Katy’s breathing hitched up a notch as he climbed onto the bed. She didn’t remember him removing his shoes, but they were gone. He was all lithe sinew and muscle as he stalked her like a panther, his eyes locked to hers. She couldn’t move. Didn’t want to.
He started at her feet. His every kiss shot little electric pings through her body. She writhed with need. Wanted him to hurry, to bury himself deep inside her. Fill the emptiness she hadn’t even known was there. She cried out as he reached her center, his hands making short work of her panties, eliminating the thin barrier between his hot mouth and her most vulnerable nub.
His mouth and tongue worked her into a frenzy. She panted. Moaned. Need pushed her higher and higher until she couldn’t lie still. Her hips shifted position, arching up for more. His arm clamped her down, held her still as his tongue penetrated deep. His hand took over where his mouth left off, working her engorged nub. She couldn’t take any more. Screamed as she was swamped with waves of heat. Pleasure. This orgasm was even stronger than the last. Ryker’s only response was a grunt of male satisfaction before starting the process all over again.
Still, she wanted more. Needed, with every breath in her body, for him to fill her. She grabbed his head, her fingers buried in his hair, and tugged gently. She didn’t have to say a word. Somehow he just knew what she wanted. What she needed.
He flipped her over to unzip her dress. The zipper caught. Wouldn’t budge. With a growl of frustration, he ripped the fabric in two. She should have been angry that her dress was ruined, but instead she thrilled at his eagerness.
Katy rolled to her back, tugged at his belt. Undid the latch. He needed no other encouragement, got off the bed, and removed his pants. He wore no underwear. Her eyes opened wide as he stood before her, his cock hard and ready, the tip leaking in anticipation. He was huge. Long and thick.
Ryker swept her up and resettled her on his lap as he sat on the edge of the bed, her legs straddling his. With one hand he held her locked to him; the other bunched her hair. Tugged at her long tresses until she gave him access to her neck. Her body. With her head tipped back, her breasts arched. He bent his head, laved first one nipple, then the other, pleased at how sensitive she was. How responsive.
“Please. Please.”
Ryker growled, every muscle tense. Ready to pleasure his woman all night. To ready her for their joining. “Please what?”
“Please. Now. I want you now. Inside me,” she panted, grinding against him.
Ryker could deny her nothing. Positioning her over his cock, he lowered her, one agonizingly slow inch at a time, until she could take no more. They both groaned.
Katy had never felt so full. He was so big he stretched her to the limit. She ached. Throbbed. Her body quaked in reaction to his invasion.
She clung to his shoulders. Didn’t move. Couldn’t breathe.
“Easy, regina mia,” he soothed, his hands at her hips holding her steady. “Easy.”
As she relaxed, her desire rekindled. His cock twitched inside her. She couldn’t help herself. She moved. He slipped in another inch, and she cried out. “Oh God.”
Ryker broke out in a sweat and gritted his teeth to keep from driving his cock the rest of the way in. He had yet to bottom out. He knew how big he was. He hesitated, then sent a tendril of magic into her to ease his way. To help her body accept him. She was human. He doubted she would even notice.
Katy was suddenly swamped with the strongest orgasm of her life. It was sudden. Crashed through her like a tidal wave. She screamed in release, her core milking his cock, taking him deeper. Deeper. Her whole body shook in reaction. Her eyes rolled back. The room spun. She’d never felt such intense pleasure.
“Stay with me,” Ryker commanded, shocked by her response to his magic. He grinned. Sent her another jolt and watched her fall apart again. “Damn,” he whispered, his chest filled with smug male pride.
Katy’s nails dug into his shoulders, her body pulsing with need as he lifted her up and slammed her back down over his hard shaft. Again and again. Up he drove her, demanding orgasm after orgasm. In the bed. The shower. The kitchen table. He was relentless. Tireless. All night long he pleasured her, filled her with his hot seed.
At long last, too tired even for one more round of the most amazing sex of her life, Katy’s eyes drifted closed as she snuggled into the crook of Ryker’s shoulder.
Confident Katy was asleep, Ryker used his magic to float the sheets back into place. He kissed her gently, his heart full of tenderness for his mate. Love.
He sighed. Sleep would be a long time coming. He had much planning to do if he was to be ready for tomorrow. Whatever Emily Toure and his mate had planned, he needed to be ready. He couldn’t lose Katy. In an instant she had become the center of his universe. If she left him, if she refused him, his life would be forfeit.
6
Katy: took your advice. met someone. OMG i think i’m in love
Emily: YES! SPILL THE TEA! I NEED DETAILS!
* * *
Katy woke with a smile on her face. She stretched. Winced. Her body protested in places she didn’t know could protest. All worth it. She sat up, grabbed the bedsheet, and made a sarong out of the black silk. The aroma of breakfast cooking wafted through the air. The smell was incredible. Her mouth watered. And coffee. Strong coffee.
She couldn’t help herself. She let out a tiny squeak and danced a little jig on her tiptoes, not wanting him to hear her. Hottest man on the planet picks me, he’s insanely good in bed, and he cooks, too!
Katy grabbed her phone and headed for the bathroom attached to his room. After taking care of basic needs, washing her face and finger combing her hair, she sat on the platform by the jacuzzi tub. She wanted to call Emily and tell her twin everything, but she would have to settle for a quick text.
Pushing the button on her phone, she swiped in her code. There, in big, bold black numbers, the time flashed: 9:15 a.m. Her alarm, which she’d set for seven thirty a.m. the day before, had gone unnoticed. She’d slept right through it and was now running late.
“Oh no!” she gasped, her eyes drawn to where she imagined Ryker was standing in the kitchen. She had to leave, had to go sign the contract for Emily in less than an hour. Had to become Emily. A tear tracked down her face. She hadn’t even told Ryker her name. He hadn’t asked. What would he think of her? Would he care when she left? This was a one-night stand. She’d known that from the beginning. Still, her heart twisted painfully. She wanted more time with him.
Rushing back into the bedroom, she grabbed her dress, remembering too late that it was torn. Panic set in; her heart thundered. Now what? She couldn’t go out there with only a sheet. She spun around, searching for his clothes.
There, on the floor, half hidden by the bed, was the shirt he’d worn the night before. Grabbing it, she put the shirt up to her nose and inhaled. It smelled like him. Her heart tripped. As she put it on, her hands shook. She didn’t want to leave like this. Didn’t want their time together to be over. Not now. Maybe not ever. But it was too late. She was here for her sister. There was nothing she could do.
The shirt was way too big. She had to cuff the sleeves three times to keep them from dangling past her fingers. The length, however, was perfect. She might even be able to make it look like a dress if she could find a belt. She bent down to look under the bed. Yes! She stretched as far as she could go, strained to reach the long belt that had obviously been kicked under there. Just a bit farther…
“I had hoped we could have breakfast together before you got to the running away part.”
Ryker’s deep voice startled her. She jerked up, hitting the back of her head on the bed frame. “Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Oh jeez, I’m sorry! I-I was just…” she stammered. Slowly she backed out from under the bed, careful this time not to bash her head again as she pulled the belt free. “I really am sorry. I would love to stay for breakfast, but I’m actually running late. For a meeting.”
Katy blushed as she stood up. Faced
Ryker. His eyes flashed with something she couldn’t quite name as he looked her over. Something primitive. Possession? Hunger? Her nipples hardened through his shirt.
Ryker stepped closer. Dipped his head and kissed her until her knees buckled and she had to lean on him for support. His hands began to roam. If she didn’t back away now, she would never make it to the meeting. She moaned in frustration. He was giving her exactly what she wanted, yet she couldn’t take it.
“Stay with me. We can spend the weekend together, get to know one another.”
“Ryker,” she groaned. “I swear I want to. I swear. But I can’t. I have to go to a really important meeting. It’s why I came to Italy. I’m really sorry.”
“Very well. Then I shall take you to this meeting. Promise when it is over, we will spend the rest of the day together. We can—”
“No!” she interrupted. “I mean, that sounds amazing, but I have to go alone. To the meeting. And I’m not sure how long it will last.”
“No breakfast. No staying. No postponing the meeting. What, then, Mia Regina, can you promise me?”
Katy stared at Ryker, her heart in her throat. This was torture. She wanted so much to stay. “I don’t know. I don’t know what I can promise. What do you want?”
He kissed her again. Hugged her close as he wrapped her more deeply in his arms. “I want you to promise that after your meeting today, you will come back here. Get to know me. Give us a chance. You see, I am smitten. I cannot allow you to simply disappear from my life.”
Joy lit her face. He was perfect. Absolutely perfect. She squeezed him. “I would love that.”
“Then say it. Promise me.”
Katy laughed. “Okay! Okay! I promise to come back here and give us a chance! But you must know, I’m not from Italy. I can’t stay here forever.”
Ryker grinned, satisfied. “We’ll see about that. In the meantime, I believe there is a car outside waiting for you.”
Katy dashed to the limo, her face beaming as she jumped into the back seat. “Mist. I’m so glad you’re here! Yesterday’s meeting was rescheduled for ten o’clock. Do you think we can make it on time? I really need a quick shower and change first.”
Grinning, Mist lowered her sunglasses and gave Katy the once-over. “We can make it if we hurry, but you’ll have to change fast. As in, set-a-record fast.”
Katy leaned back with a laugh. Nothing could ruin this day. Nothing. She was walking on cloud nine. “Got it.”
Back at the palazzo, Mist helped smuggle her in through the back entrance, distracting the kitchen workers so that Katy could sneak past, her feet bare so she wouldn’t make any noise.
Once in her room, she took the quickest shower of her life. There was no time to wash her hair. She threw it into a sloppy bun, grabbed the outfit she’d picked out the day before, and was ready in under ten minutes.
Four-inch sling-back heels and a swipe of gloss and she was ready to take on the world. Or a bunch of stuffy old billionaires, at least. She chuckled softly as she took one last look in the mirror, deciding that Emily really did have a knack for picking out clothes that flattered their body type. Black skirt. Red blouse with a scooped neckline. Her waist looked small, and her breasts showed the barest hint of cleavage. Her ass looked amazing, if she did say so herself. Gold hoops and a delicate gold chain completed the look. Sexy, yet professional. She smiled secretively. Only she knew about the racy red bra and panty set she’d selected. Just in case. For later.
She took out Emily’s passport. Time for a little twin swapping. She smiled her best smile. Batted her eyelashes in the mirror. Put a hand on her hip and gave a little wiggle. Somehow, those few changes transformed her from the quiet, reserved Katy into playful Emily. Nodding approval at the transformation, she left the room with two minutes to spare.
Katy walked down the hallway, then took the elevator to the lower level. She didn’t have time for stairs, and besides, she was still sore from Ryker’s marathon lovemaking. She couldn’t complain. She’d loved every minute of it. Was looking forward to more. She’d expected a quick brush-off, yet he’d made her promise to come back. If it hadn’t been for this meeting, she would have stayed. Had that breakfast. Remembering the delicious aromas, her stomach growled, reminding her of the missed meal.
As she approached the large, masculine office she’d waited in the previous day, she smoothed a wrinkle on her skirt. Tucked a stray tendril of hair behind her ear. No matter how many times she pinned the damn thing, it always came loose.
She could hear mumbled voices as she approached. Men speaking in low tones. She knocked gently on the closed door, eager to get the contract signed so that she could think about other things. About Ryker.
Vector swung the door inward and motioned for her to enter. She thanked him with an Emily-style smile and wink, then proceeded confidently into the room. And froze. Her mind refused to acknowledge what she was seeing.
There, standing in the middle of the room, freshly showered and shaved, looking every bit the billionaire, was Ryker. Her heart plummeted.
She met his gaze. Time stood still.
Inside her mind, she screamed. Cried out. Pounded her fists against his hard chest. None of that showed on her face. None of the uncertainty. Pain. Heartbreak. Rage. Had Emily met him before? Should she have known who he was? She had assumed they were strangers. He’d never indicated he knew her. Knew Emily. But then, he hadn’t asked her name, either. What if he was Emily’s lover? Slept with her, thinking she was Emily? What if Emily was in love with him?
What had she done?
She turned to Vector. Smiled. She wasn’t Katy Toure in that moment. She was Emily. And Emily never lost her cool in front of strangers. Never. “So nice to see you again, Vector.”
Vector nodded his head in greeting. “The pleasure is mine, Signorina Toure. Please, have a seat at the table. We have everything ready for you.”
Katy took a step forward. The carpet was so thick her heel tilted in the dense pile and she stumbled. In the blink of an eye, Ryker was there to steady her, one hand at her lower back, the other under her elbow. Her body reacted to the familiar touch instantly, and her knees nearly buckled. Heat flooded her body, fed her hurt. Her sense of betrayal. He’d lied to her, even if by omission. Taken her body over and over, kissed her this morning, asked her to meet him. She was so confused. Maybe he hadn’t exactly betrayed her, but her heart said otherwise.
She jerked her arm away. “Don’t touch me.”
Vector looked from her to Ryker as if unsure what to do. It annoyed her to no end that Ryker had to give a slight nod before Vector moved toward the waiting paperwork laid out in neat piles on the desk. “This way, Signorina Toure. This should take but a few moments. I made the changes Signor Draquonir requested. Now that you and he have become intimate, there should be no need for the intimacy clause and the—”
“Wait. What?” What the hell was going on here? Had Ryker manipulated her, or Emily, rather, into bed so that he could change a contract? Katy shook with rage.
Ryker took a step closer, ignoring her rigid posture. “Allow me to explain.”
Katy shook her head and turned her back on him to face Vector. “Explain what?” The only thing to do now was get out of there as quickly as possible. Hope she hadn’t screwed everything up for her sister. She was trapped and had trapped Emily along with her.
Or had she? Perhaps she could bluff her way out of this. Save her sister’s deal. “I’m sorry, gentlemen, but the only contract that I am willing to sign is the original. If that doesn’t suit you, I’ll be on my way.”
Ryker turned her around with a snarl. “The original? After last night?”
On the inside she was shaking. However, her face, her body language all told a different story. She reached up to touch Ryker’s face for the last time, her finger brushing against his lips as she wiggled just enough to draw his attention to her figure. The swell of her breasts. He wanted to use sex against her? Against Emily? She smiled with al
l the sass she could muster, and said in her sexiest voice, “That’s right, sugar. The original or I walk.”
“Never.”
“Then we’re done here.” Katy spun on her heel, ready to leave. She’d blown it. Ruined everything. She walked toward the door, her hand outstretched to grab the handle. She needed to talk to Emily and beg forgiveness. Find out what had happened between her twin sister and Ryker in the past. Find out if he’d slept with Emily, made her squirm and beg and explode in orgasm over and over and…
God. She was a mess. What a disaster.
“Wait,” Ryker growled as she twisted the door handle.
Katy stopped but didn’t turn around again.
She heard papers being shuffled. She closed her eyes. Waited.
“The original contract is ready for your signature, Signorina Toure.”
Katy turned around, walked back to the table, and signed. When she looked up, Ryker was gone.
7
Katy: i need to talk to you. it’s an emergency.
Katy: answer! please! i totally messed this up. EM!
* * *
Saturday, 1:00 p.m.
Ryker put his phone down on the desk, his heart heavy. He’d just sent out the word to his advisors; they were to cancel all the events they had so carefully planned to introduce his new queen to his kingdom. His clan. All but the annual royal ball, which was a tradition even he could not forgo.
The plan had been simple; since he couldn’t find his true mate, he would continue his line using modern technology. Emily Toure had been carefully selected. He and Vector had interviewed hundreds of candidates, but Emily was the only one his dragon had grudgingly agreed to consider. And without his dragon’s initial help, a human woman would be unable to carry a Draquonir child in her womb.
Dragon Chains Page 5