by Grey, T. A.
“Do you want my cock inside of you, Ari?”
A hard pang throbbed inside her at his question, but she shook her head. He chuckled, the sound deep and husky.
“Don't lie to me. You're so wet you're practically dripping.”
Another blush blew over her, flaming her face, but she didn't look away. Instead she pursed her lips and glared at him until she saw the laughter floating in his gaze.
“Sit up, Ari.” She did. If it meant reaching that incredible precipice with him again, she'd do anything. “Now touch me.”
She froze, her fingers twitching, palms itching. She knew exactly what he meant, and she did want to do it. She wanted to know what he felt like in her hand, but she had no clue how. It didn't matter though because he took her hand and wrapped her fingers around his shaft.
Some internal, feminine response inside her made her moan at the feel of him. He was hard, thick, and long but soft as velvet. His breathing stuttered as she trailed her hand up and down him feeling the soft skin glide along her palm.
He growled then wrapped his hand around her neck and brought her in for a kiss. He kissed like a man out of control. Her reckless spirit jumped up and down that she’d made him feel so. That she’d done this to him. His tongue thrust into her mouth and she moaned as more wetness spilled between her legs. Touching his shaft and feeling his thick tongue thrusting inside her mouth created a heady sensation. Made her think wild thoughts about what it would be like to have that shaft between her lips.
He tore his mouth away and buried his face in her neck. The touch came, surprising, but sure.
A hot palm cupped her between her legs, fingers sliding, gliding across her wet flesh in stroking moves. He sucked at her neck, pulling her skin between his teeth until she shivered beneath him.
“Keep stroking me,” he growled, his words so low she barely heard him.
She followed his order and forced her hand to move up and down like she'd seen him do. But it wasn't enough and she needed to be closer to him, so she wrapped her free hand around his neck and held him close. He must have liked it because he groaned and bit her earlobe.
The hand between her legs parted her folds then circled her needy bud again and again, the touch light and gentle. It didn't matter; she quivered like a freezing woman. But she felt anything but cold, far from it. She burned inside, perspiration coated her skin from the heat of it. He slid his fingers along her, so easily from her wetness. Yet he wasn't embarrassed about it, in fact, he seemed to like it.
“Sweet, sweet woman.”
When his fingers trailed around her entrance, the place where no man had ever taken her, she tensed, her fist clasping him tightly. Another deep soul-shaking groan left him as he slowly, carefully, eased a finger inside of her.
She cried out, little moans coming again and again as she took in the sensations. It felt good, amazing, her flesh enclosed around him as he slid his finger out and back in again in a rocking motion. Her whole body loved it, wanted more of it, because while it brought something powerful out inside her, the empty ache inside her throbbed deeper. In a place where his finger couldn't reach.
“Touch me,” he demanded and his hand came up to cup the back of her head, threading through her hair and probably ruining the work she'd put into it today. But none of that mattered in the least because his thick finger pumped inside her again and again making her pant like a dog.
She moved her fist as her own passion went wild. Her grip tightened and her strokes came faster. It was as if through the pleasure she received she could give it back to him mindlessly. A sticky wetness covered her fingers, wetting them and she didn't know what it was, but it excited her.
The arm around his neck tightened, her breathing came in loud pants as her eyes squeezed closed. The finger inside her became two and she kicked out her legs, wrapping them around his thighs so she could rock her hips against him. His breathing stuttered against her neck as he came back at her mouth to claim her again.
She was lost in him. In his tongue dancing in her mouth, the hot rigid flesh in her hand, the tortuous pleasure he stirred between her legs. She must look like some kind of animal clinging to him, making gaudy noises, but she didn’t care at all. She only wanted one thing.
His palm flattened against her sex and began squeezing against her as his fingers worked—in and out, in and out. Pump, pump, squeeze.
The pleasure rose inside her like a great wave. Moans and gasps cried out from her throat and her hand worked him up and down, faster, faster. He kissed her harder and she knew they were both on the same wave length, riding the rising tide together.
And when it peaked, her entire body froze for a long moment, everything blanking, time seeming to stand still. Then it all came rushing back down in a great heave. She screamed as crushing pleasure exploded inside her. His lips pulled back and he shouted, the stiff member in her hand pumping, growing thicker, getting much hotter, and then warm wet splashes landed on her waist, her hip.
The fingers inside her slowed until they barely moved. Alrik breathed in ragged, jarring breaths just like she did.
He pulled away slowly and looked down at her legs. She followed his gaze. One brow flew up at the white substance covering parts of her hip to the thatch of hair between her legs. She reached out and touched it, finding it warm, creamy, and a little sticky.
His hands stroked up her thighs and hips. “Perfect.” She didn't reply because his voice sounded far away like an afterthought.
He pulled a white kerchief out of his pocket and wiped the substance off her stomach. After, he helped her to stand and let the dress fall down around her. As she leaned heavily against the table, her legs not quite stable yet, she watched him pull up his pants and tie them. She had to hold the top of her dress together. The table was littered with the small buttons that had held the back of the dress together.
A chill ran over her at his distant expression. She didn't know what to expect in regards to him with anything. Was he going to peck her forehead and bid her farewell now? Then call upon her when his need arose? Bitterness filled her, anger made her stiffen. If that was the case...then he'd be sorry.
He finished dressing then looked at her. Shock resonated through her core. His eyes...they looked almost violet like they used to. He cupped her cheek, his thumb rubbing her. She swallowed hard and when he leaned down to kiss her, she savored it.
CHAPTER 22
Kearnyn took the company's bulletproof SUV over to Rosa's shop. The drive was short and with each mile closer he forgot about Telal and his problems and grew antsy with excitement.
It was nearly seven in the morning by time he reached her shop. He pulled his SUV to the curb and knocked on her door in the next second. He hadn't seen her in a while. Hell, he missed her. He was practically begging to be rejected and hurt by the beauty, but he didn’t care. It'd be worth the burn.
A dark, oval face appeared in the door's window and then the door opened. Rosa looked fresh and warm wearing a long dress with full sleeves in black.
“Rosa.” She looked amazing. He wanted to know everything about her until he knew her from the inside out.
With a hesitant smile, she turned the closed sign on the door to open and made room for him to enter. “Starting early today, huh?”
He loved how she spoke. All smooth tones and rolling syllables. He'd love it if she spoke her natural language to him. Shit, his dick hardened at the thought. Yeah, he'd like that a bit too much.
“Yeah, my earlier plans were canceled.” You could say that again, he thought wryly.
“Oh?” she inquired.
He followed her back through the beaded partition and into the work room. “Yeah.” He left it at that. Telal's business wasn't anybody else's.
Rosa got to work immediately. “Do you know if Lily got home safely yesterday?” She asked the question as if she wasn't sure how much he knew about the whole thing.
“Yeah, she and Telal got out of there. Don't know much else about i
t yet.” Not that he'd tell her, but it’d be damn hard for him to deny her. Man, he was being a total sap. All these crazy thoughts for a woman he'd barely talked to.
“I tried calling her this morning but she didn't answer.”
“Long night, heavy sleep I'm sure.”
“Yeah that must be it.” She didn't sound certain.
“I can have a guard check in on her if you'd like.”
She looked at him with wide, relieved eyes. Beautiful brown eyes. “Would you please? That'd mean a lot to me.”
He was up on his feet and in the next room ordering the call in the next second. Kearnyn finished and came back to take a seat but paused. The small child’s chair was gone and in its place was a sturdy wooden one. His lips curled up in a smile as he sat down. He sighed. It fit perfectly. She kept her eyes averted from him. He had the feeling she'd be embarrassed if he thanked her, so he kept his trap shut. The fact that she was concerned over his comfort now didn’t escape his notice.
Ten minutes later he received a text message. “Ms. Bellum is alive and well.”
“Oh, good. She's always getting into trouble.”
“And you're not?”
She seemed taken aback by the personal question. He'd have to tone it down; she was a shy one. “No, not at all. I keep to myself, quiet and busy.” After a moment of enspelling a weapon she grabbed another and started working on it. “So, where are you from?” she asked quietly.
Kearnyn smiled. He always felt good talking about his homeland. “Ireland.”
“I've never been,” she admitted.
“I'd love to take you sometime.” His voice deepened at the thought of her in his homeland. He could easily picture her there, lying in a sea of golden-samphire and blue-eyed-grass. She'd look lovely spread naked across it. His thoughts instantly derailed. Masking a groan, he fidgeted as his cock tried to stand up in his jeans.
“You have a lovely accent,” she said after a minute, her cheeks deepening with color.
“As do you.”
Her lips curled up in a semblance of a smile. He wanted to stand up and cheer that he'd made her do that or beat his chest like a preening gorilla. God, he was a beast.
Kearnyn waited for another three hours before he brought up what had been swirling around inside him. He waited until she made a cup of hot tea and sat down for a break.
“Are you ready?”
Her eyes widened. “For what?”
“To go out with me.”
She visibly swallowed. The teacup clinked along the saucer as she slowly placed it upon the table in front of her. “W-where are we going?”
“To lunch or breakfast. Whichever you prefer.”
“I'll have to get ready.”
He thought she looked amazing already but whatever. “Take your time.” Which really meant, I hope this doesn't take an hour. He wanted to feed her.
She came back in five wearing a pair of jeans that were neither too tight nor too loose and a plain white t-shirt.
“Why'd you change?” She still looked amazing. Just less witchy.
She shrugged and gathered up a black shoulder bag. “Something about wearing what I usually do makes me uncomfortable around normal people. They tend to stare.”
Kearnyn nodded though he didn't mention that what she wore probably had little to do with the attention she got. so much as how naturally beautiful she was. He led her outside and opened the passenger door for her. Her soft hand slid into his as he helped her up into the seat and he had to focus on not clasping their hands together like he wanted. He swore something passed between them with that touch—something warm and inviting.
His gut tightened. His cock started to throb with a dull pain from being semi-hard most of the morning. It made him feel like a creep around her. Maybe if he just got off once then it'd go away. Yeah, how many times have men tried that and failed?
He hopped into the driver's seat and turned the key in the ignition. He paused before pulling into drive and turned to her, one arm going to rest on the back of her head rest.
Eyes watched him, wary and shy.
“Before we go I need to tell you something.”
She scooted another inch against her seat. “Okay, what's that?”
He leaned in, keeping his eyes focused on hers. Damn, they were really pretty. Dark brown with flecks of gold and lighter browns. “I'm going to kiss you today.”
She gasped, her hand flying up to protect her neck like he'd just said he was going to kill her. “What? Why?”
He didn't move back, didn't give her the space her body screamed for. “Because I really, really want to.”
She practically trembled and while he could sit there and study her response to see if it was from excitement, fear or a mixture of both, he had a date to get her to.
* * *
They pulled up next to a cozy looking café in the city. Round tables with brown umbrellas sat under a wide red canopy from the building. People in business suits on their lunch break and groups of friends sat looking over their menus trying to decide what to order.
Rosa reached for her door handle, but Kearnyn's voice stopped her. “Let me get that.”
He hopped out the seat and opened her door for her. Again, her hand slid into his and it was like a spark shot between them. As soon as her feet hit the ground, she slid her hand out of his, disconcerted. Flashbacks from the vision she'd had still haunted her. Their bodies, naked and twining together while making love. Unlike her friend Lily Bellum's visions, hers were not hit or miss. They were always dead on.
She followed Kearnyn's big body into the café while her mind wandered off to her other recent vision—Lily dying. For once she hoped her visions were wrong, because the thought of losing her best friend made her want to vomit. Even the enchanted bracelet couldn't save Lily. When death chose you, there was no denying it.
She'd been through this before, too many times to count. Seeing close loved ones dying in a vision. A part of her had closed her feelings off to the matter; it was the only way she could cope with the grim knowledge she had. Lily's fate could possibly be changed, but that was up to her. Her own gift was merely an intermediary of sorts. She could see something but have no idea when, where, how, or why. So she dealt with the news as she did in the past—by pretending it didn't happen.
“What's wrong?” Kearnyn asked.
Rosa looked up from the table she'd been staring at. “I'm sorry, I was lost in thought.”
One reddish brown eyebrow shot up. “Want to talk about it? I'm a good listener.” She had no doubt he was.
She shook her head. “No, but thanks.” If she talked about her best friend dying then she might have a breakdown here and now. She had to keep herself detached from it, barricade her feelings from inside, or else she might not survive. She put on a smile. “So what's good here?”
He laughed a bit. “I have no clue. I don't eat food.”
Her lips pulled into a confused frown and then a light bulb went on inside. “Oh, I forgot for a moment that you're a...that you're a,” she glanced around the room for prying eyes then whispered, “Vampire.”
His green eyes lit up with laughter. “I am.”
Curiosity got the better of her. “So how do you, you know, eat?”
“Telal owns half a blood bank. He orders his own supply for me. It stays under the radar because I'm the only one who requires it on his staff.”
“Oh, the rest of his staff is human then?” He nodded.
The server came, a young woman with a bouncing blonde ponytail, and took her order. The waitress left with a promise to be back soon.
“You eat well.”
A flush warmed her cheeks. He stared straight at her and the look unnerved her so she pretended to study her hands. “Yes, well, I'm hungry.” She’d always had a voracious appetite.
He laughed, the sound very deep and masculine. “You don't have to sound sorry about it. I told you I wanted to feed you.”
Her lips twitched. “I don'
t recall you saying it quite like that.” Her eyes flicked up to meet his just in time to see his cheeks darken with color. She couldn't help but laugh and soon he laughed along with her, their eyes caught together.
After a moment the connection was too much and she broke it. She let out a long unsteady breath. I'm going to kiss you today.
The server came back and set a glass of tea on the table. Rosa sighed with relief at the much needed interruption. The café felt entirely too warm for her tastes. Maybe they should have chosen a table outside, she thought.
“How far along on you on the weapons?”
She took a sip of her tea. “I should be done in another two weeks. I could do it in one if you need them faster.” That would mean she'd get about two hours of sleep a night and she'd have to close her shop. She didn’t mind. Being on a deadline always gave her a rush that she liked.
“No, two weeks is great timing. So Rosa, are you going to tell me about the vision you had of us?” The way he asked it sounded erotic, husky. Caught off guard by the question, Rosa spit her tea onto the table.
Mortification quickly set it. Cheeks burning a deep red, she grabbed her measly white napkin and started patting at the mess. She’d never blushed so much in her damn life. It was getting to be irritated. He probably thought she was a simple-minded naïve fool.
“Here, let me.” He took the napkin from her and used his fresh one to clean the mess up. Still, she couldn't look at him. Instead she looked outside and watched cars driving by, people walking up and down the street with briefcases and purses all in a hurry to get someplace.
The server came back with her food and Rosa eagerly dug in if only to avoid answering his question or making a bigger fool out of herself. The man just rattled her so. From his large size to his kind eyes, the whole thing made her uncomfortable, nervous.
The silence stretched on as she ate. Eventually she had to look at him; they hadn't said a word to each other in at least five minutes. When she looked up, she found him watching her with a small smile on his face.