by Meg Ripley
Noah's gaze changed right then, as if he'd found the answer to whatever he'd been looking for, and suddenly there was nothing but molten, hot fire blazing in his eyes. Grabbing her hand, he pulled Ava into the room, closing the door behind them. All thoughts of money and mansions fled as he backed her up against the door, his mouth covering hers as it had before. After days of thwarted arousal, this time, she realized there would be no interruptions, and a wild abandonment surged through her.
Ava's hands returned to where they had been not long ago, fumbling with the buttons of his shirt, her eyes fixed on his chest as the fabric parted to reveal inch after inch of the muscular breadth of him. Unable to resist the temptation, she leaned forward, the tip of her tongue tasting his tanned skin as she kissed her way from his neck, down solid pecs and his, immaculately chiseled, washboard abs. She paused briefly when she reached the waist of his jeans, then her lips continued, from one hip to the other, just above the denim fabric that hindered her descent. Noah's hands twined in her silken, blonde hair, and he groaned as she returned to his center, unzipping his fly, hooking her fingers in the waist of his jeans and continuing to kiss every inch of skin she exposed. It was Ava's turn to moan as his cock sprang free, her mouth and lips growing moist instantly at the long, hard length of him. As she worked her way from his neck to where she was now, kneeling in front of him, she'd intended to tease him; to drive him wild with anticipation, but she couldn't resist. Opening her mouth wide, she sheathed him between her lips, taking in every inch of him she could. She moved slowly, savoring his scent, the taste of him on her tongue, the way he felt against her lips. After a long while, her pace increased, but not more than a few seconds later, Noah had pulled her to her feet, his fingers moving to the zipper at the side of her dress.
“My turn,” he whispered, and Ava moaned, the blazing heat in his eyes and his devilish grin nearly sending her over the edge.
As he lowered her zipper, Ava's dress fell to the floor. She hadn't bothered putting anything on under her dress and so in an instant, she was completely naked, her soft curves, her ample breasts and smooth pussy bare before him. Gritting his teeth in an attempt to keep his arousal in check, he had her on the bed in one swift movement, laying her back as he spread her legs. He leaned forward from the edge of the bed, his lips making contact with the inside of one of her thighs, kissing his way up slowly until he reached the apex.
Ava held her breath, waiting for him to continue upward, her body writhing to spur him on. But instead, Noah's lips started back down the inside of her other thigh, and she moaned in frustration. He smiled evilly, knowing he was driving her wild and continued his descent before working his way back up again. Hovering no more than an inch away from her pussy, Noah's fingers touched her instead, sliding along her wet slit before parting her lips, spreading her wide open. It was the most erotic thing she'd ever felt; to be so completely exposed to someone she barely knew. He leaned in further then, his tongue darting out to lick along her parted lips. Ava was so aroused that her hips nearly bucked off the bed in response to his sensual touch, and she fought against the urge to scream as he moved to her clit, licking gently at first before sucking her into his mouth. The strange pressure was exquisite, and already she could feel her orgasm building quickly. He sucked harder and she moaned loud, her hands clawing at the downy soft blankets on the bed, and as she felt his finger slip into her open pussy, her back arched off the bed as her orgasm shuddered through her body.
He released her then, his finger leaving her pussy and she watched as he sucked it into his mouth before going straight to the source, plunging his tongue deep inside her, darting in and out. Although the aftershocks of her last orgasm had yet to subside, she could already feel her body stirring again. She moaned softly as his pace increased but whimpered a moment later as his tongue left her warmth. Ava wouldn't feel bereft long, as two fingers replaced his tongue, plunging in and out fast. And then something changed. Noah bent his fingers as he continued to thrust, stimulating the tiny, most sensitive pleasure zone in her body. Instantly, an exquisite pressure began to build deep inside her, and before long she was thrashing wildly beneath him, her erotic screams of ecstasy filling the room as she started to cum, an orgasm unlike any other soaking her pussy and thighs.
Noah was on top of her then; he leaned down to kiss her as she felt his cock pressed against her wet entrance. But rather than plunge inside, he rolled then, pulling her with him to sit astride him. All of a sudden, she felt wickedly powerful, hovering above his massive cock, his expression consumed with desire as his gaze took in every inch of her. Her hands moved to cup her breasts, leaning forward so that she was only inches from his face as he watched intently. Sitting up straight, she lowered herself down then, ever so slowly, the tip of his cock sliding into her wet slit. Inch by inch, she continued until she'd taken every inch of him inside her, stilling for a moment to adjust to his enormous girth. Finally, she started to move, slowly at first, desperately trying to maintain the tenuous hold on her arousal, pacing herself to draw out the incredible experience as long as she could. But as Noah leaned up, flexing his flawless abs as he squeezed her tits, sucking a nipple in his mouth, her restraint snapped. Ava's pace increased, riding him faster; her fingers digging into his shoulders as he released her nipple, leaning up further to reach her lips. She kissed him back with a wild fervor as she rode him harder, their moans twining together as Noah's tongue delved into her mouth. Ava started to cum, the tremors of her orgasm coursing through her body, and as her pussy spasmed around his cock, Noah toppled over the edge, too, cumming hard as he thrust deep inside her one last time.
His arms wrapped around her, Ava's head resting on his shoulder, they remained in that position, breathless as the aftershocks of their orgasms slowly subsided. Finally, Noah fell back against the bed, bringing Ava with him as he slipped from her warmth. She sighed, immediately feeling empty. As exhausted as her body was, she wasn't ready for this to be over.
“What would you say to lunch in bed?” Noah whispered against her ear a moment later. “A little sustenance to keep our energy up?”
“Apparently, Noah isn't in any hurry for this to be over either,” she thought to herself with a smile, her body already humming with anticipation. She'd have to return to the ranch at some point; Christie would begin to worry eventually otherwise, but Ava was quite certain that the rest of her vacation was going to be a whole lot more interesting than she could ever have imagined.
THE END
Sneak Peek of Stryker’s Desire: Dragons Of Sin City, Book 1 By Meg Ripley
The sight of her curves makes my mouth water. The fire deep inside me threatens to rage out of control. But every time I try to claim what's mine, she slips away.
As one of the wealthiest casino owners in Vegas, there's no doubt I could have any woman wrapped around my finger in a heartbeat. Until I met Ava Winter.
There's something haunting behind those enchanting eyes that I just can't read—and this mysterious beauty won't let me.
As much as she pushes me away, I can't resist her. But I know I shouldn't allow myself to give in to the fiery temptation. Not if I want to keep her safe from the other dragons in Sin City.
Or myself...
Chapter 1
Cade stood at the back of the theater with a single-malt scotch in his hand. A few empty seats peppered the room, so he could have sat down, but he had no intention of staying for long. He wouldn’t have bothered making an appearance at all, but it was the illusionist’s first show in his casino, and he wanted to make sure the act went off without a hitch. Better than waiting for the reviews, he wanted to get a feel for the reception of the new act before he committed to further appearances.
Right on cue, the stage’s strobe lights brightened as a figure descended from the ceiling—suspended from near-invisible wires, of course—and pyrotechnics lit up the circumference of the stage. The trick seemed to enthrall the crowd. The music grew louder, a cacophonic techno mix desig
ned to increase heart rate and bring the audience to the edge of their seats. The man certainly knew how to make an entrance.
All of a sudden, blazing streams of fiery ribbon whirled chaotically just to the left of center stage and it drew the audience’s attention there. The illusionist touched down and the strands of fire vanished, leaving in their wake the man’s shimmering-haired assistant. She contrasted the illusionist in every way, creating a vivid display in the middle of the stage. He was clothed entirely in black and his dark hair was slicked back. She looked like she was almost aglow. To the audience, she appeared to be shimmering, but Cade could see each of the tiny lights that covered her body, an impressive fiber optic display. Her costume—some sort of silvery corset—left little to the imagination, evident by the way every head in the room turned to her.
He couldn’t blame them. She was beautiful, so much so that he couldn’t take his eyes off her. But it wasn’t her soft curves or slender legs that held him captive. He’d had so many women with curves in all the right places that it wasn’t much more than a chore these days to select a bedmate from all the blonde beauties and gorgeous brunettes who fell all over him.
It was something else about her that captivated him in a way he’d never experienced. Maybe it was the way she stood, her spine just a little straighter than other women he’d seen on that stage. And though she wore a serene smile, the expression on her face simultaneously dared anyone to question whether she belonged there. He got the immediate impression that the vivacious beauty on the stage didn’t fall all over just any man. Was it possible she might not even fall so easily for the infamous Cade Stryker? Perhaps it was that challenge that had made her instantly irresistible in his mind.
He watched as she bound the illusionist in a straightjacket and firmly secured his ankles to a wire. What exactly the trick entailed, he didn’t know, and he didn’t care. His eyes never left her for a moment, even as the man was hoisted out of sight. Her gaze perused the audience while the man was suspended somewhere above the ground, and for the briefest moment, as her eyes found him there in the crowd, she paused. Could she see that he was staring right back at her? It seemed unlikely.
He searched her gaze quickly, looking for something to break his fascination, but damn it, he couldn’t find it. He couldn’t find anything. He’d learned a long time ago that human eyes were indeed the windows to their souls, but the dark, opaque contact lenses she wore kept her soul safely hidden from him. Was she really the dazzling siren she appeared to be at first glance, or was it all just part of the act? The uncertainty should have served to frustrate him and extinguish his curiosity, but it only served to fan the flames of his desire. From out of nowhere, this stunning woman had become an enigma that he absolutely needed to solve.
A round of applause erupted, signaling the conclusion of the opening trick as the illusionist reappeared on the stage next to the silver-haired mystery to give the crowd more of what they came there for. And then trick after trick, he watched her, trying to find what it was about her that had drawn every bit of his attention.
Stunned and bewildered an hour later, he left the theater as the final round of applause began to fill the room. He glanced back briefly as the door closed behind him just in time to witness the entire room burst into a standing ovation in response to the night’s riveting performance.
It appeared that his decision to give the illusionist a chance had been a worthwhile one. Based on the ecstatic reaction of the crowd this evening, the theater was guaranteed to be packed every night for a good number of future performances. At the moment, however, that wasn’t his primary concern.
He wanted to see the illusionist’s assistant up close. He wanted to see what was really there when the curtain closed and she shed the glitzy, provocative costume and fiber optic lights for street clothes. He needed to know who the real woman was behind the silver wig and the dark contact lenses. As soon as he could, his mind would be freed.
She would be a woman, just like any other woman—a well-formed one, for sure—but no different than any other human. The sooner the enchantress lost her hold on him and his mind could return to other matters, the better.
He reached the rear stage entrance, and the man there opened the door wide for him without hesitation. There wasn’t a person in the entire hotel and casino who didn’t cater to his every whim. It was the same in all the properties he owned. Through the door, he located the illusionist right away, standing amid his group of technicians and other experts in the field of magic, but the assistant was nowhere to be found. There wasn’t a room in the entire building that was off-limits to him, but the very moment he began to move to go search for her, the illusionist spotted him, gave a nod and started in his direction.
A moment later, the man stood before Cade grinning widely as his hand shot forward in earnest. “Mr. Stryker, I do hope you enjoyed the show.”
Cade grasped the illusionist’s hand reluctantly. “Indeed, I did, Adam. And more importantly, it seemed the audience was very impressed. Why don’t you touch base with my assistant in the morning, so we can set up a deal for future bookings?”
“Thanks very much; I’ll give a call first thing.”
Just then, a woman appeared from a side door, and though she wasn’t wearing the silver wig she’d worn on stage, he recognized her instantly. She was dressed in a pair of distressed jeans that hugged her curves perfectly and a black tank top that crisscrossed its way up her back and made Cade long to slide his fingers between the strands of fabric and then tear it off altogether. She rummaged for something in a simple handbag she wore slung over her shoulder as she walked toward them, completely oblivious to his presence.
“Adam, you wanted to meet on Tuesday afternoon to go over the—” She looked up then and her words seemed to get stuck in her throat.
“Ava, this is Mr. Cade Stryker, owner of the hotel and casino,” Adam cut in with a knowing smile. “Mr. Stryker, may I introduce my assistant, Ava Winter.”
There was no possessiveness in the man’s eyes, which meant the illusionist and his assistant weren’t intimately involved, nor did it seem the man had any interest in a romantic relationship with the beautiful Ava Winter. Strange. Who in their right mind wouldn’t want to have her?
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Stryker,” she said, staring directly into his eyes.
That was impressive. There weren’t many people who didn’t shift uncomfortably beneath his gaze. She stood there with her spine just as straight as it had been on stage and her eyes locked on his as he clasped her hand within his.
Still, as much as she might not have been intimidated by his presence, she wasn’t entirely unaffected by it either. He could feel her response to him, the tiniest of tremors the moment he touched her. Maybe it wouldn’t be so hard to have her falling all over him after all. The thought sent a jolt of desire through his body, and he needed to have her, but he didn’t just want her naked and writhing beneath him. He wanted her completely open, unguarded; unequivocally his. It was a possessiveness he’d never experienced before, and certainly one he never expected to feel for a woman he’d only just met.
“Would you care to join me for a drink, Miss Winter?” He heard the question loud and clear, but had it really come from his own mouth? What the hell was he doing?
He hadn’t had any intention of pursuing her. He’d only wanted to see the silvery beauty up close and without all the glitz and glam of the show. At most, he’d intended to invite her up to his suite, indulging in her soft curves for a couple of hours. By then, whatever it was that had had him so captivated would certainly be long gone. This inexplicable need to have her all to himself should have been a warning sign. It should have sent him running in the opposite direction.
Cade Stryker didn’t need any human; he never had, and he never would.
“I appreciate the offer, Mr. Stryker, but no thank you. And if you’ll excuse me, it’s late and I have to be getting home.”
She nodded once
more and then walked past him without another word. Had she really just shot him down? He wondered briefly what was wrong with him for asking her out for a drink, but now there was a much more pressing question in his mind—what was wrong with her? Did she not understand who he was? Even without being able to see behind those damn contact lenses, he’d been able to sense her attraction to him. Hell, the sexual energy in the air had been almost palpable from the moment she slipped her hand into his grip.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Stryker. I could have warned you if I knew you’d been intending to ask her on a date.”
Great, he was getting the sympathy speech from a man who pretended to walk on air for a living? The illusionist’s gravelly voice had suddenly begun to grate on his nerves.
“Warned me?”
“Yes, Ava’s not the…easiest person to get close to. She keeps everyone at arm’s length.”
“And why’s that?” He really didn’t want to be having this conversation with the magic man, but since he’d apparently already ventured down this road, he might as well garner as much information as he could. Maybe he’d learn all he needed to know about her to walk away right then.
“I don’t know. All I can tell you is I’ve known her for two years, and that handshake between the two of you is the closest I’ve seen her get to another human being in all that time.”
“She seems more than comfortable with you on stage,” Cade noted, making certain that there was no hint of jealousy imbued in his tone.