by Ju Dimello
“No.” You deserve better than me.
“You owe me an explanation, Gregory. Make me understand before you go.”
She disconnected and he stared at the mute device, torn beyond words.
Throughout his life he’d watched loneliness eat away at the immortals and provided an out in the only way he’d known. The nocturnal helpline helped them regain a foothold on life, in addition to directing them to paranormal haunts. He survived on blood, fed on the high of his work, using his near-death experience as his motivation. Not wanting anything else.
Never had he imagined he’d find someone whom he cared for more than anything else. Sure, he’d pushed her limits, but what would it take to reach his? From the way his control slipped, apparently not much.
Though she’d feared hurting him—he almost wanted to laugh aloud at that now—she’d let go of her fears at his coaxing. Belief and trust in him opened her up. She’d submitted to his urges, to his dark desires, and what the fuck had he done? Almost brought her to death’s doorstep. That was what.
He still owed her an explanation and she’d get one. He wasn’t intending to spare her any gory details. Maybe after that, she’d let him walk away for good.
Chapter Nine
Elena bit her lip, wondering what on earth had happened in the time she’d drifted off into a teeny-weeny slumber.
He’d come when she’d asked him, all right, but anyone with half a brain could see he’d rather be anywhere but here. The observation shattered her hopes. Uncertainties crowded her brain, eating away at the confidence he’d instilled in her. She’d lived her life in fear of her voice, in fear of everything that made her the siren she was.
How could he unlock her fantasies only to run away when she thought she could have a life with him? Who the hell did he think he was, to waltz in and out of her life as he pleased?
Worming his way into her lackluster existence, he’d touched her heart. She should probably thank him for that and let him go. When hell freezes over, she decided.
“Thanks for coming back to finish this discussion.”
He flinched at her statement as if she’d stuck him. Was he that afraid of her? Even the concept seemed laughable; though laughter was the last thing she had in mind. Maybe he’d changed his mind and didn’t want anything to do with her.
His tension rolled off him in waves, threatening her threadbare composure. And the instant he averted his gaze, her suspicion blew into certainty.
He cleared his throat and she beat him to it. “Is this where you’ll say, we had earth-shattering sex, but it’s not you, it’s me?”
“I— That’s beside the point.”
The low growl, as usual, fired up her insides, and she furiously tamped down her unbidden reaction. He’d shaken her world, literally, and though she hadn’t expected flowery descriptions and declarations of love, she hoped they’d connected on a fundamental level.
Wasn’t she more the fool for allowing the sex-starved parts of her body to do the thinking instead of her brain?
That and then some, chided her mind.
She straightened up, not willing to budge from her stance. “Oh, then what is the point that I’m obviously missing here?”
His eyes narrowed at the sarcasm she’d injected into her voice on purpose. Good, at least he wasn’t as cold as he seemed.
He took a deep breath. “I came here hoping to persuade you to live, let down your hair and embrace your passions.”
Her heart crumpled, even as she took in a shuddering breath. “And apparently I failed.”
“No!” His dark eyes blazed with passion, as if he meant his words. “You’re passionate, giving and too good for me.”
The way he sugarcoated the truth didn’t soften the blow of his rejection.
She sighed. “I guess you earn brownie points for coming up with the cheesiest bullshit I’ve ever heard.”
If anything, his posture became rigid, as if he was steeling himself, when it was the other way round. She’d never found a person who made her heart and body sing, and most importantly, who didn’t fall dead by the time she got to bed with him.
And the only problem? He didn’t want her. Had she misread his passions? No, she hadn’t. The answer stood half-naked in front of her and she blinked, the desperation giving way to determination. She wasn’t ready to let him go without a fight.
She covered the distance between them, one hand grabbing his slacks while she pulled his shirt open with the other. Buttons flew and one of her nails broke. But his bare chest, showcasing his flexing muscles, was so worth the broken nail.
He caught her wrists and pinned them loosely behind her. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Fine person you are to talk.” She punctuated each word with a kiss—one on his hard jaws, one at a spot in his neck and another on his flat nipples. “Have you thought to let go?”
“Let go?” His lips drew back in a snarl. “Do you realize I almost killed you in there?”
“You didn’t.”
In the blink of an eye, he caught her arms, advancing until her half covered butt bumped the wall. His hands curled over her nape and lifted her head for a kiss. Her toes literally curled at the way his mouth manipulated hers, his teeth gliding over her lower lip before nipping. His fangs elongated, and mesmerized, she ran her tongue over his sharp points. He hissed and stepped away, breathing as hard as she.
“Don’t ever do that to me.”
The hard edge to his voice snapped her out of the blissful state she floated in.
“What—” She tried again. “What did I do?”
“I told you not to tempt the beast.”
“I’m fine, Gregory.”
“I’m not talking about now.”
She placed her palm on his chest, relishing the way his heart thundered under her fingertips.
“Even then, I didn’t even feel a pinch.”
“I drank more blood than I intended. And I lost control.”
His grouchy voice made him as endearing as a small kid and she stared into his face, half expecting him to be pouting. The glint remained in his gaze, along with a puzzled frown.
“Like hell,” she retorted.
“Don’t goad me, Elena.”
“Or what?”
She pushed him toward the bedroom, struggling to remove his pants. He didn’t lift a finger to help her, but she managed to remove them and tossed them aside. Once he was gloriously naked, she nudged him until his legs bumped the bed. One hard shove and he fell backward, allowing her the leverage to scoot on top of him.
He looked ready to murder someone and she wondered if that someone might be her.
Why did the thought send a heady dose of delight instead of fear?
Gregory stared at her, clenching his hands instead of reaching out for her. She didn’t know if he’d pull her down for another kiss or smack her for arguing with him. Making light of the situation, she gave him an impish smile. “That was the best orgasm of my life. Don’t you dare make it a mistake.”
His nostrils flared. “That was a mistake.”
“No damn way.” She resisted the urge to shake him, make him see sense. “You didn’t allow anything to happen to me.”
“Are you crazy? Most women would have run from me if that had just happened.”
She wriggled on top of him, trying to get him up. His semi-hard cock prodded between her thighs, eager for whatever action she had in mind, and she smirked.
She bent forward, caught his face between her hands. “For the record, I’m not most women. And I trust you.”
“Trust?” He sneered. “Given the situation, even I wouldn’t trust myself.”
She ignored his taunt. “I also believe you’ll keep me safe.”
Emphasizing her point, she bunched her T-shirt and tossed it away. She bent face down on the bed beside him, wriggling her ass in the air.
“If you use the paddle now, you can find out what I already feel for you.”
He tra
iled his hand over her back, plunging a finger into her tight ass. She clenched around him.
“Do you want me here?” He let out a broken grunt.
She stilled, contemplating. “Yes.”
Positioning himself behind her, he dipped the head of his cock into her core. Pleasure ratcheted up and he pulled out, jerking upward. Toward her virgin asshole.
“I’m going to fuck you ’til you’re sore.” He growled and gripped her harder. “And then start all over again.”
“Please.”
Her whisper went straight to his head, as potent as a shot of whiskey. His blood rushed south and Gregory forgot what he was about to say. Her words were muffled, potent darts filled with an aphrodisiac. His brain all but shut down; his cock woke up.
He’d prove to her how dangerous he could be. “Damn you.”
She turned her face, eyeing him from the side. “No. Fuck me.”
Her submission proved the final straw. He allowed a few seconds to calm his erratic breathing and pushed himself into her tight hole, one excruciating inch at a time.
“Breathe out through your mouth. Relax for me.”
Her tightness gripped him, and then yielded way. He grunted and pushed forward, watching her tiny opening swallow him whole. Blood rushed to his crotch as his cock jerked inside her snug confines, ready to spill.
He wrapped himself around her waist, relishing her soft skin and inhaling the mixed scents of feminine arousal and her trademark cinnamon. Her presence calmed him down and yet aroused him beyond imagination. How had he gotten himself into her bed again?
Thoughts seemed hazy, out of reach, and when she moved, pushing against him, he could do nothing but follow her unspoken command.
The darkness he’d managed to keep under wraps broke free. Dark desires swirled within him as he spanked her ass again and pushed deeper. Control was his and his alone.
He bent forward, cupping her breasts, and trailed below, to the soft curls of her wet sex. With each thrust, her clit plumped up and swelled under his fingers.
She tensed, going taut beneath him. “I’m going to—”
“No. Not until I give you permission.” He removed his hand, watching her sag, feeling strangely bereft, as if he’d snatched a toy from an eager kid.
Not willing to think, he slapped her ass cheek. She sighed and let out a muffled curse.
Undeterred by his reminder of who was in charge, she jiggled her cute butt and moved faster against him, pulling him along for the ride. Breathing hitched as pressure built inside him. With each bounce, she pulled him harder, deeper, threatening his hold on control. He grabbed her hips, his fingers bruising her satin skin in an effort to slow down. To prolong the moment.
His fangs ached to bite, to sample her sweet, addictive blood again. To his eternal amazement, the hunger didn’t override his sensibilities.
The darkness he’d expected to surge out of control in fact purred and remained under the surface, as if completely under his will. Tamed. Obedient. Giving an additional edge to his pleasure. Nothing else. No out-of-control taunts or the insane urges that’d gripped him since their phone sex, though every bit of him still wanted her.
Firmly grounded in the moment, he smacked her ass for the sheer joy of watching her tingling flesh redden beneath his palms and not due to dark desires clouding his brain.
He groaned, feeling the weight of the world lift from his shoulders. She’d done it. She’d not only calmed the bloodlust, but also made him feel things he’d long forgotten. Dare he hope for love? He wouldn’t let her go, no matter what. She was his and only his, in bed and out of it.
He spanked her again, wanting to own her as she owned him. She yelped this time and he soothed her butt cheeks, moving his palm to rest on the small of her back.
“Ouch. You better be ready to kiss and make it better.”
The way she growled the command made his cock swell inside her gripping ass. He picked up the pace, desire crashing within him and rushing toward the point of no return. She pushed back, matching him thrust for thrust. Bliss clawed at him, consumed him, as his spine tightened. He plucked her clit between his thumb and forefinger, leaning closer to her ears.
“Come for me. Now.”
She thrashed on the bed, his name a broken cry on her lips while her orgasm drenched his fingers.
Overwhelmed by her response, he skyrocketed into ecstasy. Groaning her name, he erupted inside her, drowning in undeniable lust and something so much more. He kept pushing, until he poured the last drop of himself into her as she convulsed around his cock and digits.
They crashed as one to the mattress while he tried to bring his breathing to some semblance of normalcy.
She winced when he pulled out of her and his gut clenched in response. He rushed to bring a warm towel to soothe her aches, calling himself all kinds of fool.
Hissing when the wet cloth touched her sore back, she gave him a shy smile. “Don’t worry, Gregory. It’ll get easier with time and practice, I suppose.”
He should’ve been more careful when initiating her into such pleasures instead of lording it over her body in the grip of madness.
Unshed tears burned his eyes and he choked on his words. “We didn’t even decide on a freaking safe word for our rough play.”
“Next time,” she muttered and he stilled on her, silent.
Did she mean…? He stared at her as she smirked. “Now that I’ve gotten your attention, I need you to do something.”
“Anything, my love.” This time, the endearment felt natural, as if meant to be.
She motioned him near. “Shut up and kiss me.”
He moved to hug her close when his mobile phone chimed. Who was calling him so early? He frowned when he saw Leon’s number.
He strode to the table and flipped the phone open, giving Elena a flying kiss. She pouted and blew a raspberry at him.
He bit back laughter. “Greg here.”
“Something has come up. I need your help to locate a woman.”
For a moment he wondered if his earlier words were echoing back at him, or was it Leon speaking, asking for repayment of the favor. He listened as his friend outlined his request.
“I’ll be there,” he promised and hung up. He’d check with his friend and get back to her within a couple of hours. Would she need him?
He turned to find her sitting uptight on the bed, covers pulled up to her chest.
“You’re leaving,” she said.
A statement. Not a question. Was she expecting him to stay?
His pulse picked up speed at the thought. With a shrug he hoped was casual, he moved toward his strewn clothes, attuned to the rustle of movement on the bed as she squirmed and adjusted herself. He waited for her to make the first move, his heart galloping as though it were a wild horse.
“It’ll be dawn in a few hours. Won’t the sun harm you?” she asked.
She was concerned for him. Hiding a smile of satisfaction, he sat beside her, tugging on his briefs. “I might get a nasty sunburn, but don’t worry.”
“Why shouldn’t I? Do you always carry a sunscreen with SPF 70 or so with you?”
“Sassy, as usual. I might come to love keeping your pretty mouth more and more occupied.”
“You already love that,” she remarked, a definite quirk on her lips.
He shook his head. “And here all the time you spoke to me on the phone, I wondered if this soft kitten had claws too.”
To his amusement, she blushed and pointed to his back. “I hope those marks don’t sting.”
He couldn’t help it. He let out a guffaw. And she pouted. “You haven’t answered me yet.”
“Oh, the sun? I have sun protective windows on my car, in my office and oh, in my small penthouse too. I have a complete home gym as well.” He flexed his muscles for her, earning a small smile. His heart choking his wind-pipe, he asked, “Care to visit sometime?”
Her shoulders lost some of their tension while she pondered. “I’ll keep that inv
itation in mind.”
He observed the small smile playing at her lips and his mouth curved in response. “You’re a crafty little devil, aren’t you?”
“Why, will you punish me for that?” She blinked, playing the innocent.
“Of course I will. But after I return,” he replied with a wink.
Her face fell. “Soon?”
“Before the sun rises,” he promised.
She stilled, staring up at him with her dark amethyst eyes. “Is this the equivalent of you spending the night with me?”
“What do you think?”
His breath caught, waiting for her response. Was he pushing her too hard, too soon?
“I’d like that.”
Her reply made him giddy with relief. “I’ll not be much use during the daytime though.”
She batted her eyelashes at him and rubbed her hands in glee. “Ooh. Even better. Having you at my mercy all day.”
Her blanket slipped down. He made a show of pouting, even as he relished the sight of her naked, lithe body. “So I’m just another boy toy for you to play with?”
“I have enough toys, thank you. All I need is someone to share my life with.”
Heart alight with joy, he grinned. “I’ll keep that invitation in mind while planning our second date.”
She didn’t seem much cheered by his attempt at a joke. He sighed, pulling her close and let his lips tangle with hers, placing her hands on his erection.
“Feel what you do to me? Now that I’ve found you, no one else could measure up.”
She stared into his eyes, a serious expression belying her light words. “So I’ve nothing to be jealous about?”
He bent down, squeezing her breast, and groaned when her nipple dug into his palm. Her gaze turned molten as he pushed her back on the bed, cupping the mound between her thighs. “Absolutely none. Keep that pussy primed for me, sweet.”
About the Author
Ju Dimello has two vices. First: Tall, dark and brooding heroes. Second? Torturing them until they agree to a happily ever after.
To compensate for having been a proverbial geek—complete with thick glasses (she now wears contacts), Ju does the dutiful wife job by day and vents her emotions during the night by writing. Why night, one might ask? That’s when her rugged heroes are tamed by strong, sensuous heroines…one spicy adventure at a time. Better than devouring chunks of decadent chocolate or indulging in extra-cheese pizza to tempt the taste buds? Well, almost…