by Eden Robins
He stopped abruptly and Alyssa barely avoided running into him. She saw his back stiffen and he clenched his fists tightly to his side. Curious about what could have caused this reaction in Christian, she peeked around him.
It wasn’t a what, it was a who.
Aunt Joyce stood directly in front of Christian. Hands on her hips as she gave him the once-over, then studied his face with interest. The speculative gleam in her eyes wasn’t lost on her. Her aunt thought every man might be a perfect candidate as a husband for Alyssa. If only she knew about Christian.
“Well, Alyssa? Aren’t you going to introduce me to your young man?” Joyce impatiently said.
“He isn’t my young man. This is Christian Galiano. He’s the security specialist handling my speaking engagements. Christian, this is my Aunt Joyce.”
Aunt Joyce held out her hand.
“Hello. Please call me Joyce. It’s so nice to finally meet you, Mr. Galiano. I’ve heard so many good things about you from Alyssa.”
Christian looked at Alyssa. He raised one eyebrow and a knowing smile spread across his lips.
“Really?” The amusement in his voice was obvious.
Alyssa wanted to wipe that smile off his face, but instead smiled sweetly back at him.
“Of course. You’ve been such a gallant gentleman. What could I possibly have to say about you that my aunt would find displeasing?”
Christian’s eyes narrowed dangerously. Warning her. She chose to ignore it.
“Christian has protected me just like he’s been paid to do. He’s very good at his job. Isn’t that right, Christian? And once my last speech is over, he can go protect someone else and I can get on with my life.”
“Alyssa!”
Her aunt’s shocked voice made Alyssa cringe inside. Why was she goading Christian? She was being rude and it wasn’t fair. Maybe it was the frustration. Maybe it was the knowledge that she wanted him, but couldn’t allow herself to have him. Before she could even think about apologizing, Christian spoke.
“That’s right. Once you get through your last engagement, I won’t need to babysit you anymore, will I, Alyssa?”
Alyssa was steaming. Babysit? How dare he?
Christian bent close and whispered. The feel of his breath caressing her ear sent shivers of pleasure up and down her spine. Then the meaning of his words hit her and she stiffened.
“Until that last engagement, you are mine, palomita, to do with as I choose. Don’t forget that.” Christian grasped her arm. His hold didn’t hurt, but she wasn’t going anywhere until he was ready.
“I need to take Alyssa to her room while she waits to go on, Joyce. She will be much safer there than the middle of the room. If you’ll excuse us?”
Alyssa wanted to resist, but knew if she did, it would only cause a scene. She didn’t want to do that to her aunt. Not in front of so many of her aunt’s friends.
Her aunt looked confused for a minute, but then she nodded her head and smiled.
“Of course. Nice meeting you, Mr. Galiano, and I’ll see you both later.”
Alyssa calmly let Christian lead her to her room.
But the minute Christian closed the door and released her arm she slapped him, hard, across the face. Or, at least that was her intention. Before her palm even touched him, he caught her hand and pushed it behind her back. He did the same thing with her other hand and held them together with one of his hands. Christian pulled her against him. She shivered when she noticed how good her softness felt pressed against the hard contours of his chest.
“Now where were we? That’s right, you were telling me how to do my job, weren’t you? And I was telling you that I owned you until my job was done. Do you have a problem with that?”
The deep timbre of Christian’s voice told Alyssa he was angry. That and the furious look on his face. Well, too bad. She was angry also. Angry and frustrated about, well, everything.
“Yes, as a matter of fact, I do have a problem with that.” Alyssa lifted her chin and met his gaze without a flinch. “Nobody has, nor will anybody ever own me. You work for me, period. End of story. Please don’t forget that.”
Christian moved his face so close to hers that she could make out each individual eyelash on his beautiful mocha eyes.
“Forget it? How can I forget it? Every time I see your lush lips, I have to remind myself that this is a working relationship, so I can’t kiss you senseless. Every time I see the sensuous way you move your body, I have to remember this is business only, so I can’t explore your voluptuous curves. Every time I hear your husky voice, I have to remember that you’re a client, so I can’t let the sexy sound of it make me so hard I want to explode.”
Christian’s last word came out a growl. He stared into her eyes, demanding everything. Asking for nothing. His admission ignited a fire of desire. It hit her like a locomotive, making her shake with need.
He lowered his mouth to hers. She rose up to meet him. She was tired of fighting it. Tired of denying herself. She wanted Christian with everything inside her. She wanted him naked and pressed against her. She craved his touch everywhere on her body. She yearned to feel his hardness plunging deep inside her.
I want you too, palomita.
Christian’s voice in her mind added kindling to the fire of her need. She strained against him, opened her mouth and invited him in. His tongue engaged hers in a dance that turned her insides out. She struggled to free her hands, until he finally released his hold. She had to touch him—now.
Christian couldn’t get enough of her mouth. He explored every corner, until they were both moaning. He felt her hands at his back, then under his jacket, then pulling his shirt out of his pants. The feel of her fingers sliding up his body made him groan.
He tore his mouth from her lips and trailed it down her neck. He unwrapped the scarf she wore, exposing her creamy white skin to his hungry gaze. Laving and sucking her pulse point, he let the hunger build in him, then moved lower. He traced the outline of her collarbone with his mouth, taking small nips of her skin and then soothing it with his tongue.
Alyssa was breathing hard, each breath pushing her breasts up against the scoop neckline of her gown. Grasping her waist Christian lifted her and brought the low-cut plunge even with his mouth. Her cleavage called to him. He ran his tongue in the crevice between her breasts, savoring the sweet taste of her, the feel of her soft skin against his mouth and the enticing smell of apples. Then he followed the neckline, teasing it with his tongue.
Alyssa was making small noises of pleasure that made him want to lift her dress and take her there and then. She started squirming against him. Christian let her slowly slide down his body until her feet once more touched the floor. As she did, he moved one hand to her thigh and slipped it under her dress. He thought he would explode when he felt a garter holding up the smooth stocking she wore. Growling with need, he moved his hand higher. He reveled in the feel of her velvety skin under his fingertips.
Christian could feel the heat emanating from her core. He had to touch her. As his hand drew closer to her center, Alyssa widened her stance and tilted her hips forward. He needed no other invitation. She wanted him, wanted his touch. He read the need in her body’s reaction to him and in her thoughts. She was crying out with need. And he was only too happy to satisfy her.
Slipping his fingers under her panties, he felt her moist heat. He parted her lips and his fingers became soaked with her wetness. Her body was weeping for him, calling to him. He ran his fingers over her sensitive nub, again and again. He felt her knees give way. He held her up with one hand at her waist.
Alyssa’s moans grew louder. Christian captured her lips with his own, taking each moan into his body. He thrust his tongue inside her mouth at the same exact moment he plunged his fingers into her hot core. Once, twice, again and again.
Come for me, palomita. Let yourself go.
The minute Christian projected his thoughts to her, Alyssa’s body tightened then convulsed with pleasure.
He ran his tongue from her mouth down to her neck so he could hear her gasps of pleasure. The sound of it rolled over him, satisfied the beast in him. Made him want to roar with triumph. He brought her this pleasure. Only him. She was his.
Alyssa eventually climbed out of the fuzzy haze of her release. She opened her eyes and found Christian looking intently at her. She couldn’t read his expression, other than the fact that it was serious, very serious. He was looking at her with such intensity, as if he were searching for an answer in her face.
“What?”
Her voice came out a whisper. She had to ask. Needed to hear him speak. What they had just shared had been, well, fantastic. No one had ever made her feel like that. Being able to touch each other physically and mentally had been an incredibly sensual experience.
Christian shuttered his eyes and released her. She was unsteady at first, but then found her balance. He moved away from her. Put distance between them. His face looked cold and emotionless.
“Christian?”
Alyssa cringed at the sound of her own voice, vulnerable, unsure and needy. Just like her mother.
“Alyssa, I think—”
A knock sounded at the door.
Alyssa had never been more thankful for someone interrupting a conversation as she was tonight. She would make a fool of herself if this continued.
“I’ll get that,” she said a little too brightly.
She turned around to open the door, but just as she placed her hand on the doorknob, Christian’s hand wrapped around hers.
“No. Just ask who it is. Don’t open the door.” His breath tickled her ear as he whispered to her.
The feel of his hand over hers, his hard chest pressed lightly against her back felt so good. She just wanted to lean back against him and close her eyes. Enjoy the closeness they shared.
Another knock at the door broke through her dreamy state.
“Ms. Edwards, are you there?” an unfamiliar male voice asked.
She felt Christian’s chest rumbling against her back. Was he—? It sounded like he was growling! Surprised by the sound, Alyssa attempted to turn around and look at him. She didn’t get very far. He wrapped his free arm around her waist and brought her up hard against him. She started to protest, but the feel of his hardness against her bottom left her speechless.
“Answer him now, Alyssa.” Though he was whispering in her ear, Alyssa couldn’t mistake the serious tone of his voice.
“Y-yes. What is it?” She sounded shaky, even to her own ears.
“You’re on in five minutes. I need to take you to the stage area in two.”
Alyssa had trouble focusing on the man’s words. Christian’s proximity was distracting her.
“Okay. I’ll be right out.”
Christian released her.
She didn’t turn around immediately. What would she say? What could she say? She had never been in this kind of situation before. She wasn’t sure how to handle it.
“Turn around, palomita.”
His sexy voice pulled at her. Made her want to do whatever he asked. She swung around to face him.
Their gazes met. His mouth curved up in amusement. But his eyes looked sad and so lonely. She wanted to go to him, but fought it. No. She needed to settle this once and for all.
“Christian, I know we just shared something intensely intimate. You made me feel incredible, but I—”
“No. Don’t say it.” Christian shook his head and his eyes narrowed dangerously. “I don’t ever want to hear you say that.”
He looked angry, really angry and she didn’t know why.
“Say what?”
“Don’t say that you regret what just happened. Don’t deny what we have between us, Alyssa. I didn’t want this to happen either, but it has. Deal with it like an adult, not a child.”
Now it was Alyssa’s turn to get angry.
“How dare you? You don’t even know what I was going to say.”
Quietly, so quiet that Alyssa almost didn’t hear him, he broke through every wall she had built up around herself over the years.
“Yes, I do know. I felt you, heard your thoughts in my mind, just like you’re starting to feel mine. We’re developing a bond. You didn’t ask for it. Neither did I. But it’s there. And we need to decide what to do about it.”
He heard her thoughts? Could it be true? How was it possible that even as he spoke, she could feel the honesty, frustration and anger in his mind? He was telling her the truth, but he wasn’t happy about it. Neither was she.
“Listen, I can’t deal with this at all right now. I have a speech to make and I need to do a good job because my aunt is depending on me. This is important to her. I can’t disappoint her.” Alyssa rummaged through her bag and pulled her notes and bottled water out before continuing.
“I’m not sure what we’re talking about here, but whatever it is will have to wait. We can discuss this afterwards, okay?” she asked.
Alyssa walked back to the door and opened it. Before walking out, she looked over her shoulder at Christian.
“Ready?”
Alyssa could see the turmoil swirling in Christian’s soulful eyes. Then he blinked and it was gone. His face became a calm, confident and cold facade. He tucked in his shirt, then walked towards her and held the door open.
“After you.”
He sounded polite and emotionless. That’s what she wanted, didn’t she? All business, no emotions? She should be happy.
But she wasn’t. She didn’t like it. Not one little bit.
* * * * *
Christian struggled for composure as Alyssa gave her speech. He scanned the room once more, checking for anything or anyone unusual. He had to concentrate on keeping her safe. Instead he was thinking about how many different ways he could wring her pretty neck. The little fool really didn’t understand what was going on. Or she was pretending not to understand.
Alyssa needed control in her life. Their relationship, up to now, had been more out of control than anything else. She was having a hard time dealing with it. He could understand that. He wasn’t handling it in the best way possible either. Just remembering what happened between them in the backstage room made him want to take her to some isolated location and make love to her until neither of them could breathe. That was in no way close to being in control.
Considering how much discipline he used to contain his beast this should be laughably easy. But it wasn’t. Christian wanted Alyssa in a way that stripped everything away, all the civility, all the expectations and all the rights and wrongs. He needed to make her completely, totally and irrefutably his. And the urge was getting stronger and stronger.
Unfortunately, so was the beast. The vampire he was wanted to break free. Craved to take her in the way of their kind. Needed to taste her sweet life force while he plunged deeply into the welcoming warmth of her body, over and over again.
“Mr. Galiano? Is everything okay?”
Christian was shocked back to reality. Alyssa’s aunt spoke softly, but still she had surprised him. That never should have happened. If he hadn’t been daydreaming, he would have heard her approach. And what about Alyssa? He searched the room, his gaze resting briefly on her. She was safe. He released the breath he had been holding.
“Mr. Galiano?”
Christian turned to Alyssa’s aunt. Her concerned expression urged him to calm her fears immediately.
“Everything’s fine. I was just checking out the room. Your niece is safe. I’m watching over her.”
“Good. It’s about time somebody did,” she muttered.
Christian didn’t think she had wanted him to hear that, but he had.
“What do you mean?”
Joyce look startled for a moment, but then she chuckled softly.
“My niece is just too darn independent for her own good. She’s always been scrappy like that. Even as a young girl. She’s a very goal-oriented, focused and well disciplined person. But she’s also very stubborn.”
&nb
sp; “I never noticed.” Christian struggled to keep the amusement from his voice.
Joyce chuckled and gave him a doubtful look.
“That she got from her mother. And that stubbornness gets Alyssa into trouble sometimes. But most of the time those traits have helped her get through some pretty rough spots. She’s come to depend on them in everything she does. That’s why she’s had such a hard time finding a man. They all say they want a strong woman, but when they get one, they don’t know what to do with them. Do you, Mr. Galiano? Do you know what to do? Do you know how to keep a strong woman?”
Christian wasn’t sure exactly what Joyce was asking, but he suspected it was more than the words she was using. She was trying to help him understand something about Alyssa. So he stayed quiet. He didn’t try to answer her question. He knew she was going to answer it for him.
“The way a man keeps a strong woman, Mr. Galiano, is to let her figure out that she needs to keep him.”
Alyssa’s aunt gave him a satisfied smile.
“Keep up the good work. I like you. And I trust you to take care of my niece. Considering she’s the one person I care most about in this world that should tell you something.”
Then she walked away.
Now Christian knew for sure. He knew whom Alyssa took after. It wasn’t her mother or her father. She definitely took after her aunt.
* * * * *
Alyssa finished her speech to enthusiastic applause. She had tried to stay focused as she spoke, but it had been difficult. She kept thinking about what had happened between her and Christian earlier and the resulting conversation. If he pushed her about this she knew she wouldn’t handle it well. She wasn’t ready to deal with her feelings right now. As a therapist, she knew this wasn’t the healthiest attitude in the world, but she couldn’t help it.
Where Christian was concerned, she couldn’t seem to think rationally. She had glanced at him periodically throughout her speech. The sight of him made her heart flip-flop like a fish out of water. His devastatingly handsome face was serious as he checked out the people listening to her. She could have told him that the energy in the room was only positive tonight, but she wasn’t sure he would believe her. And she didn’t know if she was ready to share her ability with him.