by Sandy Lynn
Chapter Three
Willow stretched her body, lazily enjoying the wonderfully stiff and sore feeling. She prayed the previous night had been real and not just some wet dream.
A hand slid up her leg as she stretched, renewing her confidence that what she’d felt had indeed been real.
Cracking one eye open, she saw the hottie from the bar. Smiling, she opened both eyes fully. The room was somewhat dark from the curtains, but she could see him clearly, thanks to a nearby lamp he must have cut on.
“Good morning,” she said, her voice sounding like a purr even to her own ears.
Seth looked enticing in his snug black jeans and white shirt. His hair was still damp, and combed back from his face, letting her know he had showered while she slept.
“Good morning. Did you sleep well?”
Nodding, Willow felt blood rush to her face as she remembered the things she had done the previous night. She began to chew on her lip.
“Ah, sweetheart, you do abuse that lip.” He leaned down and slid his thumb over her bottom lip before kissing her, sucking her lip into his mouth and soothing it by gliding his tongue across it.
“Mmmmm,” she moaned as she rose to meet him, kissing him back hungrily. His hand was wandering higher, up her thigh and hip to her waist. His fingers blazed a trail of molten desire everywhere they touched her bare flesh. They continued their trek to where the sheet was pulled high on her body, covering her breasts. She would have thought after the many orgasms she experienced the previous night, sex would be the last thing on her mind. She would have been wrong.
Pulling the sheet away from her, he let it fall to her waist. She watched his face while he stared at her. He appeared as though he couldn’t get enough of her, as if he were starving for another taste of her.
Smiling seductively, Seth spoke, his voice husky, “You look good enough to eat this morning.”
Willow felt her face grow warm with the memory of his mouth between her legs. “I should probably get up,” she murmured, but made no effort to shift any farther than to a sitting position.
“That’s up to you. You may stay in my bed for as long as you like.” Seth smiled at how easily she blushed. This blushing beauty acted different from the brazen lover of the night before, but was just as tempting. True, he had tasted the alcohol on her breath during their first kiss, but he had known she was not drunk. She’d been aware she was coming back to his place when they left the bar or he would never have taken advantage of her.
“Seth? Seth, are you in here?”
Willow moved with a speed that surprised him as she covered herself, blocking her beautiful body from his gaze when footsteps approached his bedroom.
He only barely suppressed a groan. Leave it to Jason to pick just the wrong time to stop by.
“Seth? Oh, there you are.” Jason paused, then sounded embarrassed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt anything.” Seth heard his friend quickly back out of the room and close the door.
“I should probably let you go,” Willow said, sitting a little straighter in the bed.
Unable to stop himself, Seth tuned in to her thoughts.
Not only should I let him go get to whatever business I interrupted last night, but Seth is probably only being polite, telling me I can stay as long as I want.
“I do not say things I do not mean, sweetheart,” he told Willow, automatically trying to reassure her. He was still unwilling to have her leave just yet. “Please believe if I wanted you to leave, you would not still be in my bed.”
Her surprise at his knowledge of her thoughts showed in her expression. As did her next question. She wanted to know how he knew what she was thinking.
“Your thoughts were written all over your face. And believe me, I would be more than happy to tell Jason that he will have to come back later so I can rejoin you in bed.” Leaning his head closer to her, Seth traced the curve of her neck with his tongue before his mouth met her flesh, kissing the spot his tongue had lingered on.
He couldn’t resist any longer. The small taste he’d had the night before only seemed to whet his appetite for her.
Carefully, so she couldn’t see him, Seth allowed his teeth to lengthen and graze gently against her flesh. When he bit her, she moaned deep in her throat. She twisted her fingers in his hair and held his head close while he suckled her neck. As he began to drink deeply, her head fell back, giving him more access to her. She didn’t seem to care if she walked away with a mark, or how dark it would be. Seth kneaded her breast, the feel of her silky skin against his palm increasing his enjoyment in the delicious taste of her blood.
Taking a quick look inside her mind, Seth remained only long enough to assure himself that her thoughts were filled with nothing but pleasure. His fingers found her nipple and grasped it between them. A deep moan left her, tempting him to tell Jason to fuck off so he could enjoy her sweet body once again.
Swirling his tongue against her skin as he gave one last suck, Seth closed the wound and cleaned away any lingering traces of blood. He held his head against her shoulder for a moment, feeling as though he’d just gotten drunk off of her.
“You are more temptation than one man should have,” he confessed huskily. He lowered his mouth to press a light kiss on the rosy nipple he’d teased as he drank from her.
“Why don’t you go take care of whatever business I’ve been keeping you from? As soon as I can make my legs work again, I’ll get up and take a shower.”
“I won’t be away for long,” he promised. Taking one final, lingering look at her body, he pulled the sheet back up around her, covering her from his gaze. Lifting her hand to his lips, he sucked a finger into his mouth, then placed a lasting kiss on the back of her knuckles. “We’ll finish this soon.”
Outside of his room, Seth hid in the darkness, watching her through a small crack he’d left when he didn’t shut the door fully. Another surge of pride and satisfaction filled him when Willow buried her head in his pillow and took a deep breath, seconds before she fell asleep.
“Jason, to what do I owe this pleasure?” he asked sarcastically as he emerged from the hallway.
“I told you last night I would be by today to finish discussing business with you. I’m not surprised you forgot. You seemed a bit…distracted.” Jason sat on the couch and began to open his folders.
“Then let’s hurry up and get it over with. I have a very pleasant lady to get back to.”
“Of course.” Jason pulled out the first paper. “A gentleman has made an offer for The Grunge. It’s very generous…more than the place will earn you in ten years.”
“I do not wish to sell it.”
“May I ask why?”
“No. I simply will not sell it and that is final.” Much like his beloved antiques, the small bar held a special place in Seth’s heart. Because of its emotional, rather than monetary, value. It had taken him a long time, but over the decades he’d cultivated that place into a safe haven. The patrons there knew they could truly be themselves. And without that bar, several of the small local bands would never have a live audience to practice in front of. He wouldn’t see it be turned into another parking garage or suave coffee shop.
“Are you sure you won’t reconsider selling the bar?” Jason tried one final time.
Holding back his irritation, Seth knew his friend was only trying to do his job to the best of his ability, but nothing would change his mind. “I’ll never change my mind about selling that particular bar. Tell him if he would like to negotiate for any other business I’d be happy to consider his offer. But not that one,” Seth stated firmly, leaving no doubt in the other man’s mind his decision was final.
For fifteen minutes he listened, completely bored, as Jason brought him up-to-date on any important happenings in his other businesses. His mind continued to return to the beautiful woman lying naked in his bed.
“I believe that about covers all of the business. Would you like me to drop your guest off somewhere?” Jas
on gathered the papers into a neat stack before he returned them to his folder.
“No,” Seth replied, practically growling. “She will stay here for the moment. When she desires to leave, I will take her home.”
“Are you sure that’s a wise choice?”
Seth’s eyes narrowed. He didn’t want to think about Jason being left alone with Willow. She was so tempting, so hard to resist. And he’d hate to ruin their friendship by ripping Jason’s head from his body.
“We’ve been friends forever, hell I’ve known you my whole life. I don’t want you to do anything reckless.” Now that business was finished, Jason had slipped back into their more usual light and friendly banter.
“I know what I’m doing. I’ll be all right.” Seth had to force himself to relax and forget about the vicious thoughts from a few seconds earlier.
“Just be careful until dark.”
“Yes, Mother,” Seth told his friend in a bored voice.
“I guess I’ll let you go so that you can get back to whatever it was you were doing with your guest.” When Seth opened his mouth, as if to say something, Jason quickly added, “And believe me, I really don’t want to know anything about it.” He headed for the elevator doors, shaking his head as he entered and pushed a button. “Because that would just be disturbing and gross, like walking in on your parents having sex.” Jason shuddered.
Seth couldn’t help but laugh at his friend. He was a nearly eight-hundred-year-old vampire, and Jason wasn’t thirty yet. But the substantial difference in their ages didn’t stop Jason from acting like a mother hen at times. Other times he acted as though he were Seth’s own child. Seth couldn’t decide which attitude frustrated him more. Or which he found more amusing.
As Seth watched the elevator doors close, he waved. He would be forever grateful for the young man and his family. Every member of Jason’s family knew the truth about him. Some of the very few humans to know about his race, they’d helped throw off any suspicions about him many times, often acting as though he were a son no one knew about—or some distant cousin—and helping him blend in. Hell, with help from them, he had been able to convince people he was his own child more times than he cared to admit.
Seth shook his head. He’d had a lonely existence for too long. If not for Jason and his family, he would have gone insane centuries ago. But of all the humans who had helped him over the years, Seth knew he would miss Jason the most when his time on this earth was over. He was tempted to change him, but refused to be selfish. When—or if—Jason ever asked, Seth would gladly grant the man’s request. But it had to be Jason’s decision. Seth wouldn’t coerce him or guilt him into changing merely so he would have company throughout the ages.
Walking over to the control panel he had discreetly hidden in a secret section of the wall, Seth pressed a series of buttons, locking the elevator. Until he unlocked it, the entire floor was blocked. Not even the few people with a key would be able to access his home. Continuing to lock up, he walked over to the mandatory door leading into the stairwell and barred that as well. This was his most vulnerable time—when the sun rose high across the sky.
Smiling, he returned to the hallway leading to his bedroom. All thoughts of loneliness and melancholy left him as his guest’s scent drifted up to meet him. Willow’s small form was stretched out, spread from one corner to the other at both her head and feet. It was a sight he was sure would make any man’s mouth water, and he was no exception.
Moving to the foot of the bed, he gave one tug and the sheet covering her body fell away. His gaze traveled her body, devouring every curve as both his lust and his hunger began to stir yet again. He could practically hear her moans in his ear as her nipples hardened from the slight chill in his room. Sitting on the bed, he stripped off his clothes before leaning over and placing a kiss on her thigh. Unable to stop there, he shifted his position. Lowering himself, he began at her ankle and proceeded to kiss his way up her leg.
Willow sighed with pleasure in her sleep as Seth continued to tease a path higher, until he reached the soft flesh connecting leg to torso. Leaning down, he placed a lingering kiss on the flesh, allowing his tongue to glide over her skin. When he grazed her with his teeth she spread her legs apart, bending the knee and pulling it higher, to give him better access to her.
Seth transferred his attention to the patch of golden curls between her legs. As he scattered kisses above the curls, she let out a sound similar to disappointment.
“What do you want from me, sweetheart?” He was careful to keep his voice low and seductive. He made sure not to put any influence in it; he wanted to know just what she wanted from him as she hovered between sleep and wakefulness.
Willow repositioned her leg again. Dipping his head back down to the smooth juncture, she once again sighed with pleasure. She even reached down, one hand coming to rest lightly on the back of his head. Seth teased her flesh, tracing ancient symbols onto her body. When his teeth grazed against her skin again, she pressed herself up, closer to his mouth.
Intrigued, he took the opportunity to nibble on her, pleased when he heard a moan come out of her mouth. Moving his mouth over her flesh, he paused. Beneath his lips, and tongue as he pressed it against her body, he could feel the blood surging through the vein, teasing him.
She tasted so intoxicating earlier… Seth knew he shouldn’t drink from her again, especially not this soon, but had a hard time controlling himself.
Nibbling on the area again, this time biting a little harder, he was rewarded with another moan as her body pressed up against him. Willow twisted her hand into his hair. He gave in to the temptation, to the unspoken, unconscious request she was making.
Seth lost control of himself as her other hand joined with the first, tangling in his hair and holding him tightly against her. His teeth lengthened, sinking easily into the vein that had teased him seconds earlier. He fought to keep his mouth gentle, but drank greedily from her, unable to get enough of her taste.
As he drank, Willow stirred on the bed, her hips lifting restlessly. He could tell the minute she woke, but continued to gently drink from her.
“Oh my.” She moaned, beginning to buck her hips underneath him, despite the fact that he had yet to touch her dripping slit with even the barest of caresses.
“What are you doing to me?” Willow asked breathlessly. She was lifting her hips as though he were thrusting into her. She increased the pace of her movements as her fingers formed claws, digging into his scalp with her pleasure. Just as he was about to withdraw his teeth from her body, Willow screamed out, trembling in the aftermath of an orgasm.
With a smooth flick of his tongue, he easily closed the small holes in her skin, but nothing would hide the deep purple mark made by his sucking. It was the only telling sign that he’d drank from her body.
Climbing up on the bed beside her, he lay down, pulling her close to him, her back pressing into his chest. His hands roamed on her body, teasing her nipples and caressing her breasts. He nibbled on her shoulder as he moved his hand, seeking her wet pussy. He tugged her clit, causing her to moan and lean back, pressing tighter against him.
Dipping his fingers into her, he moaned at how wet she was as she surrounded his digits. Lifting her leg, she bent it at the knee, giving him better access to her body.
Seth removed his fingers from her pussy and positioned his hard cock at her dripping entrance. With one hard thrust he was buried completely inside her. His eyes closed and rolled up slightly at just how wonderful she felt wrapped around him. How perfectly they fit together.
“Gods, sweetheart, you’re so wet, so tight…” He nibbled on her shoulder. It was a struggle to keep his teeth from lengthening once again. The sane part of his brain warned that to drink from her again this soon would endanger her life. No matter how tempted he was to make her his permanent companion at the moment, he refused to be selfish. Several times in the past he’d been tempted to change a lover, but in the end had been glad he refrained. And for so
me reason, he didn’t want to change her without her knowledge—or consent. But now was not the time to dwell on those thoughts.
Willow moaned again as he began to thrust inside of her, stopping any more thoughts from entering his mind. She reached one hand behind her to dig her nails into his hip, encouraging him.
He continued thrusting with deep, patient strokes he knew were driving her wild. He moved one hand to tease her breast for a moment before lowering it and playing with her clit, rubbing tight circles around it as he enjoyed the increase in her moans.
Still stroking her, he increased the speed of his thrusts to match the rhythm of his fingers. Willow’s breath caught, and she let out a deep moan. He gave in to temptation. Gently biting the curve of her shoulder, he was careful not to allow his teeth to lengthen.
Her body tightened around him and he pinched her clit, tugging it between his thumb and forefinger, sending her over the edge. She shouted out his name and God’s as her entire body trembled around him. Growling into her flesh, he was helpless as her pussy’s milking contractions again tore away his control.