“Ssh, babe, just a little more. I know you can take me,” he whispered. Perspiration beaded his temples. His hands practically clawed my naked ass.
At that moment, I very much wanted to punch him. It was easy for him to say. He wasn’t the one being rammed with a cock that size. Declan eased up and down until he was able to sheathe himself all the way in. His thatch felt coarse against my buzzing clit. He was balls-deep inside me.
God. I didn’t know what to feel. Pain and pleasure twirled in an eternal dance. My pussy fluttered around his veined shaft, trying to adjust to the delicious intrusion. I marvelled at the sensation.
“Declan…”
“That’s it, baby. You feel so fucking good.” He gulped hard. “Christ. I’ve been imagining this moment for a very long time. It’s damn well worth the wait.”
He kissed the side of my jaw, my neck, the hollow of my throat, each brush of his lips scorching me with his lust.
“Later, when we get to Bali, I want to make love to you properly. But now—”
He tugged back and slammed in.
“I want to—”
He pulled out.
“Fuck—”
Thrust.
“You—”
Yanked out and plunged back in.
“Hard.”
I cried as he quickened his pace, flooding me with slam upon slam of battering, vicious fucks. My heart pounded just as hard as he lunged into me with sheer savagery that, deep down, I couldn’t get enough of. Each stroke felt like a brand, Declan marking me in places I wouldn’t be able to wash away afterwards. Forever claimed as his conquest.
He kissed me as he fucked me relentlessly. The kiss was sweet, tender, and compassionate. His fuck was harsh, rapid, and mind-bending. I drowned in ecstasy. Never had I been taken so hard, so forcefully—every fibre of my being screamed with manic need. The pleasure climbed higher and higher until I felt pressure so incredibly thick that I couldn’t hold it any longer. I surrendered.
Fireworks exploded before my eyes.
He didn’t stop fucking me as the burst of vivid colours filled my vision. My pussy desperately clenched around his granite-hard shaft, slicked with my cream of pleasure. He kept pounding and pounding.
And pounding.
“Declan…” I breathed, wanting him to slow down. My cunt milked his cock with inward strokes. I couldn’t take this much pleasure.
“Just a little more, baby,” he said through clenched teeth. “Christ. Just a bit more.”
I mewled again. A raw surge of pleasure seized me—again. I was ambushed by a second orgasm in a row. The world blackened for a long second. The pleasure was so mind-bending it had to be rapture. My body quaked. My mind floated into oblivion.
White. Pure. And free.
I collapsed on his chest. Declan drove another dozen hungry thrusts into me before he finally ejaculated. He cursed, quite loudly, in my ear. His body shuddered. His cock emptied his seed.
He wrapped me in his arms while I tried to catch my breath. He nuzzled me and whispered endearments so sweet that I felt I’d died and gone to heaven. When the last tide of ecstasy ebbed away, I became aware I must be making him uncomfortable. Declan was built like a Viking god, but I was certainly no pixie. I had always been on the generously curved side since having Bobby. I tried to move, but Declan refused to let me go.
“I’m too heavy.” My cheeks heated with embarrassment.
“Nonsense. You’re perfect.”
“But—”
“Stay like this a little bit longer. We’re still a long way from the airport. I want to cuddle.”
Cuddle? My boss likes to cuddle?
“Declan, please.”
He pecked a kiss on the tip of my nose. “Are you on birth control? I’m curious if Bobby wouldn’t mind a little brother or a little sister.”
I froze.
I expected him to laugh afterwards, like he was joking. He didn’t. His blue eyes were as solemn as a priest’s at Sunday sermon. What the hell was that supposed to mean? That was the weirdest post-coital pillow talk I’d ever encountered. Coming from a man like him, it was even weirder.
He caressed my face and gave me more mind-muddying kisses.
I wished I knew what was going on inside his gorgeous, arrogant head.
Chapter Two
We touched down in the Denpasar International Airport about twenty-six hours later. We’d had a brief layover in Narita, Tokyo. The flight was long and tiring even though we’d flown first class. The immigration and baggage claim took us another forty-five minutes and when we finally emerged at the arrivals gate I was itching to get to the hotel and take a shower. The air was hot and humid, making the back of my shirt stick to me.
Among the sea of people, we spotted a man dressed in a creamy gold, traditional Balinese livery holding a print-out of Declan’s name. He introduced himself as Wayan and turned out to be the chauffeur from the hotel I’d booked. Our ride was a blue minivan painted with the garish logo of the hotel. As soon as Wayan had loaded our luggage into the trunk, I climbed into the air-conditioned haven. Funny that Declan didn’t seem affected by the local weather. He was dressed in the same impeccable black Versace suit and not a hair was out of place. I had changed clothes and washed up in Narita during the layover—my encounter with Declan in the limo had left me a little fragrant. Even so, I still looked dishevelled when I stole a glance in the rear view mirror.
From the airport, it took us another hour to get to our destination. The hotel Declan had ordered me to book was located in a rather remote, mountainous area. Twenty minutes after we exited the capital city, we were being dazzled by the scenic routes with breathtaking landscape and brilliant greenery. For the first time in my life, I saw terraces of rice fields. I was rendered speechless by the indigenous beauty. Dozens of layered fertile green beds nestled against steep hills. Verdant, tall stalks of coconut and banana trees grew in between. The sun’s rays were reflected in the small streams between the terraces, glinting like the rarest jewels. Growing up as a city girl, I had never guessed that there were so many shades of green. From afar, the young rice plants looked like lightly tinted chartreuse carpets. As they matured, they became dark green, then ripened into a rich yellow ochre when their stems were heavy with grains. The scenery looked like a masterpiece by nature’s most gifted artist.
Declan squeezed my hand. I startled. I was lost in this new, exotic wonderland. He didn’t say a word, only casting me his signature haughty smile. I squeezed his hand back, giddy. We hadn’t talked much after our mind-blowing sex. I felt a bit awkward and he seemed to want to give me my own space. During the flight, he’d held my hand when everybody else was sleeping and stolen a kiss when nobody was looking.
He treated me like no man ever had before. It was flattering and confusing at the same time.
Our progress slowed to a crawl as we entered the gates of the resort. The gravel ground underneath the tyres, making the van shudder. The place was called Chedi and it turned out to be a small but upscale boutique hotel. I wondered why Declan had chosen to hold a meeting in such a place. Usually company meetings were held in large, busy hotels equipped with a dozen conference halls and state-of-the-art modern conveniences.
The largest building I’d seen so far seemed to be the hotel’s reception. Dozens of luxurious bungalows surrounded the main lobby, nestled on hills and among rice fields. Everything in this place screamed expensive and private.
The scent of tuberoses drifted to my nostrils as I climbed the steps. Two gigantic earthenware pedestal vases filled with slender stalks of flowers with a heavenly fragrance flanked the stairs. The building was open and airy, constructed like a traditional Balinese village house. Huge wooden beams carved in intricate patterns graced the structure. Contemporary sofas wrapped in neutral tones sprawled across the place. A few guests lounged on them, sipping cocktails from tall, narrow glasses.
The sun had hidden behind the clouds and a fresh mountain breeze quickened past us. A ma
n in creamy gold livery offered us hot towels. I took one and headed to the check-in desk. A young woman in a similar outfit greeted me behind the marble counter.
“Hello, there. I have a reservation for Declan Cairne and Jessica Knapp.” I eyed her nametag. “Putu, right? I believe we’ve talked on the phone before?”
Her eyes bore signs of recognition. “Ms Knapp, yes?” Her accent was thick and a little bit hard to understand, just like I remembered. “Welcome to Chedi. How was your flight, Ms Knapp?”
“Too long, I’d say.”
She giggled politely. Her voice sounded like a song bird. “I will make it quick, then. Wayan will take your luggage to your villa. It’ll be just a minute while I check you in.” Her fingers danced on the keyboard.
“Villa?” I frowned. I didn’t remember booking any villa. Declan had told me to book two deluxe rooms, side by side. “You mean rooms?”
Putu’s smile turned to a frown. She shook her head weakly. “No, Ms Knapp. Your reservation has been changed to a villa.”
“A villa?” I echoed again like an idiot. “I didn’t change the reservation. Could you check it again?”
“Is there a problem here?” Declan had sneaked up behind my back.
“There’s a mix-up with the reservation,” I said.
Declan looked at me, unfazed. “I changed the reservation.”
“What?”
Then it hit me. This man had planned everything all along. Nookie in the car. Changing the reservation to one room instead of two. He wanted to mix business with pleasure.
“Why would you do that?”
Declan ignored me. He turned to Putu. “Miss, can we have the keys? I’d like settle in as soon as possible. It’s been a long flight.”
“Certainly, Mr Cairne.” Putu’s fingers danced again as she typed madly. She produced a print-out for Declan to sign.
Declan scribbled his signature and grabbed the keys.
“Enjoy your stay, Mr Cairne. Ms Knapp. Chedi is thrilled to have you as our guests,” Putu said, inclining her head.
“Oh, we will.” He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and tugged me along. “Come on, babe.”
I resisted the urge to give Declan a hard smack. Since I didn’t want to make a scene, I kept my mouth shut. I planned to give him a piece of my mind in private.
Wayan and another bell boy had beaten us to the villa. Declan generously tipped them and asked them to put our luggage in the foyer. As soon as they were out of sight, I pounced on my boss.
“Well? What do you have to say for yourself, mister?”
Declan only chuckled and reached for me. I swatted his hand away. He sighed.
“I have a confession.”
“You changed the reservation so you could have your way with me. How devious is that? What will your colleagues think if they find out we’re staying in the same room? You have a reputation to uphold. For God’s sake, you’re the CEO.”
“There is no company meeting. I made that up. I brought you here so I could seduce you, up close and personal. I wanted to have you all to myself. Purely for selfish reasons.”
It took a few seconds for my brain to register. Everything just clicked. The bastard. This time, I did smack him. I didn’t care that he was my boss. My fist hit his shoulder. He snatched it and pulled me into his arms.
“Let me go. You’re not getting away with this so easily.”
Declan silenced me with a greedy kiss. I melted instantly. My objections evaporated like ice under the hot sun. My body sagged against his chest. My knees wobbled. It was pathetic and embarrassing to feel the effect this man had on me.
Declan Cairne had messed up my brain.
“Listen, I think we’re both tired from the flight. Why don’t you take a nice long bath then call Bobby?” He looked at his watch. “It’s nine p.m. in New York and I bet he hasn’t gone to sleep. Curran is a bad sitter. He never sticks to regular bedtimes.”
I pouted. This man could turn me from furious to horny in less than five seconds. Some man.
“And we’ll talk about this over dinner. How does that sound?”
I found myself nodding like a good girl. He kissed me again. Deep, long, and unhurried, making my toes curl.
“Say, Declan…”
“Hmm?”
“What would you do if back in New York if I’d said I didn’t want you and we’d ended up in this situation?”
He shrugged nonchalantly. “Then I just would have had to seduce you harder.”
Declan was unpacking his bags while I wandered around the villa, investigating every nook and cranny. I’d never stayed in a fancy boutique hotel and everything fascinated me. The place didn’t have television or internet connection—the only modern convenience available was a land-line phone. Apparently they wanted the guests to escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and just relax during their stay.
The villa only had one king-sized bed. The white, crisp sheets were practically begging to be slept in. I rolled my eyes as I thought about how Declan had schemed his way into my panties. I couldn’t stay mad at him. For a young guy, what he’d done was incredibly sweet. For me, anyway. He could have any woman he wanted and yet he’d chosen me.
It left me wondering what Declan had seen in me anyway.
If I do say so myself, my best attributes have to be my breasts. They are firm and lush for my age. But I would have bet Declan had seen better breasts in his days. I wasn’t slim, either. The last time I checked, size sixteen wasn’t classified by Hollywood’s standards as sexy. I had an oval face, a sharp nose and rather full lips. My eyes were icy blue, thanks to my Germanic roots. I’d given up maintaining a beauty regime a long time ago. Good looks didn’t just happen and I had too much on my plate to maintain such trivial stuff.
Declan, on the other hand, was a picture of prince charming.
He had graduated from one of the most prestigious universities in the country. Harvard, I’d heard. Summa cum laude. Came from an old family with old money. His mother had died three years previously from cancer and his father had wasted away from a broken heart, passing away a few months after.
After Declan had graduated, he’d taken over the family business with his brothers. Braden, who was a year younger than Declan, had become the head of the firm’s security and Curran, the youngest, was the mastermind behind the firm’s obscene profits. For the three months I’d been working for him, I’d never seen Declan date or make sexual advances towards anyone—anyone but me. The girls in the office drooled over him and his brothers, but the Cairnes didn’t seem interested in any of them. Some of the girls were even jealous of me because of the amount of attention Declan gave me. I wasn’t popular in the office. I didn’t care. All I cared about was putting food on my table and taking care of my young son.
I sat on the bed and slipped off my high heels. The tiled floor felt refreshingly cold on my bare feet. My weariness gradually washed away. I caught sight of Declan, closing the door to the pavillion. He was talking on the phone, perhaps with one of his brothers. Heavy thoughts suddenly weighed on me.
What should I do? If I told Declan the truth, would he still look at me the same way as before? I was a fraud. I had used faked credentials to gain employment with his company. And I had told him lies. I’d said I was widowed. That my husband had died when Bobby was an infant. My son, smart kid that he was, had been a great conspirator. He hadn’t said anything about our past whenever he’d met my bosses.
Bobby was the reason I’d left Lorenzo. One night my ex had been drunk and beaten me a little too hard. My son had cradled my bloodied body and cried that he didn’t want to see me die.
It had been a wake-up call for me.
If I stayed with Lorenzo, eventually he’d kill me.
I was twenty-six years old when I fell pregnant with Bobby. It wasn’t something I had planned on. My parents had died in a car accident when I was in my senior year, forcing me to survive on my own. I’d worked as a cocktail waitress in a casin
o, and my dalliance with Lorenzo had been nothing but a one-night stand. At that time, Lorenzo hadn’t wanted anything to do with Bobby. I’d raised my son by myself while struggling to make ends meet.
Four years later, Lorenzo had come back into our lives, saying that he regretted having abandoned us and wanting to make amends. I’d taken him up on his offer because it had been getting hard for me to raise a child on a waitress’s salary. My growing son had also needed his father.
Later on, I’d found out what kind of man Lorenzo really was.
Lorenzo Filocamo was a son of a don from the oldest mafia family in Nevada. One day, during the time he’d abandoned us, he’d been ambushed by a rival family and shot in the groin. The incident had left him unable to perform sexually ever since. When we got back together, it wasn’t a big deal for me as long as he acted like a decent man. But Lorenzo had become bitter about his accident and he’d lashed out in anger at me. I’d thought about leaving him so many times, but he’d threatened to kill me if I dared.
He’d also been obsessed with Bobby. In his family, having an heir was a matter of importance. Lorenzo had never laid a hand on Bobby, but my son was afraid of him. Bobby had witnessed me being pummelled across the room so many times that it had traumatised him. He’d grown up to be a quiet kid, but the look in his eyes held so much sorrow for a boy his age.
I sighed, contemplating my situation.
I guessed there was no way around it. I had to come clean. I didn’t know what would happen when Declan found out the truth. Most likely I would lose my job. My lies had been too great to be forgiven lightly.
I rose from the bed and snatched the phone.
Time to call Bobby in New York.
When I emerged from the bathroom I saw that Declan had slipped into a casual ensemble. I had spent the past two hours washing my hair and marinating myself in bath salts and bubble soap. My skin was pink by the time I’d finished. Donning a white terry robe, I went to Declan to confess.
Dragon Hunts Page 2