Red (Siren Publishing Menage Amour)

by Eden French

  “Ah, Celeste,” he moaned into the shower. “Fuck me, Celeste. Fuck me, hard.”

  A flash of how his hand looked as he slid his fingers inside her passed through his memory. The digits had entered her with ease. She had been so ready.

  “Oh, God.” Calen’s breath was choppy.

  Calen heard Celeste’s voice.

  I want to feel you inside me…faster…

  Calen braced himself as he stroked his cock rapidly, letting his mind follow Celeste’s voice, building higher and higher, holding on until the last possible moment until he released in a massive explosion of pleasure that shot onto the shower wall.

  He threw his head back. “Fuck, Celeste.”

  The words escaped his lips in a whisper, his eyes tightly shut, his knees threatening to collapse under the intense orgasm now rippling through his body. Calen struggled to regain his breath. When he finally released his hand, his cock hung thick between his legs. A smile spread across his face as he realized he’d see his temptress soon enough. After all, she had promised to go on a date.

  Chapter Nine

  “Celeste!” Heather yelled through the house. “Celeste come check this out! Quick!”

  Celeste wrapped her hair up in a towel and ran to the living room where Heather had been yelling.

  “What is it? What happened?” she asked as she entered the room.

  Heather was sitting on the couch, her eyes glued to the television. She pointed to the screen. Celeste saw the evening news was live. She was surprised to see the reporter standing outside a familiar house, one she had just frequented.

  “That’s SAE,” she said as she grabbed the remote and turned up the volume. “What happened?”

  Fear gripped Celeste’s throat as thoughts immediately flew to Calen. Was he okay? Did this involve him? Her stomach twisted into knots and wrenched her gut. She nervously watched the reporter and tried to decipher what the story was about. In the background, there was an ambulance. Celeste listened attentively to the report.

  “Local authorities are still trying to locate the pieces of what appears to be a young male. The body was found early this morning in the trees behind me by two students on their way to campus as they cut through the woods connecting Greek row to the university. The trail is a popular route for many students here at the campus, however, it is not clear if the unidentified individual was a student at Perrault University or an outside civilian. What is clear is that the attack appears to be from a large animal of some kind. Early reports are buzzing about the possibilities of wolves returning to the area…”

  “Oh my God.” Celeste’s eyes blurred. “I’ve got to call Calen.”

  She stood and ran to her room to find her cell. She found his number from last night and hit the button. She thanked God he had put in it her contacts. It only rang twice before it was answered.

  “Calen?” Celeste’s voice was filled with anticipation.

  “Celeste? Hi. I was just thinking about you.” His voice was calm, collected, and contained an underlying tone that sent a chill up Celeste’s spine. She released the huge breath she had been holding and squeezed her thighs together as the effect of Calen’s voice ran over her body.

  “I was just watching the news—”

  “Can you believe that? It’s crazy. The house has been on lockdown for hours now. I’m sorry I didn’t think to call, it’s just been wild with the police asking questions and interviewing everyone here at the house. They think it might be a student, but they haven’t said one way or the other.”

  “The reporter said authorities think it was an animal attack. Why are they interviewing students?” Celeste furrowed her brow in thought.

  “Beats me,” Calen responded. “Look, the police told us that we’d be here for a couple more hours, but hopefully things will be wrapping up by seven or so. I was wondering if maybe you’d like to join me in grabbing something to eat.”

  Celeste smiled. “Is this our official date, Calen Reddington?”

  His laugh was easy on Celeste’s ears. Her heart did a flip when the playful sound fell upon her ears.

  “Yes, Ms. Wolfe, I suppose it is.”

  “Well then, I accept. I’d love to. You want me to meet you somewhere?”

  “Um, how about I come pick you up? You know, make it really official. It can be casual, maybe just grab some tacos or something.”

  “That sounds like my kind of plan.”

  When they had wrapped up all the details, Celeste hung up the phone. Heather was standing in the doorway.

  “It seems to me you’ve already made your decision,” Heather said, raising her eyebrows.

  “Huh,” Celeste replied, confused.

  “Think about it,” she said. “When you thought there was something wrong, you ran and called Calen. First, I’ve never seen you so concerned before. Second, I’ve never actually seen you run before either”—Heather flashed a smile—“and third, you didn’t seem so concerned about Zev. Your instinct was to protect Calen. Think about that, C. What does it tell you? It tells me that you’ve already made your choice between the two.”

  Celeste let Heather’s comment sit with her for a minute. It was true. She hadn’t thought of Zev at all during her panic. She had only thought of Calen. Perhaps she had made her choice.

  Or perhaps, you know Zev isn’t the one who needs protecting.

  Celeste blinked in surprise at the errant thought. Where had that come from?

  “You know,” Heather continued. “Just because you are attracted to someone doesn’t mean that you want to be with him. I mean, Jesus, who isn’t attracted to Zev Reynolds! I would be worried if you weren’t. And, let’s face it, Calen is pretty damn hot himself. That good ol’ Midwestern boy makes me want to put on a sundress and jump on the back of a tractor.”

  Celeste laughed. “You know, I think you’re right about that. I’m not sure how it happened, and I sure as hell can’t explain it, but Calen just feels right, you know? Now, get out of here, ’cause I gotta change. I have a date. We’re getting tacos.”

  Celeste smiled and took the towel off her head. She threw it in Heather’s direction. Heather giggled and jumped out of the way.

  “Make sure you bring me home a veggie burrito,” she yelled as she retreated to her room down the hall.

  * * * *

  Zev walked down the hall to Calen’s door. He leaned in when he heard him talking on the phone. By the sound of it, he was making plans with Celeste. Anger sparked in Zev’s core. His hands began trembling, and he had to clench his fists a few times before the tremors passed. He forced himself to take a few deep breaths. It would do no good to rip Calen’s head off, especially since he had no idea Celeste was his mate.

  Calen was his friend. This was a delicate situation. It needed to be dealt with the utmost care. Perhaps it was time to call his father. He would know just what to do.

  Zev slowly took a step back and retreated to his room. He’d figure this out, there was no doubt. He’d be patient and calm, and Celeste would come to him…just as it was meant to be.

  * * * *

  Calen watched Celeste as she laughed at his jokes. She was easy to talk to, her manner so light and fun. His heart filled with excitement. It beat faster with each smile she flashed him. Calen couldn’t believe his luck. Celeste appeared to genuinely like him. He hoped he could keep her interest long enough for her to want to commit more of herself to him.

  He took a long pull from his beer and set it down on the table. It was early in the relationship, that was for sure, but Calen felt a connection he had never felt before, an undeniable truth he and Celeste were meant to be together.

  “So, Calen,” Celeste asked. “Tell me more about yourself. I mean, I know the basics…SAE president, lacrosse stud, and uber popular with the ladies”—she winked at him—“but, tell me, what else should I know?”

  Calen returned the smile. “Uber popular with the ladies, huh?”

  Celeste laughed. “Oh, come on. Don’t play
me. You know you’re totally hot, and even in the dark rooms of the party, I could tell that there were no less than fourteen girls who stared longingly at you while shooting daggers in my direction.”

  Calen’s heart threatened to burst from his chest. “You think I’m hot?”

  “Of course,” Celeste responded in a matter-of-fact tone. “I find you extraordinarily attractive”—she licked her lips—“I’d be lying if I said you weren’t. But, what I guess I’m asking is what’s under that attractive exterior. Who is Calen Reddington, really?”

  Calen felt a twitch in his groin as her soft pink tongue poked out and wet her lips. He was excited by Celeste’s bluntness. Kimberly had played games. As much as he had asked her to be, she had never been as forthright as Celeste was now. It was a massive turn-on. He tried to calm himself down.

  “It’s funny you ask,” he began. “And, it’s probably a question I should have an answer readily available for, but I don’t. I don’t think anyone has ever asked me that before…who I really am. I guess no one’s really been that interested past the exterior.”

  “Well, I can assure you, I am definitely interested. And, I’m asking now.” Celeste’s voice lowered. It reminded Calen of how she sounded after she had come twice in the pool house. His fingers twitched. He forced the thoughts out of his head. He’d never be able to hold a coherent conversation if he kept thinking about sex. He felt his brows push together as he tried to focus on the question at hand, a more difficult task than he imagined.

  Calen took a deep breath. There was something he could say. “Well, I suppose if I had to pick one thing, I would say writing is what turns me on. I’m not only majoring in business, you know. I’m doubling in English, as well.” He swallowed hard. “Last spring, I took this class, Beat Poets of the Twentieth Century, and man, the stuff they wrote, the raw emotion that flowed from their heads to their pens, it was just…revolutionary. Talk about passion. Their words were their blood, they changed an entire generation with nothing more than thoughts and feelings and the courage to write it all down. I can only imagine exposing yourself at that level, opening yourself up raw and giving release to the ecstatic consciousness that is man. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t give to connect with people through my writing at that level.”

  Celeste stared at Calen, stunned. She held her taco mid-bite as she listened to his words. Could it be this man sitting across from her was as interesting as he was starting to reveal? She had thought he would be a pleasant distraction wrapped in a handsome exterior, someone light and easy, someone to keep her warm her last year at Perrault and perhaps more. But now he had revealed a piece of him that provoked a different response from Celeste. She became interested in him as potential boyfriend material. There were more layers to Mr. Reddington than she had suspected.

  “What?” Worry spread across Calen’s face. Had he revealed too much? Kimberly had told him his literary side was too soft…too un-masculine. Had he said the one thing to turn Celeste off? Damn, why had he been so honest? He should have stuck with the tried and true formula: lacrosse, fraternity business, business management, and money. Yes, making money, that was what girls wanted to hear.

  “Do you write any poetry?” Celeste asked, putting her taco down.

  “Umm…” Calen was thrown off. He wasn’t quite sure how to answer, but he figured the truth had gotten him this far. He decided to stick with it, as vulnerable as it made him feel. “I…uh…a bit.”

  “Would you recite something for me?” Her voice was low. It incited an instinctual urge within his body. He wanted to please her.

  Calen’s face grew hot. He knew his cheeks were red at the thought of reciting some of his work. He looked at her face. She had put her food down and was waiting for his reply. She looked at him patiently. Calen decided to take a chance. It both terrified him and sent a ribbon of thrill through his body.

  “Sure,” he said. He took another long pull from his beer before he began. He’d take as much liquid courage as he could get in the moment. “Okay…um…this is something I’ve been working on a bit. It’s called Duality.” Calen took a deep breath. “The life I lead is paved with a broken road made of glass and rotted leaves. I cannot see through the tinted lenses, the blood and sweat of my brothers and sisters. Aside the road, the children of men are left empty and shattered, playing games with two-headed snakes and coyote skulls. I stand for them now, my heart races to their aide, but I fade. I am the man they make me, not who I want to be, crushed and pulled by my own duality.”

  The silence sat between them as Calen finished the last sentence. Celeste gazed at him, her mouth opened in awe. Her stomach flitted with butterflies. This man was not who he appeared to be. He was so much more, so much deeper than she had anticipated. Celeste felt herself drawn to him, to his words. They mirrored her soul.

  She picked up her napkin and wiped her hands. Calen sat across from her, silent. He had exposed an intimate part of himself to her giving her the power to be both his judge and jury. Finishing off her beer, Celeste studied his mouth. His jaw was clenched as he sat there.

  “Like, I said…it’s just something I’ve been working on. It’s not quite finis—”

  “How about we go back to my place?” Her eyes were heady with desire.

  Calen’s breath caught.

  “I’d like that a whole lot.”

  Calen settled the bill, and the two headed back to Celeste’s apartment. They barely made it through the door before Celeste pulled Calen to her. He wrapped his arms around her lower back and pulled her closer still. Their mouths locked in a full kiss, the passion rising steadily between the two. Calen’s blood boiled over.

  Celeste led Calen through the apartment, her lips locked onto his, to her bedroom. Closing the door behind her, she led him across the room and flipped on the bedside lamp. Calen devoured her mouth with his, his tongue exploring every crevice. She tasted like promises. Celeste broke the kiss and stepped back.

  “Sit down,” she commanded.

  Calen sat on the bed and watched as she slowly pulled her shirt over her head, revealing a black lace bra. Underneath, her breasts were large and full. Calen could feel the saliva collect in the back of his throat, and he swallowed hard at the sight of her curvy physique. She was not your average college girl. Celeste was a woman.

  She reached back and unhooked the strap, releasing her breasts from the fabric. Calen’s mouth dropped open, his jaw slack, at the goddess standing before him. Celeste’s long, dark hair hung just above where her nipples stood out, pert and ready. He wanted to take one into his mouth, but hesitated, afraid one wrong move would destroy the dream he was now in. Instead, he opted to speak.

  “You’re so beautiful. You don’t even seem real,” he whispered. He slowly lifted his hand to touch her.

  Celeste stepped back out of reach.

  “Not yet,” she said. “If you touch me, I may just go wild. I want you to see me, see all of me before we fuck.”

  Calen swallowed again. Who was this woman? How could she speak so boldly and not be timid? It drove Calen wild. It awoke a desire to please her, a desire he had to do her every bidding.

  Kimberly flashed through his mind briefly. In his experiences with her, Calen was expected to take the lead in the relationship. He found it boring and repetitive but played his role accordingly. There was no other way. His eyes feasted on Celeste. The last memory of Kimberly ignited into flames, the ashes scattered, never to return.

  As he sat on the bed and awaited Celeste’s next request, Calen realized he had always longed for someone to take control in the way Celeste was doing now. He longed to be obedient to someone.

  “Take off your shirt,” Celeste ordered in a firm tone.

  Calen reached over his back and pulled off his shirt with one tug, exposing his well-muscled arms and shoulders and was thankful he was so in shape.

  Celeste stood unmoving and drank in the sight of him, her tongue wetting her bottom lip. Calen’s eyes traveled down to her
thighs, hidden under her skinny jeans, and remembered how it felt as she straddled him last night when his fingers, deeply imbedded in her pussy, raked her insides to ecstasy. His cock twitched at remembering how strong her orgasm was as it gripped his fingers in strong pulses. Now, looking at her, the need to be inside her tore him apart. He’d like to rake his tongue inside her this time. He inhaled sharply through his teeth and refocused.

  “And, your pants.” Her voice was calm, measured.

  Calen stood and unbuttoned his slacks. He let them fall from his hips and, removing his shoes and socks, stepped out of them, leaving the fabric crumpled at his feet. He stood there naked in front of her. He had never felt as vulnerable as he did in that moment with her eyes traveling up and down the length of his body. Her gaze stopping when she reached his cock, hard and erect, her breath growing ragged as her eyes lingered there a moment before continuing on their journey across his muscled landscape.

  * * * *

  Celeste’s eyes burned with lust. He hadn’t been wearing any underwear. She fought the impulse to push Calen down on the bed and straddle him, impaling herself on his large erection. But, she held still. Kicking off her ballet flats, she unfastened her pants and slid them off her hips, down her legs until they found a home on the floor. She stepped out of them and stood before Calen in only her underwear.

  She watched Calen’s face as a look similar to awe glazed over his features. Her stomach tightened. He was excited by her body. Carefully, Celeste placed her hands on her hips, and hooking her thumbs into the edge of the lace fabric, she slid the panties down to the floor and stood in front of Calen, completely naked, but nowhere near as naked as Calen’s eyes revealed him to be.

  Celeste could see his self-doubt and apprehension in his expression. It made her feel powerful, strong. She could tell he waited for her to give the next directive. Mmmm, a submissive. Celeste felt the muscles low in her stomach tighten at the thought. Heat consumed her, and the flesh between her legs became moist.