by Amy Robyn
“They’re beautiful. Thank you.” I say as I walk over to where the pitcher of water I got this morning sits. I shove the stems down into the water with a smile. These will smell wonderful in the morning when I wake up. I used to pick flowers from the field behind our house when I was a girl and place them by my bed so they were the first thing I would smell in the morning. I guess because I was surrounded by teenaged boys and a father who worked hard and you could smell it. My nose curls up just thinking about it. I move the flowers over to the bedside table before turning back to the man who brought them.
His eyes are drifting over my body with apt attention. He lifts the jacket in his hands.
“It looks like you won’t be needing this.” He says as he reaches over and hangs it in the closet.
“I’ll just leave it here, so we have more room on the bike.” He says and then takes my hand. He brings it to his mouth and kisses the top lightly. I love the feel of his lips against my skin. He makes my knees weak, and a thousand butterflies take flight in my stomach. Hell, all he needs to do is look at me to make me respond so viscerally. He has had this kind of effect on me since the very second, I met him, and I do not see it going away anytime soon.
“Shall we?” He asks. I nod before opening the door and following him down the hall. Once in the elevator he pulled me into his arms and held me close to him. His scent went straight to my head, creating a fire inside of me, one I’m not used to experiencing but one I found invigorating. He is the most alluring man I have ever met. I find myself curiously staring up at him as the elevator moves down to the lobby. His close-cropped hair is normal for all military men, but it’s his blue eyes that have me nearly panting. They almost seem to glow as I stare into them. They are unique and intriguing. His button-down shirt stops at his elbows where they are rolled up, and over the collar of his shirt, I can see the end of one of his tattoos curl along his neck. His forearms are covered with them too.
“What is this tattoo?” I ask as I finger the ink on his neck. He shivers, and I bite my lip to keep from doing it again.
“It’s a phoenix rising from its ashes.” He says as his hand curls around my hip holding me even closer to him. I look down at his arms and see what looks like ancient writing. I’m about to ask him about it when the elevator stops and the doors open. He takes my hand, and I follow behind him. He opens the lobby door and leads me out into the night with his hand at the small of my back. His hand is so large that it spans the entire width of my waist. The man is so large that his shadow swallows mine completely. It makes me feel small and feminine.
He stops in front of his Harley, and my mouth drops open. It’s not just any motorcycle; the thing is a beast. It's chrome gleams in the outside lights showing it’s well maintained. He pulls out a helmet out of the storage compartment and places it on my head and fastens the buckle. He brushes his lips across mine before he places his helmet on his head. He climbs on the bike and pats the seat behind him. I throw my leg over, and he shows me where to put my feet.
“Hold on to me and lean when I lean. Okay?” He says, and I throw arms around his waist and nod my head against his back. I love the feel of his heat through our clothing as I snuggle into him. Every breath I take smells of him and desire dances across my skin, making goosebumps rise. The powerful engine roars to life beneath me, and my breath catches as the vibration causes my body to react in the most visceral way. Fire ignites in my blood as my nipples pebble, and my thighs clench with need as they encase Isaac snuggly.
Then we are moving, and I forget everything else as the wind whips around me. The city lights blur, and all I feel is Isaac. A pulsing, throbbing need takes over me, and all I can do is gasp and cling to his body. The thrill of the ride and the smell of the man in front of me making everything else blur into the background. I run my hand over his stomach feeling each defined muscle under his shirt. I can feel the rumble of his groan against my cheek as he grabs my hand stilling it over his stomach. He moves his hand away, and I smile at him knowing he likes the feel of my hand too much. I want so badly to reach down and see if he is just as aroused as I am, but I stop myself before my hands can wander. I do not want him wrecking because of me.
We are winding our way through the hills until he turns off down a small path that only a bike could make it through. It’s well-worn but still more bumpy than the main road. He takes it slowly yet every time the bike hits a bump my clit throbs, and I find myself rubbing against the vibrating seat. I’m biting my lip to keep myself from squirming to find some much-needed relief. He reaches around and holds my knee against him as we drive by a tree with branches sticking out to protect my leg. He keeps his hand there for a moment and squeezes it softly before releasing it.
The motorcycle slows to a stop and all around are wildflowers and a small pond with an even smaller waterfall. It is breathtakingly beautiful. No wonder Isaac loves this place. I had never imagined a man as rough and rugged as Isaac would bring me to such a romantic place. He is full of surprises. I climb off the bike on unsteady legs, and he helps me stand before joining me. He pulls me against him until my tight nipples press against his chest and kisses me. This kiss is different than all the others he has given me. This kiss is full of want and needs that my knees nearly buckle. My clit is still throbbing from the ride, and now my need has climbed to critical.
“I agreed not to rush you. To give you all the time you need but I can help relieve that ache without taking you.” He says gruffly near my ear. I am too far gone to protest even if I wanted to. I have never experienced this kind of arousal before. I just know if he doesn’t touch me soon, I will combust.
“Please,” I lean up wanting his mouth again. He groans as he thrusts his tongue between my lips. His tongue meets mine in a frenzy, and I respond by pressing further against him. I can feel his hard length against my belly. His need is as strong as my own.
“Hold on to that thought.” He says as he breaks our kiss. He reaches into the compartment on his bike and grabs a blanket. He lays it out on top of the small blossoms. He sits down and pulls me down on top of him. His mouth comes down on mine again, and I’m lost again in passion. He grinds me down against his hard length, and I moan as my engorged clit rubs against him.
“I’m not ready to have…to have sex with you yet, but please touch me,” I tell him as I break the kiss and pant for breath.
“Where do you want me to touch you?” He asks as he nibbles down my neck. His hand comes up and cups my breasts.
“Here?” I moan as he lightly plucks at my sensitive nipple.
“Yesss.” I hiss out as I burn even hotter. It’s as though my nipple has a direct line with my clit. The throbbing becomes incessant, and I need more. He runs his tongue down my neck and I nearly cum from that alone. He is even more potent than I ever thought he could be. What is it about this man that makes me crave him the way I do? He’s good looking, that’s for sure, but it’s more than that. I have felt an instant connection with him from the very moment I met him. I have never craved someone nor let them take me out the way I have with Isaac. I always kept myself separated from everyone and all temptations because I knew what I wanted in life and men would only interfere. With Isaac, I am tempted to throw it all out the window. It’s as though he is a drug and I’m instantly addicted.
“More.” I moan into his neck. He reaches between us and unsnaps the top button on my jeans. Part of me is screaming, what the hell are you doing, while another part of me is panting with the anticipation of what he will do next. I asked him to touch me, and I mean it. I want his hands on me, his lips on me. I want to feel everything as acutely as I do his lips right now. I need to know what it’s like to feel pleasure from a man. I have heard women talk about it, but I have never experienced it. For one night, I want to be a normal woman, completely in lust with her man. There is no doubt that I lust his body yet it’s more than that. Hell, I might even be moving toward the big L word, that elusive word that carries so much meaning. This relat
ionship is moving so fast, and I should give it more time, but it feels so right.
He slides my zipper down. The sound is nearly drowned out by the beating of my heart. I am wild, I’m out of control, and I have never felt such exhilaration. He sits up further before turning us and laying me on my back. He lays down beside me and pulls me against him until we are facing each other on our sides. He kisses me again as his hand slides down my belly and under my pants. He pushes his fingers under my panties, and my breath catches when they make their way into my damp folds. I moan and my entire body shutters when he presses a finger against my button and starts the move in slow languid circles.
“You’re so wet for me.” He growls against my lips making me even crazier. I never thought I was the kind of woman who would like a man to talk dirty to her. If you had asked me yesterday if that was a turn on, I would have laughed at you and told you were insane. Today is altogether different. His words drive me even wilder. His fingers slide easily along my most feminine parts, and I can hear just how wet I am. I should be embarrassed, but it seems only to heighten my desire. Everything is just making me more aroused. I feel as though I’m on a freight train heading toward something cataclysmic.
“Do you want my finger inside of you?” He asks, and my channel clenches around emptiness.
“Yes.” I whimper. He shifts his hand and pushes a finger inside of me as his thumb continues to rub my clit. I have never had anything inside of me before, not even my finger and it’s a snug fit but feels so good.
“You’re so tight.” He says as he pants against my mouth before delving back into my mouth with his tongue. My head is spinning as his finger moves in and out of me, and his thumb continues to stroke my little bundle of nerves until I think I just might explode. My body tenses as my passage tighten around his finger before a tsunami crashes over me. I detonate with the most explosive orgasm imaginable. My body jerks and trembles as wave after wave of pleasure pass through me. He continues moving as my body shake, and my fingers dig into his shoulders.
“That has to be the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.” He says softly as my body slowly comes back to earth and I open my eyes. He’s staring down at me with so much heat that my body comes alive again. He pulls his finger out of me slowly and removes his hand from my pants. He stares down at his wet fingers, and my cheeks flush at seeing my glistening juices. He brings his fingers to his mouth and sucks them clean. He moans and closes his eyes as he tastes my nectar.
“You taste better than I ever dreamed.” He says before he starts kissing me again. I can taste myself, and it just makes what we just did that much more elicit. He kisses me harder until I feel his tooth nick my upper lip. It isn’t bad, yet I go to pull away just in case I am bleeding, but he moans and sucks my lip into his mouth. He must not know that my lip is hurt. The stinging pain is no longer there, and I wonder if I only imagined the pain. He pulls away, and his face is slightly pinched with his eyes closes like he’s in pain.
“Are you okay?” I ask as I run my fingers through his soft hair. He opens his eyes, and his pupils are slightly dilated. He looks completely blissed out. He blinks, and his eyes are normal again as though I had only imagined it. Maybe I just see things after the most mind blowing experience in my life.
“Will you come to my house?” He asks, and I stare into his eyes, wondering why he’s asking that when we’re still out and together now. I raise a brow at him.
“Not for sex, though I wouldn’t say no to that. I would like for you to stay the night there. I have an extra room if you want. I just want you close to me.” He says, and I laugh.
“You’re close to me now,” I say as I pinch his arm. He shakes his head.
“I want to know you’re safe and close to me.” He looks as though anything could happen to me at the hotel. It’s strange having someone other than my family worry about me. It makes me feel even more cherished by him even though the request is ridiculous.
“You know they expect me to stay in my room at night,” I tell him as though he doesn’t already know that. It is one of the rules we all follow. Though, most of the men do not stay even one night. They meet women all the time and stay at their house all the time. I have never been one to break the rules.
“They would never know. I can drop you off in the morning to get ready and ride in on the bus.” He says, and I sigh. He says he will move at my pace, but his idea of my pace must be different than mine.
“Why is this so important to you?” I ask him, and he grabs my hand and places it on his chest. I can feel his heart beating as rapidly as my own.
“I want you close to me. You must understand, I have waited my whole life to find you, and now that I have, I don’t want you far from me ever again.” He is serious. I can tell by the way he’s looking at me. I’m not sure I’m ready to spend the night, yet it’s difficult to says no when he looks as though this is life or death. Could I really be this important to him already? It seems so fast to me and still it feels as though I have known him my entire life. I feel the pull as strongly as he does and I understand the desire to keep me close. I cup his cheek and stare into his eyes.
“Okay,” I say barely above a whisper.
Chapter 7. Isaac
We pull into my long driveway and come around the bend until my house comes into view. Something inside of me relaxes knowing she’s with me. I have never had someone in my home before, but I need her there. It will never be home again without her in it. The cabin is completely secluded with all the luxury I have come to enjoy. I may be old but I know the good technology has done for us and I enjoy the amenities it gives us. Back in my day, our bathrooms were outside, and you would freeze your ass off just to take a piss. You also couldn’t make phone calls or watch television. I prefer modern times as anyone else would. Do not let my age fool you.
“It’s beautiful. Did you have it built?” She asks, and I love the enthusiasm I hear in her voice. I want her to like my home as much as I do. I want her to consider it her home as well, though, I’m sure she isn’t ready for me to say that even though I have implied that I wouldn’t be letting her go. I made a huge mistake today, so my need to convince her to love me is even more pertinent than ever. I tasted a drop of her blood. A single drop was all I needed. Now I will no longer be able to drink any other blood but hers. The bags of blood I have in the hidden mini fridge is now a complete waste. Once a vampire has tasted his or her mate’s blood, they will not be able to ingest any other. If I tried, it would make me violently ill.
I park my bike in the carport and turn off the engine. Paige’s tiny hand grips my shoulder as she climbs off the bike and it reminds me of how hard she gripped my shoulders as she came earlier. My cock hardens fully again within seconds. Not that it has been soft since meeting her, it has been either semi-hard or hard ever since. She is perfect in every way, and I am the lucky son of a bitch that fate deemed worthy to be her mate. I only hope that she thinks so too someday. After she hears what I am, I’m not completely certain she will.
“I had it built and had continued to keep it updated.” I nearly bite my tongue because if she thinks about that statement, it makes me sound older than I look. She doesn’t say anything as I lead her up to my porch. We are almost at the door when I hear a twig snap. I am so busy concentrating on her that I didn’t notice we weren’t alone. Fuck. I’m a stupid fucker, risking her life. I push her behind me and scent the air. I can still smell her lingering arousal but I also smell pine, and decaying leaves, and vampire. I hiss as a man steps through the trees. My fangs lengthen, and I hiss again. The man holds up his hands.
“William sent me.” He says, and then he lifts a bottle.
“He also sends his best whiskey.” The vampire says. Leave it to William to send someone to me rather than pick up a phone. He needs to learn that technology is good for all of us. Then again, I’m not sure he would know my number or how to reach me. I am a paranoid mother fucker, and I make sure nothing is traceable. William shoul
d know better than to send someone to me. I’m not personable at the best of times, and now that I have a mate, I am downright territorial. What was he thinking?
“Come any closer, and your heart will be ripped from your chest.” I hiss out barely above a whisper though I know the vampire can hear me, unfortunately, so can Paige as she tenses behind me. Shit.
“We are under attack from a military group and William says you’re the only one who could help us.” The vampire says, and Paige tenses up even more. Damn it. She seems to be getting a lesson on vampires whether I’m ready for her to know or not. I could kill this vampire for that offense alone.
The vampire takes a step toward me, and I hiss again, making him stop again.
“I see you have found your mate. It seems to be going around. William recently found his as well. I promise I would never harm her. They are far too rare in our world for me to ever harm one.” He says as he takes another step forward.
“Mate?” Paige mumbles from behind me, and I groan and close my eyes for a second asking for patience, so I do not kill the man William sent. This is all kinds of fucked up.
“I owe William my life, or I would destroy you right now. Leave now and come back tomorrow evening. I will talk to you then. If you come back tonight that vow will mean nothing.” I tell him, and he bows.
“I will see you tomorrow then.” He says before taking off at vampire speed. I hear Paige gasp. She is peering around me with wide eyes. This couldn’t possibly get any worse. Now, I need to have that talk with her. I knew I would need to sooner than I wanted because of that small taste of her blood but this is not the way I planned for her to hear about it.
I turn around as she steps back and the smell of her fear is pungent and foul to my nose. I never want to smell it coming from her again, not if I can help it.
“Paige.” I reach out to her, and she takes another step back until her back is to my front door.