apartment and not on some idyllic tropical beach.

  It had felt so real. Tiberius had felt so real. Real enough that she could still feel the erotic sweep of his tongue over her nipples and the powerful thrusts of his ridged ...

  Ridged?

  She shook her head and got out of bed
to get a glass of water. Clearly, she had read one too many paranormal romances if she was dreaming of things like epic sex, soul mates, and ridged penises. And those markings, the sexy tats that revealed a deeper, darker, primitive side to the polite, classical gentleman ... where had those come from?

  Now wide awake and slightly annoyed with her subconscious for crafting such a realistic erotic fantasy, there was no chance she would be able to get back to sleep. Not after that.

  Since it was nearly dawn, she opted to get a shower and head into the department early, more determined than ever to find out more about the mysterious nightclub owner.

  Several hours later, however, she hadn’t learned much. The official owners of Bait were listed as Tiberius and Quintus Maximus, and all licenses and inspections were up to date. Beyond that, there was little else. No criminal records, no citations, not even so much as a parking ticket. County, state, and federal public database searches came up empty. Everything was in perfect order.

  She was missing something, she was certain of it, but she didn’t know where else to look. Unless she obtained a search warrant, something she couldn’t do without justification and probable cause, she had effectively reached a dead end.

  “It’s like he just appeared out of nowhere,” she complained to Betty at lunch after providing a PG-13 rated recap of the prior night’s events. Wanting to retain some self-respect, she didn’t mention the dream. “It’s suspicious.”

  “It’s not suspicious,” Betty countered. “You’re paranoid. The fact that your fishing expedition found nothing is a good thing. He’s über handsome, smart, rich, and he’s been a perfect gentleman, so what’s the big problem?”

  “What if he’s only cozying up to me to protect his own interests?” Ryan asked quietly. “What if he’s another Jason?”