Tempted by the Gargoyle (a gargoyle shifter romance): Boston Stone Sentries

by Lisa Carlisle

  “You okay?” she asked.

  “Fine.”

  “You looked uncomfortable for a moment.”

  “Yes, well, you’ve gotten me quite excited tonight,” he admitted, “and I needed to adjust.”

  She chuckled. “Already? We haven’t done anything here yet.”

  “I hope that changes soon.” He leaned into the space between them and stroked her velvet-soft cheek. “Because I can’t stop thinking about touching your lips again.” He ran an index finger over them.

  She stiffened for a moment, before relaxing. When she searched his eyes, a dark, smoky glint shining in her own. “Then don’t wait.” She kissed his finger and then took it into her mouth, flicking it with her tongue.

  A groan escaped him. Her tongue stimulated a thousand nerve endings, making them burn to life in anticipation.

  Her eyes moved from his to his mouth, giving him all the invitation he needed. He leaned toward her, the space between them pulsing with energy. He fixed his eyes on hers as he closed the distance, animalistic urges taking over. He wanted her. Wanted to capture her. His heart pounded as the moments ticked by.

  Desire sparkled in her eyes as he descended on her. She slid onto the bed as if they’d rehearsed this dance a dozen times.

  Finally, his lips touched hers. Vibrancy shot through him in that second, energizing every blood cell. The sensation exhilarated him, eclipsing even that of shifting from stone to man, when all his nerve pathways animated with life.

  She exhaled on a soft moan, inviting him to drink deeper. Her mouth was warm with a hint of the sweet wine on her tongue.

  He commanded himself to take it nice and slow, enjoy each sensation and increase the build-up with each step forward. But when a small cry of pleasure escaped her, it undid him. Any self-control he had evaporated. He grabbed the back of her neck and plunged deeper into her mouth. Her body relaxed as she opened to him, tension seeming to drift away. It was the first time that night she hadn’t seemed tense, bracing herself against some unseen force.

  Her scent was intoxicating. Some kind of herbal mixture that was utterly feminine. Without the distractions of other humans and the floral scent of the dome, he concentrated on it, inhaling deeply.

  The identification hit him, so quick and sudden he couldn’t believe he hadn’t read it before.

  She wasn’t a siren.

  She was a witch.

  That was what had struck him as different about her from afar. Only witches had that underlying combination of herbs and earthiness. On her, it was such a tantalizing mix that it stimulated him in ways far too distracting.

  Time to put the pieces together. She must have dropped her defenses when they’d kissed; something that cloaked who she was. She was a witch. She’d been on the roof when he’d sensed dark magic. She’d been in the dome earlier; a structure that had also warranted a closer look.

  Witches could practice white magic or black, aligning themselves with good or evil. If she was aligned with dark forces, her being at the dome signaled something nefarious may have been going on.

  Then again, maybe she was like many other Bostonians searching for a lover.

  Even if just for one night.

  Whatever the case, he would find out by getting closer to her. He’d enjoy the process of unraveling this witch’s story as the night progressed. It was off to a promising start.

  He braced himself over her on his forearms to keep his weight from crushing her. As he lowered himself onto her body, never taking his mouth from hers, she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer, melting against him. The way she submitted to his kiss increased his desire to take control. He took her wrists and pinned them over her head against the oversized hotel pillows.

  When she tried to move her arms, he tightened his grasp. She didn’t fight him, but kissed him with more urgency, one that fed his hunger and threatened his already shaky self-control. He wanted her now, but knowing they only had one night together, he wouldn’t rush it. He’d take his time teasing her, tempting her with a promise of what was to come until she begged him for more.

  Each time a soft mewling sound escaped her, he feared he might lose control. He hovered on the thinnest shard of restraint, wanting to take her hard and fast.

  No, not yet. Not until he’d touched every spot of her body, run over every curve with his tongue, fed on her sweetness until she screamed with pleasure. He pulled away from her mouth with utter reluctance. She lay beneath him, panting and watching his every move from smoky, hooded eyes. A gaze so hot he had to hold on to the urge to plunge right into her.

  That was it. He couldn’t wait any longer. When he released her wrists, she wiggled up on the bed. He traced his fingers over her knee and above to her soft inner thigh.

  He moved higher and dropped the spaghetti strap of her dress over her shoulder and then kissed the smooth skin. His lips traveled down to the seam where the silky, black dress covered her breasts. He kissed and licked the satin flesh there and gave the fabric a gentle tug. It didn’t give an inch, caging her tempting breasts.

  “Hold on.” She reached behind her back, struggling with the zipper, but only managing to free it a few inches.

  “Roll over,” he said. When she’d flipped onto her belly, he admired the sight beneath. Her dark hair splayed across her back, the unzipped dress teasing him with a glimpse of her flesh. He unzipped the rest slowly, savoring the experience as each new inch was revealed to him and him alone. When he’d reached her ass, covered with the tiniest of black lace-and-satin panties, he inhaled sharply.

  She turned to look over her shoulder. “Everything okay?”

  “Everything’s perfect,” he said. “Every inch of you.”

  “Oh…” she began, as if ready to scoff at his remark.

  “You’re beautiful, Larissa,” he said before she could come up with something to diminish his praise.

  He unzipped the final few inches of the dress, and she pulled herself up and stood on the floor. The loosened dress fell down to her waist, exposing a strapless black lace bra that matched her panties.

  “Stay there.” She motioned for him to sit on the bed before she slipped the rest of the dress over her hips, where it fell to the floor. She stepped out of it and between his legs. Damn, she was stunning. He stared at her, frozen and mouth agape. So many places he wanted to touch, kiss. Where to begin?

  He ran his fingers down her sides, leaned to the closest part of her and kissed above her navel.

  “Ah, not yet. You’re wearing far too many clothes.”

  The reminder made him spring into action. He stripped off his shirt and tossed it to the ground. He unfastened his belt while he slid his shoes off. When he stood and tugged at the belt, he practically ripped it out of the loopholes.

  “No need to rush,” she said, trailing her fingers over his tortuous erection. “We have plenty of time.”

  The touch of her fingers there made him moan. She unzipped his pants and slid them down his legs. He kicked out of them, rushing to remove all the remaining clothing despite her words.

  She appraised his naked body, her gaze lingering between his legs with obvious interest. When she raised her eyes, she pressed her hand to his chest and smiled. He fell back on the bed, propping himself up on his elbows so he could watch her next move.

  She trailed her fingers over his chest down to his shaft, where she stroked so lightly he thought he might have imagined it from wanting it so much.

  “You’re quite impressive. But you probably know that already.” When she took him in a firmer grasp, there was no denying it was real. Blood surged there, pumping with a furious need.

  “You’ve gotten me so hard, I’m probably at my max potential.”

  “Potential,” she repeated before kissing the tip. “You’re definitely filled with a limitless amount of that.” She took the head in her mouth, and the exhilarating sensation made him drop his head back.

  All reason left him as she straddled him on the bed and
took him in deeper. When coherent thought returned, he opened his eyes. “You don’t have to do that. I want a turn with you.”

  “Don’t worry,” she said, watching him with a decadent glint before she slowly licked the tip again in a way that shot sensations right up to the heavens. “You’ll get one. It’s been a long time since I’ve done this.”

  “Do you enjoy it?”

  “With the right partner.” She licked him from tip to base.

  Damn it all to hell if he wouldn’t kill to be the right one.

  When she took him into her mouth, he lost all reason. He could have come right then. But he wanted to do so much more with her. First he had to touch her. Reaching his hands down to cup her ass, he squeezed, trailing his fingers over the seam of her panties.

  He gently touched her head and guided her away. “If you don’t stop now, I’ll come. And it’s my turn to play.”

  He pulled her to her feet and kissed her deeply. Reaching around her back, he undid her bra and slid it off her arms. When he pulled back and saw that smoldering glint in her eyes as she stood before him with her beautiful breasts exposed, his heart thumped.

  Cupping them both as he kissed her was magical in itself, the way it made him delirious with need. He bent down and captured one pert, pink nipple in his mouth, licking and suckling it as she moaned in pleasure. Taking the other one was like having a second delicious serving of dessert. He could suck on them all night, but his cock throbbed for more.

  He ran his hands down to her panties, hooking his fingers underneath the silky fabric and tugging it down. She lifted one foot and then the other, helping him to glide it off her legs before she slid back onto the bed. His gaze raked over her decadent body. This goddess, a dark angel, had invited him into her arms. What a fortunate encounter.

  His gaze traveled to her naked sex, the pink inner flesh tempting him. He slid a finger into her slick channel while her eyes remained locked on his. Her gaze became heady, and she dropped her head back.

  He glided down her body, kissing and licking her soft skin. Her scent excited him further, shooting electrifying sensations to his already stone-hard cock. He dipped his tongue to taste her. Her feminine taste was intoxicating. Addicting. His cock responded and a drop of liquid escaped the tip.

  Licking her with slow, fluid motions, the sounds of her moans encouraged him to take more. He tasted every centimeter of her sex, wanting to drink all of her in. He glanced up to see that her eyes had closed, a rapt expression on her face, her head resting on a pillow.

  Roman continued devouring her, driving up to an unrelenting assault on her limits. He added his fingers and licked with increasing pressure. He brought her so close to the brink that she grasped the pillows while she raised her hips. Then he pulled back, bringing her down gently before driving her back up. Each time a little higher, each time a little closer. Until finally she could take no more.

  “Oh God, I beg you, Roman. Please don’t tease me anymore.”

  “What do you want?”

  “You know what I need right now.”

  “You want me to lick you until you come.”

  “Yes.”

  “Say it.”

  “Roman…”

  He lowered his mouth a sliver from her sex so his warm breath heated her. “Say it.”

  “Please just do it. Lick me and make me come.” She squirmed on the bed, running her fingers through her mussed-up hair, appearing far more uninhibited from the uptight woman he’d met earlier. “I want you so bad I can’t take another second.”

  “That’s good.” He increased the intensity and slid two fingers inside her, pushing her to the edge.

  She gripped his head, then dropped her hands to grab at the sheets. Her breath came out in quick, breathy pants. Her muscles tightened and she clamped so tight around his fingers, he had to remove them. She cried out and shuddered beneath him before ending with a whimper and stilling. He raised his head to see her with a rapturous expression. Beautiful.

  While her body quaked with aftershocks, he reached for a foil packet in his pocket, quickly sheathing himself with a condom.

  “Yes,” she said. She fisted his stiff rod and guided him to her soaked folds. “I can’t wait to have you inside me.”

  She kept her eyes locked on his while he pushed the head into her wet sex. Her eyelids dropped as he pushed deeper in. She grabbed his ass and pulled him closer. He didn’t need any more prodding, but penetrated her tight walls inch by delicious inch. Her inner muscles squeezed around him in a sensual embrace that threatened to undo him.

  Once deeply embedded inside her, something strange happened, unlike anything he’d ever experienced. Something felt so right about it. How, he didn’t know. It filled him with warm, delicious feelings, making him as soft and gooey as a puppy. Something about her touched him. Her tough exterior and soft inner core. While fucking her, she let her guard down somewhat, giving him a glimpse of the vulnerable woman within, an irresistible magnet to a gargoyle with a protective streak.

  “Oh, Roman.”

  Even her voice softened, losing that cautious edge it’d had since he’d first spoken to her on the rooftop. Hearing her say his name in that soft velvet tone did things to him he couldn’t explain, reaching a part of him closed off for far too long.

  “Damn, you feel good.” He slid partway out and then rammed back into her so hard, she cried out. “So good. So wet.” He paused to kiss her, sliding his tongue deep into her mouth and tasting every morsel of her. “Tonight you’re mine.”

  She moaned, but didn’t say a word.

  He pulled out again, this time almost all the way while she tightened her inner muscles to keep him in.

  “Say it,” he commanded.

  Her half-closed eyes opened fully as she reached for him. Their eyes locked and something intense passed between them. Everything else fell away in that moment. The only thing that mattered was the two of them there together.

  The searching, hypnotic glint in her gaze made him think she felt it, too. “Yes. Yours. Tonight.”

  Although she’d agreed, a part of him wasn’t satisfied. One night with her would never be enough.

  A flash of reason interrupted.

  Don’t forget why you’re even here. You’re investigating her, remember?

  Reason could wait. He didn’t want to think, not when this felt so good. He clamped his jaw and drove into her tight grip. She relaxed her muscles, inviting him back in. He rocked into her, repeating the movement again and again. Moving a little harder and quicker each time. She rose against him, matching his pace with each frantic stroke. Her body arched off the bed as she clung to him, panting louder with the quickening drive. Their bodies heated to scorching levels, a sheen of perspiration making their skin slick.

  The carnal pleasure increased, reaching a point from which he’d no longer be able to return. He gripped her hips and hammered into her as she yelped. Her body tightened and she screamed, “Yes,” then clamped over his rod in a tight, pulsing vise. The overpowering sensation was too much. He exploded into her with pounding thrusts that made her cry out again. Then he collapsed on her slick body, burying his face in her vanilla-scented hair and breathing it in.

  He could lie wrapped in such bliss forever, with their limbs tangled around each other.

  Fuck. All his muscles hardened as he remembered why he was here. She’d raised enough suspicions to warrant him following her and sleeping with her had simply been an enjoyable part of his duties.

  He pulled himself up to get a rein on his emotions. It was simply the euphoria from an orgasm, that was all. But when he caught her eyes, a bolt of intensity shot through him. Any resolve he’d tried to muster was shattered by a dreadful realization. He was falling for her.

  Shit, shit, shit. She must have wrapped a sensual spell around him that made it difficult to concentrate on anything but being with her. He still needed to get his mind off his dick so he could step back and think.

  What was her motive
in bringing him home? Lull his senses so he’d be slow to react?

  Or maybe get him away from somewhere. Keep him occupied while someone else made a move.

  A battle began between his body and mind—no doubt he was drawn to her, but had he walked into some sort of trap?

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Larissa’s heart pounded in her chest. Her skin was damp, and she tried to catch her breath. One night with Roman was worth years of a dry spell. Not that she wanted to try that out. He knew what she needed before she did, and performed it well. Sex with him was the hottest since—well, ever.

  “That was incredible,” she said. “Worth a long dry spell.”

  “It’s been awhile?” he asked.

  “Unfortunately, yes.”

  A small, satisfied smile passed over his face as he glanced at her. “It was indeed,” he agreed, tracing a figure eight on her shoulder. “Almost magical.”

  Larissa tensed when he said that. Something strange had happened when they had sex, which had made it seem far more intense than a one-night booty call. The connection bordered on terrifying; it was all-consuming. She told herself it was all in her head. All that talk about love and romance lately seeping into her brain, making her get all soft and mushy. But when he’d called it magical—it couldn’t only be in her imagination, could it?

  What they’d experienced together went beyond pure lust. Somehow, they’d connected, if that were even possible.

  She blinked slowly. That concept scared the shit out of her. Her muscles tightened.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  “Nothing,” she said. “Nothing at all.”

  She tried to stifle her apprehensive reaction, but he’d sensed it. He’d read her emotions far too easily all night.

  She spread her limbs an inch and took deeper breaths to relax, which made her keenly aware of each area their bodies touched. A part of her wanted to entwine with him even more, spend the night wrapped in his arms. But sleeping with him, actually going to sleep with another person, meant a certain level of trust. And she hadn’t been able to let down her guard in a long time. Not since her boyfriend had left her four months after the bombings, saying he wasn’t able to cope with her mood swings.