by Hazel Gower
Her gaze narrowed on him and she slowly stood. “You are not the boss of me. You may be my boss at work, but here you’re just plain old Lucian Samson. I barely know you. I am not yours to push around. I’m not your girlfriend. I’m not anything to you, so leave me alone. I’m not coming with you. I’m staying right here until you go.”
His demon raced to the surface and took charge. Lucian let him because right now he was on the same page, getting their mate out of this shitty little flat. Stalking to his woman, he picked her up and placed her over his shoulder and walked out of the tiny dwelling. Palming her arse as she squirmed under him, he smacked her. “To you I am never plain old Lucian Samson. I am your mate, your boyfriend, and soon to be husband. I will keep you safe and make sure you have everything you need. You are everything to me. You, my little kitten, are mine. I will never leave you. I have waited centuries for you. You will stay with me from now on.”
“Oh my God, you’re crazy.” She whacked his back and screamed, “Help, help! A crazy man is taking me. Call the police. Help!”
Smacking her arse again, he placed her in front of his car. Cupping her face, he stroked her soft cheek. “Give me a chance. I want to give you everything. You deserve to be treated like a princess. I promise I’m serious about us.”
Her eyes scanned his face and she let out a puff of air. “I can’t believe I’m about to say this but…fine, you get a chance. If things get weirder or you break my heart I will run and I swear you will never see me again. Got it?”
He let a grin slowly claim his face and he nodded. “Sure, kitten. Anything for you.” He winked at her.
“You are dangerous.” She got in the passenger seat and he went around to the driver’s side, opened the door, and got in.
“More than you know, but I’m never dangerous to you.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “We’ll see.”
****
Lucian wouldn’t let her pay for anything. They now stood at the counter with a pile of sexy underwear.
“I am not letting you pay for my underwear. For Christ’s sake, Lucian, you have already bought me a bunch of clothes that cost more than what I make in a year. You haven’t taken no for an answer. I told you I didn’t need shoes and you still dragged me into a shoe store and guessed my size and bought me three pairs.” She shoved him away. “Now I am going to buy my own friggin’ underwear.”
Lucian raised his eyebrow and a smirk spread over his devilishly handsome face. “Sure, kitten, you can pay.” He almost purred, and didn’t that sound just spike her growing anger? “How are you going to pay? You didn’t bring your wallet with you.”
Glancing down at her jeans and tank top, she groaned when she realized she didn’t have her bloody bag. It was all Lucian’s fault—he’d thrown her over his shoulder and didn’t let her get her things. Lucian laughed and handed his black credit card over to the smiling saleslady.
“If this gorgeous man wanted to buy me all these things, I’d gladly let him,” the saleslady said.
Lucian’s eyes lit up and his smirk turned into a grin. “Hear that, kitten? I think you should take a page out of the nice lady’s book.”
Growling in frustration, she glared at Lucian and stormed out of the store. Tessa knew she should be more grateful, but she’d learned the hard way that nothing ever came for free. Lucian may be all nice and loving now, but she didn’t know how long that would last and she didn’t want to be in debt to anyone else. Lucian kept spouting stuff about her being his and so on, but she knew his reputation. She’d walked in on him with three women.
Lucian chased after her with the bags. “Let me call someone to get these bags and we’ll go have something to eat.” Lucian seemed oblivious to her frustration and anger.
She grabbed the bags from him and walked towards the food court. “I can hold the bags. You don’t need someone to come and get three bags full of underwear. Come on, let’s eat.”
At the food court she ordered their food, grinning when he paid and stared at the food. “Did you just order for me?”
Biting her lip to hold back the smile, she shrugged. “Yep.” She chose their seats and placed the shopping bags beside her.
He set his food in front of him and grumbled, “I’m the man. I should choose the food for you.”
“You’re so controlling.” She rolled her eyes at his sulking. “I can choose my own food just like I can buy my own clothes, shoes, and underwear.”
He stared at her like she had just done the inconceivable and bested him. Smiling at him, she picked up her utensils and ate.
When he was done and she had a couple of bites left, he sighed. “You’re nothing like any of the woman I know. You’re the first woman who doesn’t want to spend my money. The first woman who has genuinely wanted to pay for things.”
Wiping her mouth with a napkin, she gazed at Lucian. His mouth was set in a fine line and his forehead was wrinkled. He looked at her like she was an unknown entity and had no idea what she was.
“Lucian, I learnt years ago that money doesn’t grow on trees. You have to work to get money. I know the value of working to buy a top that I fell in love with. I learnt that nothing in life is free. What you have done for me today was nice and I thank you, but I don’t want to be in debt to you.”
“You will never be in debt to me. I have plenty of money and I want you to have the best.”
Tessa put her hand up to stop him from saying any more. “That’s nice of you, but I’m sure you worked hard to get where you are now, and I am happy with what I have. I don’t need expensive clothes and shoes. You don’t need to buy all these things to be with me. I don’t want or need to be bought. I will be happy just to spend time with you. To get to know you, and you me.” She smiled at him. “What are you doing tomorrow? I say we should go to the beach and maybe hire a movie, buy some popcorn, and sit back and relax. What do you say?” Tessa held her breath, hoping that he was willing to spend the day doing what she’d asked.
Lucian ran his fingers through his thick hair. “I’m busy tomorrow taking my woman to the beach and getting popcorn so we can watch a movie.”
Letting her breath out, she reached across the table and held his hand. “I’m looking forward to it. Are you finished? You ready to go?”
He let go of her hand and stood. She joined him, gathering the bags. He grabbed some of the bags from her and with his other hand held hers. Together they walked to the exit.
****
Lucian wasn’t a beach person. He hated the feel of grainy sand on his feet and between his toes. He didn’t like how it got into every crease and crevice. The beach wasn’t a place where he could wear his usual attire of a suit, tie, and leather boots. When Tessa had said yesterday she wanted to go to the beach he’d had to call his assistant when they arrived home to get him the appropriate clothes for the occasion. Demons did not do beaches.
He now walked hand in hand with Tessa, the sand squelching against his feet as she told him about all the beaches she’d been to. “I make sure if I go to any coastal town that I visit every beach. When I was younger my parents were the same. I spent every holiday at a new beach. You’d be surprised to find that every beach is vastly different—from the sand and dunes, to the sea shells and rock pools. Yeppoon in Queensland is a great example, its beaches seem hidden in coves and there is a lot of grass. Great Keppel Island has fine sand and the beaches go almost all the way around it. From Yeppoon Beach you can see the island, but from the island you can’t see Yeppoon. Caves Beach in NSW is separated by caves and rock pools. In Darwin Mindil the beach is very rocky and the sand is harder—bigger shells.
“I love coming to the beach in the early morning or afternoon and just sitting and listening to the soothing sounds of the waves crashing to shore. Watching as the water retreats and comes back again in another wave to fight the sand. I’ve always thought that beaches and the sea bring us together. I mean, at least once in your life you stand on a beach and look out into the
vast ocean and wonder how far to the nearest island, or how far to the next country. You look for life.” Tessa stopped and sat down, patting the sand beside her. “Have you been to many beaches?” Tessa stared at him and he glared at the sand next to her before he groaned and sat down.
“I have seen many beaches, but until you just explained how you see them I saw them as another way to separate us, a way to show us how different we are. That distance between places makes us different.”
Tessa grabbed his hand in hers and squeezed. “I don’t think every country is so different from the other. We all want the basic things—food, water, shelter, and love. We all live on Earth, we all need those vital things to survive. Landscapes are vastly different all over the world but most have beaches.”
He watched her, captivated as she talked about something she loved. Her whole face was bright, her mouth curled up in a content smile, and her eyes were alight with happiness. Tessa looked stunning. “Here is a fact I learned, there are six hundred and eighty-two beaches in the whole world.” She seemed to vibrate as she eased up on her knees. “My dream is to see as many beaches in my lifetime as I can. At every one I can remember being at I have sat and looked out to sea. My goal is to do that with each one I continue to see.”
For once in his long life, Lucian felt excited. He could give Tessa her wish. With her now mated to him, she would live longer and he had the money to take her anywhere she wanted to go. Angels be damned. Right now, as he looked at his mate, he didn’t even care that the sand was seeping into unknown places, because he knew he would need to get used to it. Seeing the joy on Tessa’s face was worth living with sand following them wherever they went.
Tessa snuggled into him and turned to watch the water. Wrapping his arm around her, he did the same. This time when the waves hit the shore he thought that on six hundred and eighty-one beaches the waves were doing the same…fighting the shore. Angel and demons. Humans with each other. Animals with the weaker species. It seemed that everything was in a fight for life.
Chapter Three
Being at the beach with Lucian had been nice. Lucian wasn’t one to talk. He was the one who asked questions—tonight, though, Tessa would do the asking. They had bought a movie to watch and Lucian was now putting it on. Tessa had microwaved some popcorn and waited for Lucian. The screen lit up and Lucian sat next to her. She snuggled into him and shoved some popcorn into her mouth.
“So, at dinner you found out my favorite color is purple, the shade that lights up the sky when the day fights the night. That I’m a dog person over cats, and I always wanted a chocolate Labrador. I am an only child and my mother had me late in life. It’s my excuse for not being able to talk to them. I have only ever been sexually active with one other man. That I was stupid and left with that guy and racked up a bunch of debt, and it took me some time to realize my mistake and grow up. You also learned that I love chocolate, dancing, and am not a fan of horror films, but I haven’t learnt anything about you beside your favorite color being red, like a blazing fire. That you have five brothers, which is just crazy, and I think I only found out about your brothers because you were talking to one of them. I’d love to know other things, like how long have you owned Devil’s, Inc.?”
Tessa felt Lucian’s body stiffen against her. He paused for a long time, like he was thinking about his answer. “You would say I have owned it from the beginning of time. I would say half my life.”
She shoved more popcorn in her mouth to stop her frustrated moan. Lucian had answered, but not properly. Fine, she’d ask him about something else. “Are your parents still alive? If so do you see them?”
Again he seemed to take forever to answer. “My parents died long ago.”
“What do you do when you’re not at work? You know I read or go to the beach and I also help out with Vision Australia.”
“I keep in shape. I go to fundraisers and, before you, I spent time with women showing them the pleasures of life.”
Holy crap, getting information was like trying to get blood out of a stone. The poor man sounded like he had no life. “Surely you must do other things. What about socializing with friends? You have brothers, do you socialize with them?”
Lucian started stroking her hair. “I socialize with friends. I haven’t seen most of my brothers in a while. The movie is about to start. Let’s talk later.”
Tessa sighed and wiggled herself further against him. She knew later there would be no talking.
****
The movie was about to finish and Lucian wasn’t ready for more questions, not now. He needed to be sure Tessa loved him and would stay no matter what she saw or learned from him.
As the credits came up he untangled himself from her and turned everything off before reaching down and picking Tessa up, cradling her in his arms. She snuggled into him straight away. “Are we going somewhere to talk?” Her voice was sultry. She knew where they were going there would be no talking—screaming, moaning and groaning, yes, but no talking.
Lucian picked up speed and didn’t say anything until he laid her on their bed. He made quick work of taking off their clothes before he climbed on the bed and hovered over her. “Talk is overrated.” His lips met hers and he let his fingers explore, committing every inch of her to his memory. Her round face with kissable lips, to her large breasts and lush, womanly body with its wide hips, thick thighs, and perfect pussy made just for him.
He tasted her mouth as his fingers played with her pussy lips before he devilled into her core, seeking warmth. She arched up to meet his touch and her breasts rubbed his chest. Tingles of heat rushed around his body and settled in his now hard erection. She moved to help control his movements as he pumped his fingers in and out.
His demon, that’d been quiet all day, roared inside his head, eager to be let free so he could play with their mate. Lucian tried to reason with him but he wanted out. He hadn’t been out to feed or to fight in the last couple of nights, and he was eager for action.
Easing himself down his mate’s body, he settled between her thighs and leaned forward, letting his demon feast on Tessa. She gave loud pleasure-filled screams and he buried his face close to her and licked, sucked, and nibbled. Her hands came to rest on his head and her fingers raked through his hair and gripped it tight.
“Lucian, oh Lucian,” she moaned over and over. Her voice spurred him on and he sucked in her clit, then dug his tongue into her core. His teeth lengthened and he gently scraped the sensitive sides of her nub. Tessa bucked against him and her grip on his hair tightened. “Right there, yes there.”
His pumped his fingers into her pussy, deeper and faster. He let his teeth glide slowly over her clit before gathering it into his mouth and biting down on either side, drinking. Tessa’s whole body shook and she pulled at his hair as she yelled her release. Drinking her blood and come, his body grew and he fought to keep himself in check. A high came over him, knowing he satisfied his mate.
Growling, he swiftly detached and flipped Tessa over, hiding his transforming body. Draping himself over her, he let his wings out and pushed her down onto the bed before driving his cock home. Her muscles squeezed around him from the orgasm she’d just had and he grunted at the tight fit. Wanting to be deeper, he lifted her up so her back was against his chest as he kneeled. Spreading his legs, he let his wings balance them as he moved his hands around to play with her bouncing globes as he fucked her.
Lifting her body, he propelled back in and tweaked her nipples, basking in her cries for more. Tessa bounced back on his cock. Leaning down, he ran his sharp teeth over her neck and nibbled on her ear. Tessa was now panting for breath and gripping the bed headboard like a lifeline. Wanting more control, he fluttered them away so she had no anchor bar him. Her hands came to rest on his and he moved one down to play with her puffy clit, still tender from his bite.
“No, please. I can’t take anymore.” She tried to hold his fingers as they massaged her nub.
Leaning over so her face buried
in the pillows, he drove into her. For a moment he sat up and watched as he retreated and sank back into her. Fuck, it was hot seeing his dick covered in her come and buried deep into her over and over.
“Oh, God, I’m going to come,” Tessa groaned.
He wasn’t ready to come yet. He knew when she came around his cock he would erupt. “No. You will not come. You will come when I tell you.” Tessa shook her head and he palmed her arse. She mewled against him and he felt her clench. “No.” With his open palm he smacked her arse. The clenching stopped and he did it again. This time her cheek turned pink and her muscles tensed. He placed two smacks on her other cheek, making them both shimmer with a tinge of red. By the fourth smack to her arse Tessa was moaning and her muscles squeezing.
Shit. He wasn’t going to last. Moving back over her, he nuzzled her neck and thrust into her faster and faster, his body climbing her for his release. When he was on the edge ready to jump, he bit her neck and sucked in her essence as he exploded. Her whole body quivered under him and her pussy clamped around his cock and spasmed, milking him of everything he had. Tessa screamed his name and he felt her body as it turned to liquid.
Putting his wings away and coming back to himself, he gently moved to the side so they could spoon and cuddle each other. Tessa sighed and hugged his hands to her as he brought them around her.
“That was so good. I can’t move. You’ve turned me into a puddle of goo,” she mumbled.
Brushing a kiss to her head, he closed his eyes. “With you it is always amazing. I’m so lucky to have found you, Tessa. You’re mine.” He kissed her head again and listened as her heart rate slowed and she drifted off to sleep. Feeling happy and content, he let sleep claim him.
****
The weekend had been unreal. Tessa had never had so much sex in her life. Lucian asked her everything about herself but avoided any questions about him, giving only vague answers. He always turned the conversation back to her.
