It had been almost too easy. His success at feeding had made him bold, and his boldness had made him reach for more.
A lowly tempter from his earliest days of awareness, he’d lusted for the prestige of a possessor. Possessors were demon lords, honored by the prince with greater access to humanity and less crippling tithes. Lords each wore a ring, which gave them the power to choose a human vessel and walk as flesh and blood, to feel as flesh and blood.
He’d lacked a ring, but had nevertheless found a way to possess. With the help of a mortal witch, he’d succeeded where others had failed. He’d expected the prince to be impressed, perhaps to reward his initiative with a ring. But his success had been all too brief. He hadn’t understood how fragile a physical human form was. He’d damaged his vessel beyond repair. And so he’d been punished instead of rewarded.
He blamed his little witch, Mercy. He’d thought he had seduced her, but she had seduced him, instead.
After taking possession of his new body, Joshua’s body, he had begun mating his little witch. Part celebration of their success, part reward for playing her part so well. But what he had meant as a reward had turned deadly.
The pleasure had been so great, he had lost his mind.
If she had been less radiant lying there in the candlelight, less innocently wicked with her glittering eyes and raven hair spread on the quilt by the pond, less warm and welcoming where their bodies joined, he would have been able to rein in his passion.
It was her fault. And he had punished her every day since, because it was also her fault that he still loved her despite her failings.
But none of that mattered now. Against all odds, a sensual creature had entered his prison and was settling in for a night of unguarded sleep. Even better, she carried none of the restrictions that limited his kind. She was not a believer, nor was there any protection around her aura indicating the presence of a husband or father. She was a lost little lamb. And he was lusting for lamb chops.
Ah, there. Her consciousness struck the most luscious resonance, a symphony of sensual vulnerability to accompany his feasting. It was the perfect time to usurp her dream.
He fluffed his magnificent collection of essences like a cloak of feathers. Pulling along Joshua and Mercy and the multitude of others, he loosed a surge of power and seeped up through the ceiling of the abyss.
The physical plane buffeted his simplest form, a core of spiritual substance shielded by his essences. But the melee would be short lived.
There was his quarry, calling to him through the storm like a siren, drawing him near with the promise of sustenance. At his probing touch, her sleep-exposed consciousness opened for him. He plunged inside.
Bliss. Pure bliss. She was obscenely warm, practically dripping with ripe sexuality.
Like a starving man placed before a banquet table, he gorged on every corner of the woman’s memory. It was all there for the taking, her likes and dislikes, her blackest fears, her scarlet fantasies, the multicolored experiences that had shaped her mayfly life. Not since Mercy’s awakening femininity had first called him to this place had he sensed so much potential in one essence.
He reveled in her neon exhilaration as she gyrated her scantily-clothed body for leering men. He luxuriated in her indigo shame as she pulled herself up from the floor with a throbbing cheek to watch a man she both loved and hated striding from her dwelling. Going deeper, he found her as a skinny child running down a hard gray road, tears streaking her face and anger burning in her heart. Her will hardened with a vow never to let a man victimize her the way she’d witnessed a man victimize her mother.
Strongest of all was a soul-deep thirst to be loved, truly loved, by a man.
He shivered in anticipation as he designed the perfect seduction for her.
Dream for me, my scarlet beauty. Dream and feed me.
Chapter Five
Jade woke up at an ungodly seven in the morning. Guess that’s what happens when a girl goes to bed at ten.
Her new bedroom was pitch black, thanks to drapes so heavy they could double as upholstery. When she stretched for the bedside lamp, she felt oddly stiff as though she’d danced a double shift the night before. She yawned and a feverish moan slid out at the end. She snapped her mouth shut. It had been an utterly satisfied, morning-after sound.
“Weird.”
She blinked herself more awake before attempting the much-needed trek to the bathroom. As soon as she stood up, she said, “No way. Uh-uh. Not possible.” Her panties were soaked through, not with pee.
The dream she’d had last night came back to her, one lurid detail at a time. Her subconscious must have been dwelling on her talk with Brad, because he’d played the starring role. Dream Brad hadn’t hit her yet. He’d been the totally hot, sleepy-eyed guy who had made her toes curl with the best sex she’d ever had the night they’d met. In the dream, she relived that first night with a few alterations. In reality, she’d had to talk him into using a condom, and he’d called her Mary when he came, but Dream Brad looked deep into her eyes as he took her passionately. He told her he wanted only her. He vowed he would never hurt her, and in the dream, she believed him.
It had been amazing. But it had all been a lie. It was all in her head. No man had ever made her feel as safe and cherished as Dream Brad had. And no man ever would. Men like Dream Brad didn’t exist.
“Stupid subconscious.”
She muttered curses under her breath as she showered and dressed. A few choice words slipped out while she ate her blueberry-topped oatmeal, too. She couldn’t believe she’d had a wet dream about Brad. That asshole didn’t deserve her, not in his dreams, and especially not in hers.
The gong of the doorbell interrupted her as she stood at the sink, washing her bowl and coffee cup. She padded to the door in her bare feet and rubber gloves, expecting to see Betty McIntyre on the sun porch, because no one else knew she was here. As soon as she entered the front hall, she knew it wasn’t Betty on the other side of the door.
Full-length windows stood to both sides of the front door. Perfectly framed by the left-hand window was a guy so hot she thought for a second she was still dreaming. Dark jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt hugged his athletic frame. A sweep of honey-blond hair topped his tanned and chiseled Abercrombie & Fitch face.
She shucked the gloves and tucked them in the back pocket of her low-rise jeans. Glad she’d covered her bruise and made an effort to dress cute this morning, she opened the door with an inquisitive smile. The guy was even hotter without a pane of glass between them. “Can I help you, handsome?”
Gorgeous blue eyes dropped to take in her jeans and the cropped tee that showcased her bellybutton piercing. The guy’s gaze snapped back to her face, barely touching on her breasts.
Points for gentlemanly behavior.
He flashed a dimple at her, cleared his throat, and said, “Hi, I’m Emmett Herald.”
Apparently, the gods of cute rebound guys had dropped a gift on her doorstep.
“Well, hello Emmett. I’m Jade.” She gave him her best flirty smile.
He swallowed and stared at her mouth.
Inside, she did a little victory dance. It had been a while since she’d made a guy speechless. “What can I do for you this morning, Emmett?” She repeated his name. Guys liked hearing their names on a pretty girl’s lips. It stroked their egos.
He shook his head and met her eyes. “Um, I’m with Herald and Son Lawn Service.”
She thought his voice sounded familiar. This was Friendly Voice Mail guy.
“Oh, hi. I guess you got my message yesterday.” Betty McIntyre had failed to mention that the lawn service employees could double as Chippendale dancers. Her gaze wandered from Mr. Adonis to the hedges separating the yard from the McIntyres’, but got sidetracked by the sight of an enormous, yellow street sweeping vehicle parked behind her Jetta.
Crap. Grandma Nina had told her the streets got swept on Tuesdays, so she should park in the driveway, but she’d totally fo
rgotten. She pressed the heel of her palm to her forehead.
“Can you hold on?” She jogged to the kitchen to get her keys. Coming back, she gave Emmett a little roll of her eyes as if to say, silly me. “I can’t believe I forgot to move my car. I better hurry before that guy decides to run it over.”
“I wouldn’t worry about it. I know the driver. He’s cool.”
She squinted to see through the vehicle’s windows and into the cab. “There’s no one in there. Wait.” She pinned Emmett with her gaze. “You’re the driver? But I thought you were with the lawn service.”
Two dimples now, and an eye-sparkling smile. “I am. I do the streets for the county, too, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. I also drive a Zamboni over in Rockingham County during hockey season.” Thumbs hooked in his pockets, he shrugged one well-defined shoulder. “I like driving big things.” It had all the modesty of a simple fact and all the shivery innuendo of a masterful come-on line.
Her heart went pitter-patter.
“So, you’re here this morning for…” She trailed off, letting her keys dangle from one finger.
“To assess your lawn care needs.” He pushed up his sleeves, displaying tanned, muscular forearms and the complete lack of a ring on his left hand. “Your house is on my route, so I thought I’d stop by and take a look. Mind if I take a walk around? I don’t have my estimate sheets on me, but I’ll give you an oral, if that’s okay.”
His choice of words gave her a start. She searched his face to determine if he meant it as a double entendre, but he was all innocence and sexy friendliness.
“Help yourself,” she said. “To the yard,” she added, turning a coy smile.
His eyes darkened, and his smile turned wolfish. He’d registered her flirting, and was making a mental adjustment to go with it. Impressive.
“You new to town?” he asked. His friendliness had heat to it now. “I thought an older lady lived here. I used to see her out watering the flower beds when I’d sweep.”
Her heart gave a squeeze of sadness. “That’s my grandmother. She’s in a nursing home now.” The high she always got from flirting fizzled out. Her keys bit into her palm, the ring heavier now that it had Grandma Nina’s house keys on it.
“Little Turnpike’s loss,” Emmett said. “She was a real looker. Bet she’s got all the old fellas trying to buy her bingo cards.”
She huffed a laugh. She should be getting started on her job hunt, and Emmett should probably be sweeping the street, but she found herself resting a shoulder against the doorjamb, settling in for a pleasant chat. “I think she’s already got her eye on a beau. Poor Fred Beltlinker won’t know what hits him once she gets up and walking again. Broken hip,” she added at his questioning look.
“That’s too bad. That why the lawn’s in such bad shape? This place used to be pristine. Green year-round, no dandelions, gorgeous redhead out working the flower beds in pastel track suits.”
She looked past him to the lawn. It hurt to remember how beautiful it had been this time last year. “It’s strange,” she said. “Grandma Nina seems so young to me. She plays games on her tablet and texts me all the time and watches the same shows as me, and, yeah, she’s a looker.” She grinned at Emmett. “But I think she’s been putting on a brave front lately, you know? I mean, I hate that she moved out, but she seems really relieved to be in a place where someone else is taking care of everything.” Jeez, something about this guy had knocked her guard completely down. She shouldn’t be sharing so much with someone she’d just met.
Straightening, she said, “So, yeah, help yourself to the lawn. I’ll be in here.”
Emmett’s face grew serious. “It sounds like she’s making the best of a tough situation. And she’s got you to help out, huh?”
She stared at him while her insides squirmed. It was almost like he was being nice just to be nice. She wasn’t used to that. Usually when people were nice, it was because they wanted something from her.
He saved her from having to figure out what to say next. “I’ll take a quick look around and knock when I’m done.” With a parting smile, he took off around the house.
She closed the door on the morning sunshine and the finest butt in all New England, wondering what, exactly, she might want from Emmett. His body and charm made her hormones sit up and take notice, but it had been a long time since she’d had a friend she could talk to so easily. Since boyfriends made shitty friends and friends didn’t get horizontal, she was going to have to pick which one she wanted Emmett to be.
One thing was certain, though. She wanted him to be something. She wasn’t exactly a solitary creature. If she didn’t get out and meet people, she’d be clawing at the wallpaper in no time. And Emmett was a mouthwatering mystery. One second she had him eating out of her palm. The next, he flipped the tables on her, making her feel like a blushing virgin.
Finishing her morning dishes at the sink put her looking out over the back lawn. Emmett was walking around the gazebo, hands on his hips, taking in the yard. His hair winked gold and bronze in the sunshine. The waffle-weave of his Henley hugged his broad shoulders, and his jeans fit snugly around powerful thighs. Fawn-colored lug-sole boots completed the masculine look.
God, he was attractive.
He made his way back up to the house, forehead creased in concentration, probably because he was calculating her estimate.
She slid open the door to the deck in welcome.
As he met her gaze, his face transformed. Concentration yielded to warm recognition. His smile took away her choice in the matter; it was inevitable. She was going to have her way with Emmett Herald.
They would have a date or two, hop in the sack, spend a few months digging each other, then lose interest and go their separate ways. She would just have to get her friend-fix wherever she ended up working.
“So, what’s the damage?” she asked as his boots thumped up the deck stairs.
Hooking his thumbs in his pockets, he summarized the pricing for the front yard only versus front and back together. He even gave a detailed estimate for a full-service fertilizing and mulching treatment, listing the steps it would take to get her lawn lush and green by October. It was all very professional, yet she couldn’t stop mentally undressing him.
She forced her attention to lawn care. The full treatment was tempting. A beautiful, green lawn like Grandma Nina had always kept would be nice, but she had to be careful with money until she knew what kind of job she’d be able to find.
“I don’t have a mower, so, how about just a quick trim front and back. I think I can manage the rest myself, since you were kind enough to let me know exactly what to do.”
“Oh, I see how it is. All right, all right. Quick trim it is. And maybe-” He held up a hand to intercept her teasing grin. “Maybe I’ll let you know what kind of seed and fertilizer to buy at the Agway if you let me take you to church on Sunday.”
Her brain made that sound like when a needle scratches a record. Mr. Adonis just invited her to church.
In her experience, church people could be categorized one of three ways. There was the eager and preachy model that liked to tell her she was going to hell with a smile on their face. She thought of them as scripture-quoting Golden Retrievers. Her freshman roommate had been one of those. There was the dour, judgmental model like old Mrs. Bagley, who lived down the hall from her friend and coworker, Maxi. Mrs. Bagley liked to tell her and Maxi they were going to hell, and she never did it with a smile. Then there were the fun ones who paid their dues on Sundays but did whatever they wanted the rest of the time. She didn’t mind them so much, but she didn’t get them. Why spend an hour every week feeling guilty about who you are?
Which model was Emmett? She would have pegged him as one of the fun ones, because there was no way a guy this sexy and flirty followed all the rules all the time, but the fun ones didn’t ask people to go to church with them. In fact, they usually got embarrassed if the topic of religion came up.
At her silence, his dim
ples disappeared and his eyes hardened like he was pissed at himself. But his voice was relaxed when he said, “Never mind.” He waved a dismissive hand. “My sister says I’ve always got my needle buried on friendly. You’re new in town, and here I am overwhelming you with invites. How about we just pick a time for me to do that quick trim?”
“Sure, yeah,” she said. Disappointment plucked at her stomach. So much for having her wicked way with him. He probably had all kinds of religious hang-ups about sex. Oh, he had it, she was sure, and he’d be damned good at it. But he probably felt guilty about it the next day. And if he knew she’d stripped to earn her way through school, he’d probably treat her differently. He would still hang out with her, but not around his church friends.
Ten minutes ago, she couldn’t decide whether to be friends or more with Emmett. Now it looked like neither option was in the cards. She wasn’t going to be anyone’s dirty secret or pet project.
On the bright side, she’d bet her prized pair of thrift shop Louboutins her flirty church boy was a shirts-off kind of mower. If all she could do was look, she was going to look her ass off. They settled on Thursday, and she began plotting how she would get her money’s worth out of Herald and Son Lawn Service.
*****
Emmett pulled the sweeper’s door shut and thumped his forehead on the steering wheel. “Gee, incredibly hot girl who I just met, wanna go to church with me? I’ll carry your Bible for you.”
What a dork. He should have asked her on a real date. Gorgeous Boston girl like her would probably like Billy Bob’s. The vibe was country-western, not the hip-hop she was probably used to, but there was pool and dancing. He’d have to be deaf, blind, and stupid to miss the fact she was flirting with him. She would have said yes.
Damn.
Now whenever she saw him, she’d think he was some kind of one-dimensional proselytizer. Even he got uncomfortable when they came knocking on his door. He wasn’t ashamed of his faith, but there was more to him than that. Unlike a lot of the folks he went to church with, he drank and cursed when the occasion called for it, and he loved loud, “worldly” music. He and the Lord got along fine while he did those things. After all, the Bible was filled with Christians dancing, feasting, and drinking wine. Christians should spend more time enjoying life and less time criticizing how others liked to have fun.
Passionate Kisses 2 Boxed Set: Love in Bloom Page 146