Midas Touch (The Hollows Book 1)

by Penny Cavan

  “You assume that I’ll move in with you?” she asked, setting her bundle down on a deep windowsill. She unfolded the nightdress and set a few things down on a small table before taking off the loose sweater he had been wearing. I groaned again when I saw that the dress she had been wearing today was mostly backless. It tied behind her neck and then the material swept down her side before coming together with buttons from the small of her back around the curve of her ass. She pulled her long hair over one shoulder and untied the strings, letting the dress slide down her shoulders slightly. I walked over and stopped her hands from unbuttoning the bottom.

  “If you wear a dress like this,” I said next to her ear, “and then start to take it off with all of this facing me,” I ran my hands down her back, my fingers wrapping around her sides under the material, “you’re moving in.” She moaned as my knuckles brushed against her skin as I slid the first button from its hole. I moved down the lines, punctuating each one with a kiss on the skin where her neck met her shoulder. “You like my bed, and if you’re in it every night, I can touch you like this.” I slid my hands back up her sides and pushed the dress to the floor as I wrapped the around to cup her breasts. I pinched her nipples, and she moaned, one arm coming up to wrap her fingers in my hair. I chuckled and moved my hands down, smoothing her silky skin.

  I wrapped my hands around her hips, grinding myself against her ass. Her skin was so soft. I fingered the edge of the lace panties she wore, teasing her, and she reached down and grabbed my hand. She spun in my arms so that her breasts were pressed against my front and looked me in the eye as she slowly undid the buttons on my shirt. When it was hanging open, she ran a finger down my chest. “I didn’t get to finish earlier,” she said, kneeling. I could only watch as she undid my belt and pants. She nuzzled my cock through the boxers that I wore. “These are in my way.” With two fingers, she carefully pulled my boxers over my cock and pushed them all down. One hand wrapped around my cock and I groaned. “Did you enjoy what I did this morning, Midas?”

  “You have to ask?” I said, looking down at her. “Then let me be very clear. I have never enjoyed anything more than this morning.”

  “So, you liked it when I licked you like this?” Her tongue trailed from the base of my cock to the top and I shuddered. “What about when I did this?” she slowly slid her mouth down my cock, her tongue circling the tip. My whole body collapsed slightly, and I reached out to brace myself against the wall.

  “Harlow,” I groaned. My free hand wrapped her hair in one fist as a bucked my hips into her mouth. She gagged for a moment then braced herself against my thighs. She sucked my cock deep, making me gasp and tighten my grip in her hair. “Harlow, stop.” She looked up at me and wrapped her hand around my cock.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked.

  “Nothing,” I said, leaning down to lift her to her feet. “I just want you on my bed.” I her around the waist, lifting her to walk the few steps to my bed. She threw back her head and laughed, giggling as she bounced slightly when I threw her on the bed. She looked like an angel with her hair spread against the pillows. She rolled on to one side and reached for my cock with one hand, and I stepped back. “I want to look at you.” She blushed slightly and grinned wickedly. She laid back, letting her legs fall open. Her hands cupped her breasts, squeezing slightly. One finger circled a nipple, teasing it to a point as her other hand slid down and into her panties. She sighed out a breath and dropped her head. “These are in the way,” I said, kneeling on the side of the bed and pulling her panties down. Now I could see that she had one finger running up and down her pussy. I brought the panties to my face and took a deep breath. Oranges and vanilla and something that was uniquely Harlow. I tossed them over to the table on my side of the bed. I watched as she slid two fingers into her pussy, pumping them and getting them wet before bringing them up to circle her clit.

  “Let me,” I said, moving her hand from her pussy. I slid one of her fingers into my mouth, tasting her for the first time. I groaned. It was sweet and tangy, and better than anything I had tasted before. I met her eyes and grinned as I lowered my head, breathing her in. I licked gently against the opening of her pussy, and she groaned. My tongue circled a small nib that I found, and she cried out. I grinned. This was going to be fun. I licked again, enjoying the wetness, then sucked on her clit, making her arch her back and fist the blankets. I grinned and slid a finger in, her pussy tightening around it and making her moan again. She gripped my hair and ground her hips against my mouth. She wasn’t a quiet, undemanding lover, and I loved it. I chuckled and she whined at the feeling.

  I slipped another finger in, stretching her a little further. I took my mouth off her for a moment to look up, amazed at what I saw. Her skin was flushed from her tits to her cheeks, and her back was still arched as she tried to catch her breath. I turned my fingers, brushing against a spot on the top of her pussy that had her clenching her muscles and hissing out a breath. I brushed against it again. “Midas, please,” she panted, picking her head up and looking at me with glazed eyes. Her lips were red and swollen where she had been biting them.

  “Please what?” I asked with a knowing grin, brushing my fingers across the spot on the inside of her pussy while moving my thumb to press against her clit. She stopped breathing for half a second before pulling on my hair to bring it back to her pussy.

  “Make me cum,” she growled, arching her hips to my mouth. I laughed and nipped lightly at her pussy, pulling her hand from my hair and pinning her hands to one of her hips. I wrapped my lips around her clit and sucked, sliding two fingers back in to rub relentlessly against the spot I had found in her pussy. She was so wet that there was barely any friction, so I added a third finger. Her breathing caught and froze as she arched up. Her fingers squeezed tightly around my fingers almost pushing them out. I let her hands go and slid my fingers out, watching her pant as I tasted her cum. She was the most amazing thing I’d ever seen, and here she was, spread out across my pillows. She might actually taste sweeter than chocolate chip cookies, I thought with a chuckle as I moved to kiss up her stomach. She murmured something, not bothering to lift her head or open her eyes.

  “We’re just getting started, Sweetheart,” I said against one of her nipples, sucking on it quickly. She laughed, a deep throaty sound, and looked at me through her lashes. “Don’t tell me you’re tired?”

  “I might need a minute,” she panted, bringing one arm around her head.

  “Now, where would the fun be in that?” I asked wickedly, lining my cock up with her pussy. Her lips curved slightly and her eyes slid shut as I ran the head of my cock up and down her opening. She was so wet that every stroke had the tip sliding further in, and her tits trembled every time I brushed her clit.

  “Do it,” she ordered on a moan.

  “As my lady wishes,” I said, finally kissing her as I jerked my hips forward and slid my cock deep in her pussy. She spasmed around me and I hissed at the feeling of her wetness around me. I couldn’t imagine anything that could feel better than this. I slid in and out, already feeling the pressure building in my cock. I moved to her other nipple, sucking it into my life and gently biting the tip. She squeezed against my cock and I froze, panting. I didn’t want to cum this fast. She rocked her hips against mine, and I groaned. I couldn’t stop myself as I pumped into her, the pressure building. I froze, groaning, and felt my cum jetting inside her. I collapsed down, my head at Harlow’s shoulder. I didn’t want to pull myself from her, rolling onto my side and pulling her with me.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Harlow

  Midas was awake before I was the next morning. I groaned at him briefly and he chuckled and kissed my forehead, telling me to go back to sleep. I happily complied, stretching across the bed. When I finally woke up, it was because the sun was streaming in through the window and directly into my face.

  There was also something purring in my ear.

  I turned my head without moving my body and smiled wh
en I saw a ball of fluff curled up on the pillow next to me. I reached up to pet the cat, admiring her soft fur. “So, it looks like Nigel caught you, huh?” I asked. She opened one eye for half a second, then closed it again, stretching so that her head was closer to my hand. I laughed softly. “Do you think that I should get up?” She settled deeper into her pillow. I slid out of bed and found my hairbrush where I had left it on the windowsill the night before. I started to brush the ends of my hair as I walked over to Midas’s dresser, but stopped when I saw my reflection in the mirror. I had forgotten what multiple rounds of sex could do to my hair. This was going to take a stronger tool than my hairbrush. I slipped into one of Midas’s shirts and strode to the room that had been mine, leaving the door open for the cat to get out if she wanted to.

  “Oh, hello,” I said in surprise when I found two young women in the room. They bobbed quick curtsies and I waved them off. “Don’t mind me,” I said, heading to the closet. “I just came to grab a change of clothes and my comb.” I grabbed a pair of tight leggings and a long, loose shirt. A stop in the bathroom yielded my comb, a bottle of hair oil that Meg had given me, and a band to tie my hair back with. I changed my clothes, and headed back into the main room, holding Midas’s shirt in one hand.

  “Just leave that with us, ma’am,” said the girl with dark, curling hair. “We’re moving your belongings to the master bedroom so we can return it for you.”

  “Thank you,” I told her with a smile. “What’s your name?”

  “I’m Katie,” she said, then nodded to the other girl, who waved. “That’s Maggie. If you need anything, please let one of us know.” I nodded and wandered towards the kitchen.

  “Good morning, Harlow!” Ameliya called through the door. She was out in the garden, gathering vegetables. She stood, brushing dirt from her skirt, and picked up her basket. “Midas said that you would be down later. He had quite the appetite this morning.” I blushed scarlet. She had a wicked gleam in her eyes as she set the basket down on the counter. “Why don’t you have a seat and I’ll get you some breakfast. What is going on with your hair?”

  I blushed, sitting at the table. “I just haven’t combed it yet,” I told her, pouring a little bit of the oil into my hands. I rubbed it between my palms to coat them evenly, then ran my fingers through what I could of my hair. Once I’d spread it to what wasn’t tangled, I took the comb and started at the bottom to detangle it. “I am pretty hungry. What time did Midas come down?”

  “A few hours ago,” she said, setting a flat pan on the stove. She quickly scrambled some eggs and added them to butter in the bottom of the pan. “He’s been sequestered in his office with Nigel for the last hour.”

  “Do they do that often?” I asked, moving to another section of hair.

  “Whenever Midas works from home, he doesn’t like to be bothered,” she said with a shrug. “I don’t think that he would mind if you disturbed him.”

  “Ameliya,” I said chidingly.

  “Oh, let an old woman have some fun,” she said, sliding eggs and bacon onto a plate and bringing it over to me. “I’ve never seen him as happy as I have this morning.” I rolled my eyes and took my plate. Ameliya poured two glasses of fruit juice and came over to sit with me.

  “I am not giving you details,” I warned her.

  “That boy is like a son to me. I don’t want them,” she said with a shudder. “What I do want to know is what your intentions with my boy are.” I paused with my fork halfway to my mouth.

  “My intentions?” I asked.

  “Yes. Do you plan to stay?”

  “Ameliya, I don’t know.” I ate a bit of food, thinking. “He says that we’re a team, but he’s known me for three days. How does anyone know what their future holds in so short a time?”

  “Ah, but you forget these boys. They have one chance at a happy family. When they decide on someone, they’re decided.” She patted my hand. “It’s all up to you now, dear. What are you thinking?”

  “I won’t give up on the Hollows,” I said resolutely. “I’ve fought for their cause my whole life. They’re my people.” I looked down at my plate. I’d eaten nearly all of it without noticing. I must have been hungrier than I had thought. “I don’t know that he’ll be okay with that.”

  “Have you asked him?” I looked up at her.

  “Well, no. I haven’t seen him yet this morning. But why do I have to make such a big decision as my future at the breakfast table?”

  “You don’t, I suppose,” she said with a sigh. “I’m just a nosy old woman. Take your time to think. Just leave your dishes when you’re done.” She went to the counter and began to wash her vegetables, leaving me to finish my breakfast in quiet contemplation. It wasn’t nearly as peaceful as it sounded. What did I want?

  I didn’t head to Midas’s office when I was finished, but instead wandered to the library. This place was already comfortable for all that you could fit all of Meg’s employees in here and still have room for more. I ran my fingers along a polished wooden shelf. Could this be my life? Did I want it to be? I sighed and moved to the terrace, settling in a chair and staring at the grounds.

  That was where Midas found me a few hours later. “There you are,” he said, dropping a kiss on my head and pulling a chair up next to me. I flashed a quick smile.

  “How was your morning?” I asked.

  “Productive. Nigel has been researching within the companies to weed out any bad managers that are causing issues for employees.” He leaned back and folded his hands behind his head. “He hasn’t found many, but still more than I’d like. We’ve been trying to decide what the best course of action for each situation is. What about yours?”

  I smiled, thinking of how I had woken up. “I’m afraid you may have to sleep in my old room,” I said. “I woke up to a certain girl who had stolen your pillow.” Midas threw his head back and laughed.

  “Yes, Nigel found her,” he said, pulling off his gloves. “The girl had the gall to have kittens in my vault. Do you know how long it took to clean that up?” I rolled my eyes. Men. Always thinking of the mess involved. “The kittens were adorable though.”

  “Did you name her?” I asked, half turning in my chair.

  “No. I wasn’t planning on keeping her, so I didn’t name her. In fact, she was a bit of a pest breaking into the vault over and over again.”

  “How did she break in?” I asked.

  “Taking notes for your next adventure?” he asked with a raised eyebrow. I pushed his shoulder away and he chuckled. “There’s a small air vent from when the vault was in construction,” he told me. “The entrance is magically hidden to humans, but apparently not to cat eyes. She was getting in and out and I couldn’t find a way to keep her out. You can name her whatever you want.”

  “I’ll have to think about it,” I said, turning back to the yard. “Midas, what am I going to do all day?” I asked, pulling my knees to my chest.

  “Whatever you want,” he said. “Why?”

  “Ameliya was quite the interrogator this morning,” I started with a sigh.

  “Say no more. Harlow, look at me.” I turned to him. “I want you because I like your spirit. You say exactly what you mean. You can have whatever you want out of your life.”

  I shook my wrist where the bangle was. “How am I supposed to help the Hollows if I can’t get more than six feet away from you? I can’t see you coming with me on rescue missions.”

  He smiled. “I told you that the bracelet had changed over time. As trust grows between the wearer and the one who put it on them, the distance gets greater and greater. Eventually, it’s not bound by distance. My father and mother were often hundreds of miles apart when I was a child. He would travel for work, and she would work with charities.”

  “So eventually, I’ll be able to go out on my own? See Meg, and Arida and her girls?” I asked.

  “Of course. And I’ll take you to see them whenever you want me too.” He stood. “Don’t put too much in what Ameliya said,
Harlow. She’s been lonely the last few years since the groundskeeper died.”

  The next one to find me was the cat. She came striding out on the porch like she owned the world, just like every cat I had ever known before. She paused and looked at me with golden eyes. “Are you going to judge me too, little girl?” I asked her, and she meowed at me. She continued on to jump on the thick rail at the edge of the terrace. I stood and leaned beside her. “It’s your kingdom.” I gestured to the gardens. “I think you’ll fit right in. I’m still not sure I do.” She butted her head into my arm. “What? You think I do? But we just met this morning, how would you know?” She headbutted me again, a little stronger. “Fine. I’ll pet you, but you’re not great at this advice thing.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Midas

  I found Ameliya in the kitchen chopping vegetables. She didn’t look up when I came in, but she always knew when someone was in her kitchen. I waited for her to acknowledge me.

  “She’s good for you,” she said, using the knife to push the carrots into a bowl before grabbing some green onions to add. “She makes you laugh.”

  “I know, but we have to tread carefully with her,” I said gently. “Ameliya, she was orphaned as a child. She was raised on the streets. If we make her feel like she doesn’t have the same freedom that she does on the streets, she’ll leave.” I sat at the counter and watched her.

  “I didn’t mean any harm,” she said with a heavy sigh.

  “I know,” I said again. “I think she’s coming around.” She looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

  “My mother always said that the best way to keep a man was to keep him happy in bed. I’ll bet it works for a woman too,” she said slyly.