Notorious Nephilim 4
Her Wanton Ways
Joelle Albright looked forward to her vacation at Lilith’s Playground, the exclusive resort promising no-strings-attached sex…until she realized her ex-fiancé Scott Malloy had targeted it to further his political career. After mysterious owners Blade Fallon and Cristian Neville trust her with their secret, she comes clean about her past involvement with Scott. Will stopping Scott and saving the resort be enough to earn their trust and love?
Blade and Cristian have vowed not to choose a mortal life like four of their fellow Nephilim have already done, until they meet Joelle. Not a typical 1950s woman, she wows them with her feistiness in and out of the bedroom. But when they find out she was engaged to the man trying to ruin their resort, how can they trust her again, let alone love her enough to choose mortality and spend it with her?
Genre: Fantasy, Historical, Ménage a Trois/Quatre
Length: 46,991 words
HER WANTON WAYS
Notorious Nephilim 4
Carolyn Rosewood
MENAGE AMOUR
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Ménage Amour
HER WANTON WAYS
Copyright © 2012 by Carolyn Rosewood
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62241-863-3
First E-book Publication: November 2012
Cover design by Harris Channing
All cover art and logo copyright © 2012 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
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Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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DEDICATION
This book is dedicated to everyone born in the nineteen fifties. We survived in spite of them.
HER WANTON WAYS
Notorious Nephilim 4
CAROLYN ROSEWOOD
Copyright © 2012
Chapter One
Joelle Albright removed the scarf from her head and turned off the motor of her red-and-white Buick ragtop that she’d just purchased last month. Her friends told her a convertible was far too flashy for a woman to drive, and Joelle had explained that was exactly the reason she’d wanted it. Well, it was one of the reasons anyway. The other was because Scott Malloy hated convertibles.
She’d broken her engagement to him six months ago, but he still popped up wherever she went, harassing her about the way she lived her life. Since she refused to move to another city to get away from him, Joelle went out of her way these days to do things Scott had never approved of.
She stared at the sprawling white building that was known as Lilith’s Playground, an exclusive resort in the wilds of Fox Lake, Illinois. Booking a two-week vacation at this resort was far beyond what anyone in Joelle’s life would approve of, except her roommate, Peggy. Surely the testimonials in the H&E magazine she and Peggy had pored over were exaggerated. But if they weren’t, Joelle was about to embark on the greatest adventure of her life, and that thought sent a shiver through her body.
She put the top on the car and grabbed her bags out of the back seat. After another quick glance in the side view mirror to make sure her hair didn’t look like a rat’s nest, she locked the door and tossed the key into her handbag.
Her heels clacked on the cement parking lot as she made her way to the entrance. Sunlight glinted off the windows facing her, but the bright day was deceiving. A biting wind blew from the north, and Joelle pulled her coat tighter.
The newscaster on the radio last night said there was the possibility of snow this weekend. Snow in mid-October wasn’t unusual this far north. Joelle smiled at the thought of being snowed in at this resort, which advertised fireplaces in every room and an attentive staff. The firsthand accounts from former guests promised a bit more than that as well, and again Joelle wondered how truthful they had been.
A uniformed bellhop rushed out to greet her, apologizing that she’d had to walk from the parking lot with her bags. Joelle turned around. “It’s one hundred yards, if even that.”
He looked flustered as he took the bags and held open the front door. Stepping across the threshold, she inhaled the scent of wood polish and cinnamon. A roaring fire crackled behind a large stone hearth at the far end of the room. Several people sat in comfortable-looking chairs near it, laughing and holding wineglasses, even though it was only three in the afternoon. Drinking in the middle of the day. Joelle could get used to this place.
On her right, the entire wall was decorated with framed photos. One in particular caught her eye. The woman was tall and striking, dressed in flapper garb. Her dark eyes held a note of mischief. Joelle immediately liked her.
“That’s our ancestor Lilith. The resort is named after her.” She turned at the sound of the deep voice to find a tall man with eyes as blue as a lake on a cloudless summer day. The scent of cloves hung about him, reminding Joelle of pumpkin pie, and her mouth watered at the thought of it. A lock of blond hair fell across his forehead, and she fought a sudden urge to reach up and brush it out of the way.
“She’s striking,” said Joelle. “Her gaze is hypnotic and mischievous at the same time.”
“Yes, she was both of those qualities. Quite t
he little demon at times, I’m told.”
As the man stared at the picture, the corners of his mouth turned up. Joelle wondered what it would be like to kiss those full lips.
“I find demons fascinating,” she said.
The look he gave her made Joelle’s clothes suddenly feel too tight. She tried not to stare, but the man’s face was beyond handsome. High cheekbones and just the hint of a cleft in his chin gave him fun, boyish features. Features she could stare at for hours…in bed.
“You find demons fascinating? How unusual.”
“Do you really think so? History is full of stories about angels and demons interacting with humans. And there are too many instances of unexplained phenomena in the world to completely discount the presence of supernatural creatures.”
The look of incredulity on his face made Joelle wonder if she’d ever learn to keep her unconventional opinions to herself.
“I find your beliefs quite refreshing. I’m Blade Fallon, one of the owners.” As he extended his hand and she shook it, a jolt of electricity rose up her arm and shot straight to her pussy.
Joelle struggled to find her voice. “Joelle. Joelle Albright. I have a reservation.” Idiot. Why else would she be standing in the lobby of a resort with a bellhop holding her bags? This gorgeous man would no doubt think her a few bricks shy of a load.
“Welcome, Joelle.” He offered his arm, and she took it, wrapping her hand tightly around the linen fabric of his suit jacket. Expensive fabric, if her fingertips were correct in their assessment. The owners should be able to afford to dress well for what this place cost.
“Let’s get you get checked in.”
An older woman with faded carrot hair and piercing blue eyes looked up as they approached. “Ah, another redhead,” she said. “There aren’t enough of us around.”
Joelle smiled at the Irish brogue, so like her mother’s. “County Cork?”
The woman’s smile increased. “Aye, it still shows, eh? And did you get that hair and those emerald eyes from your mother or your father?”
“From my mother. My father has dark hair and dark eyes.”
“My name is Molly. Just let me know if you need anything during your stay.” Molly’s gaze drifted to Joelle’s hand, still firmly clutching Blade’s arm. “Although I dare say I think Mister Fallon here will be more than happy to assist you as well.”
Blade’s laugh was warm and inviting. It conjured up images of soft firelight and naked, sweating bodies. Joelle took a deep breath to clear her head. The air in here felt electrified, as though a thunderstorm were approaching.
“Molly, you’re a rogue,” he said, but his tone held a humorous note. “And you’re one of the worst gossips around, so Miss Albright had better be careful.” Blade winked at Joelle.
“I see what I see,” said Molly. She pushed a typewritten list toward Joelle. “The activities we offer are listed here, as well as the phone exchanges you’ll need to reserve any of them. If you want to make an outside phone call just dial the front desk. Long distance lines can be touchy, but unless we have a bad snowstorm, they usually work.”
“We’ve been promised by Illinois Bell that we’ll soon have direct-dial long distance up here,” said Blade.
Joelle tried to think of something clever to say, but her brain seemed to be full of fog. All she could manage was a smile in response. The scent coming from Blade overpowered her senses. Were the kitchens nearby? How could a mere man smell so delicious?
Blade took her bags from the bellhop. “I’ll show you to your suite.”
“Oh, thank you.” Joelle had never been in a hotel where one of the owners carried her bags.
He led her toward a long bank of elevators. “We’ve recently had new ones installed,” he said. “Up until last year we still had brass gates and some needed keys to operate.”
“You still find those kind in New York City. They’re charming.”
“I agree.” He ushered her inside and pushed the button for the fifth floor. “But our guests demand the latest technologies.”
“I see.”
“How did you hear about this place? I’m always curious how our guests found us.”
Joelle’s heart beat so loudly she was certain he could hear it. She breathed in his scent, wondering why she could still smell it now that they were no longer in the lobby. It was as if it emanated from his skin. As she scanned his face again, erotic images danced in her head, decadent and dark. Heat rose up her neck, and she averted her gaze to try and form a rational thought. He’d asked her a question, hadn’t he?
“Here we are.” The door opened, and she stepped out into a hallway covered in thick carpeting. Damask paper adorned the walls. The place was as quiet as a tomb.
“Forgive me, I didn’t answer your question. My roommate and I came across an advertisement in a magazine for this resort.”
“Really? Which one? We don’t advertise much.”
He would ask. Peggy had brought back the magazine from a recent trip to London with her parents and fiancé, but she couldn’t tell him they’d been reading a European nudie magazine. Joelle’s palms grew damp, and she clutched her handbag tighter. “Um, it wasn’t actually an advertisement. It was an article someone had written, and former guests gave testimonials as part of it.”
He stopped in front of a door with the number 5A engraved on a brass plate. After he opened it, he allowed her to step inside first. “Oh…” Joelle walked to the middle of the room and gaped at the décor. Lush and expensive, the navy blue, gold, and maroon colors reminded her of exhibits she’d seen at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
“Do you like it?” Blade’s smile was as bright as the sunshine streaming in through the expanse of windows. Pride shone in his eyes. “This is one of my favorite suites. I love the colors.”
“It’s breathtaking.”
He sighed and placed her bags on the floor. “Yes, it is.” The look he gave her was molten, penetrating, as though he were trying to see into her very soul. Joelle was no stranger to men, but she’d never met one who’d captivated her with no more than a glance. “Let me show you around.”
She followed him into a cozy kitchenette, boasting the latest appliances. “It looks new,” she said.
“All the suites were recently updated, along with the elevators. New decade, new conveniences.”
She couldn’t help but smile at the slightly mocking tone of his voice. “Are you not a fan of modern convenience, Mister Fallon?”
“Please, call me Blade. Sure, I’m a fan. It’s just that I don’t see a need for some of these things, that’s all.”
“You prefer doing things the hard way.”
His grin sent a rush of heat to her face and a flood of wetness to her pussy. She sighed, but it came out as a gasp.
“Not always, but I do prefer using my hands instead of machines for certain tasks.”
“Oh…” As she stared into his eyes, they grew larger and began to glow, until they were the only clear things on his face. The air became heavy and charged. Joelle’s breathing grew shallow, and she felt like she was falling right into those luminous pools of deep blue. Every care she’d ever had began to fade, and she knew if she dived in there would be no need to resurface.
Blade brushed a lock of her hair off her cheek, and his touch burned like fire. She blinked a few times, suddenly unsure of where she was or what was going on. When she refocused her vision, his eyes didn’t look any different than they had when she’d first met him.
What the hell just happened?
“How about you, Joelle?” he asked. “Do you like to use your hands for certain tasks?” He glanced at her manicured fingernails.
“That depends on what the task is.” Why had she said that, and in such a seductive tone? She’d been around the block a few times, but she’d never been so forward with someone she’d met fifteen minutes earlier.
“Perhaps you’d like to join me for dinner, and we can discuss it further?”
Every
thing she and Peggy had read in H&E must be true. The idea of uninhibited no-strings-attached sex with a man who looked like Blade filled Joelle with a delicious tingling sensation. Her curiosity about this place had invaded her dreams, and now that the opportunity to experience it firsthand was standing right in front of her—literally—she might as well jump in with both feet. She gave him her best come-hither smile. “Thank you, Blade. I’d love to.”
He grinned again, and she let out another breathy sigh.
“Great. We serve dinner starting at six. Just ask at the desk where the main dining room is, and I’ll meet you there. But for now, the rest of the suite is this way.”
She followed him down a hallway where he showed her the half bath, then led her into the bedroom. There was indeed a fireplace and a four-poster bed large enough for three people, at least. The room was decorated in the same colors as the sitting room.
“There’s a full bath through that door and plenty of closet space.”
“It’s so opulent. Are all the suites this large?”
He nodded. “Yes. We like our guests to be very comfortable.”
Blade lifted her hand and kissed the back of it in a sweet old-fashioned gesture, but there was nothing sweet about the way the tip of his tongue grazed the skin or the smoldering look in his eyes. “I’m looking forward to having dinner with you, Joelle.”
“I’m looking forward to it as well, Blade.”
He gave the bed a long glance, and Joelle fought the urge to pull him over to it. She followed him back into the sitting room, where he asked if she needed help with her bags.
Her Wanton Ways [Notorious Nephilim 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 1