Chapter Eight
Six Months Later
“So, what do you think?”
Eden grinned as Shane tossed her the shiny plastic case.
Perfect. The CD cover looked absolutely perfect. Imagining Eden’s name was proudly displayed in the acknowledgments, but in the end Eden hadn’t designed the cover after all. Seemed she was just too busy enjoying her new man and the new life she found with him. She’d been the inspiration for the cover though, and that’s all that truly mattered to her anyway.
“I love it. Macy did such an amazing job. She’s blossomed so much over the last year. I don’t know what I’d do without her.”
“Yeah, she really rocked this out. Maybe you should offer her some sort of bonus.”
Eden laughed and waggled her finger. “I should, even though that’s your area of expertise. Your offers could go down in history as some of the best ever made.”
“Only according to you.”
She slid him a knowing glance. “Like anyone else matters?”
He returned her heated stare and her insides danced. Every time he looked at her, every time he held her in his arms, he created the same mesmerizing reaction. He cuddled up behind her now, wrapped her in his heavenly grip, and she melted. Turned into pure mush.
And she loved every second of it.
He rested his cheek on the crown of her head and rocked her in a gentle sway as they studied the CD in Eden’s hands. The image of Shane shirtless—yummy in itself—cropped at his scruffy, turned cheek and again at mid-crotch, had been her idea. Macy ran with the concept and combined his sultry body, a dark and foreboding background of a high-hung silver moon, and to her surprise, Eden herself.
She’d followed Macy’s instructions at the shoot and wore a skimpy black dress, draped her body around Shane’s and dug a set of hellishly long blood-red fingernails into the flesh surrounding the tattoo on his pecs. The resulting photograph was dark, edgy—very vampire-meets-seductress sexy. Just what the band wanted. And since Blackguard unanimously decided to entitle the CD Blasdag in her honor, the premise seemed fitting, and she loved how his tattoo also served as the title on the cover.
“Man, those fingernails… I wish you would’ve left them on. I think I still have scars on my back from you holding on to me after the shoot that night. Makes me hard just thinking about it.”
Heat rose to her cheeks, but she didn’t mind. Sure, the acrylic nails had been fun, but also completely impractical. Maybe she’d try them again for his birthday. Yeah, a little treat to spoil him. He deserved it, didn’t he?
She propped the CD on the mantle, spun in his arms and wrapped hers around his neck. “You get hard if I look at you sideways.”
He smiled and snuck a kiss. “So true. But it’s not like I can help it. Hard seems to be my natural state around you.”
She wriggled her hips, applying just the right amount of pressure against the thick ridge behind his zipper. “Case in point.”
His searing lips nuzzled her neck while roaming hands kneaded her back. “Mm hmm.”
“And just what do you plan on doing with all that delicious hardness?” She lowered her voice, laced it with sultry promises. That she could be herself when she was around him, just let everything in her life go and feel, thrilled her beyond words.
When he pulled back and his fiery gaze met hers, every inch of her skin tingled. The rich brown of his irises darkened to coal-black before her eyes—a sexy trait she’d come to recognize as a sign of absolute arousal—a luscious, erotic point of no return. Easily one of the top five of the million or so qualities she loved about him.
“What do you want me to do with it?”
“God, I could think of a list a mile long,” she teased.
He chuckled and held tighter. “What a little hellcat you’ve turned into.” Winding his hands lower, he gripped her ass and ground against her in return as another grin touched the edge of his lips. “But you’re my hellcat, so feel free to use me as a scratching post whenever the mood strikes.”
“Mm… Like now?” She ran her shorter nails over the black t-shirt covering his back. At his waist, she fisted the material and pulled the offending shirt up and off. He helped her by tossing it aside. His once-even breaths were now shallow and heavy, a not-so-subtle match to her own.
When he reached for her again, she ducked from his arms and slid in behind him. The wide expanse of his back never failed to amaze her. Many an afternoon since they’d been together she’d sat behind her desk at the studio, lost in a daydream of wrapping her legs around his thighs, clawing at the delectable skin there as he made ferocious love to her.
She ran her fingertips over the hard muscles, stroked her palms up the vee his ribs and shoulders created. His hot flesh flexed and pebbled under her touch, tiny goose bumps followed her feather-soft trail up to the widest point, then down and over his biceps.
“Eden…”
“Shh.” She pressed her lips against his spine, drew her tongue to his shoulder blade and nipped along the ridge of bone she found there. As if he couldn’t stand not being able to touch her, he latched onto her hips, his big hands firm and strong as he curled his fingers under the tattered hem of her cutoffs.
She brushed her hands lower along his forearms, then reversed the path. She let go at his elbows, worked her way under his arms and around his sides to clutch those perfect abs. The muscles were so hard and sculpted, so much like the treasure awaiting her just below his waistband. A decadent treasure she couldn’t wait to get her mouth on.
With a flick of her wrist, she pried open the belt buckle on the supple strap of leather that held so many vivid memories. Determined to banish every bad remembrance from their first encounter on the balcony, he’d used the belt with her often, sometimes to restrain her as he had that night, other times to inflict an intense sensation of pleasure/pain. Either way, the belt no longer reminded her of anything remotely traumatic, but instead had quickly become her favorite accessory.
The fly on his jeans practically unbuttoned itself with the gentlest of tugs. Without the belt to cinch them, the loose-fitting pants dropped to a heap at his feet.
Ah, yes…commando. Just the way she liked him.
The tight, round globes of his ass beckoned to her, and she couldn’t help it—after an easy stroke over the indent on the side, she playfully smacked the fullest part of his right cheek. Shane flinched, dropped his hands and started to turn, but she stopped him with a nudge against his shoulder.
“Stay there. Let me play a little.”
“For the love of… Eden…”
She laughed, a low chortle that sounded seductive even to her own ears. “Now who’s the control freak? Give it up, Tolan. It’s my turn.”
He held his hands up in resignation. “Whatever makes you happy, love.”
“This.” She followed another caress with a heated whack. “This makes me very, very happy.”
His chuckle morphed into a deep growl after yet another slap. Feet already bare, he kicked his jeans from his ankles and raised his arms to lace his fingers behind his head. The masculine stance he posed in created a buzz of excitement, a fluttery little tingle that traveled down her stomach to settle in a hot pool between her thighs. His physique completely enthralled her. She’d never get enough of his body, or of him.
She edged to his side and dipped under his arm to peer up at his face. His brow was heavy over his eyes and he held his jaw firm. When she spanked him again, his eyes drifted shut and he clenched his hands tighter together, an action that made every muscle in his chest ripple.
Good God.
Breathless, she dropped her gaze lower, past tense pecs, beyond the washboard abs. Below all that, nestled in a soft patch of mocha curls, she found heaven. Thick and swollen, his cock rose up over his pelvis, already weeping. She pressed the tip of her finger over the slit and swirled the hot pre-cum around the blood-filled head. He hissed, a slow and long release of a held breath as she played with him, tortur
ed him.
“You know you’re going to pay for this, right?”
It was her turn to grin. His seductive threat only ramped up her already over-the-top desire. And she knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, he’d stay true to his word. Anticipation flared inside her. She met his hooded stare and bit her lower lip. “Can’t wait.”
Coming to stand in front of him, she dropped to her knees as a low rumble eased from his chest.
“Baby…”
The muscles in his thighs bunched as she roamed her hands over the fine fuzz covering his legs. Tiny hairs tickled her palms, a stark contrast to the power and strength lying just beneath the surface.
He loved when she did this to him, had said time and again that she’d twisted the original meaning of Blasdag from a simple, loving term of endearment into something sinfully hot and wicked.
Sweet-mouthed woman.
Yeah, she supposed she had skewed the gist. But who could blame her when he was the one she could put her mouth on?
She licked the crest of his cock before taking him in her hand and stroking his length. Shudders racked his body as she held him in a firm grip and sucked the head into her mouth. He widened his stance, unlaced his fingers and moaned low and long. Within a breath, he’d dug his hands into her hair—just holding, not leading. This was one area where he let her keep complete control.
Up and down, over and over, she curled her tongue just so on the upswing, only to flatten it on the down. She paid special attention to that sensitive spot on the underside where head met shaft, and teased it relentlessly. He fisted her hair, held on to her tighter. When she lifted her gaze and made eye contact, they both groaned.
“God, Ede…”
She held his stare, loving him with her mouth, but loving him even more with her heart. Cupping him gently, she ran her fingernail oh-so-softly over the seam down his balls. At her touch they drew up tight, turning into two rock-hard orbs. He adjusted his position, his breaths more ragged now, his moans louder and longer.
“Close, baby… I’m so close.”
Yes, he was. Over the last six months she’d learned every inch of his body, quickly figured out exactly what he liked and knew by heart every tell-tale sign. Cradling the weight of his balls in her hand, she slid a finger further back and massaged the sensitive area directly behind them. He bucked, plunging further into her mouth. She relaxed her jaw and took him in all the way.
A primal roar rose from his chest the instant hot semen hit the back of her throat. She eased back only to delve deeper once again. His knees shook and his hands flexed in her hair from the enormous effort she knew it took to remain standing. She released his sac, grabbed the base of his cock and slowed her movements, easing him down, waiting for his breath to return to some semblance of normal.
“Dear God.” He grasped her wrists, pulled her to stand and wrapped her in arms so tight she thought she might snap in half. “I swear you’re going to kill me one of these days.”
“But wouldn’t it be a fantastic way to go?”
A muffled chuckle blew against her shoulder. “Abso-fucking-lutely.”
After a moment of holding onto her, he lifted his head and peered down at her. She nearly laughed at the adorable expression of his sex-induced stupor. He ran his fingers under the thin straps of her tank top. “Baby, you’re wearing way too many clothes.”
Only to him would an old pair of denim cutoffs and a scrap of a tank top be considered too many clothes, but who was she to argue? She smiled, tugged the tank up and off and just as quickly shed the shorts. Fire blazed to her core as she stood naked in front of him. He looked his fill, the gleam in his eyes making her feel so sexy. So wanted.
So his.
“Much, much better.” More in control now, he grasped her hand. “Come here.”
He led her to the couch and laid her back among the loose cushions. She shivered at what was to come and wondered for a second if there was a word for the male version of Blasdag, because a masculine form of the term would easily fit him just as well.
He didn’t say a word as he settled beside her, he didn’t really have to. He knew what she craved and never hesitated providing everything she needed. They were both oral fiends, loved giving that particular pleasure almost as much as receiving it.
With his hands under her knees, he lifted and parted her legs. One thick finger teased along her entrance before stroking closer…closer… God, yes, right there. He slipped inside her, curling his finger, pressing and withdrawing at the same time. Again. Then again…
He broke the seductive silence. “Look at me.”
Her heart stuttered, her breath caught. Love and passion burned from his dark eyes when she met them. He never stopped his hand and never broke from their stare.
“Keep me with you, Ede. You’re right here. I’m here, too. There’s only us.”
Fisting the pillows at her sides, her eyes drifted shut despite his words. Whoever said payback was a bitch never had this kind of retribution coming.
“Open them, baby. You and me. Together.”
Together. Yes…always. She did as he ordered, opened her eyes and held his gaze. He slid off the couch to his knees and lowered his head—so agonizingly slow and torturous she moaned at the anticipation. The tip of his tongue peeked past his lips.
And then he touched her. Her hips bucked of their own will and a guttural groan rose from her chest. He sipped from her body, nipped biting kisses over her taut clit until she couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, couldn’t do anything but feel.
With his free hand, he clasped a nipple between his guitar-string-calloused fingers, rolled and tugged until the tip turned a sweet cherry red, all the while continuing to rasp over that perfect spot inside her as he tongued her into oblivion. The triple dose of sensations wreaked havoc on every nerve ending he touched. She was spiraling, spinning round and round in a foggy mix of desire and lust, heightened only by an intoxicating love.
The sharp pinch to her nipple caught her off guard. The erotic pain threw her into a realm of pure bliss as he covered her clit with his pursed lips and sucked. She shattered around him, cocooned in a blanket of desire so warm, she never wanted to break free.
His eyes slid closed as his moan echoed through her body. He came over her then, digging his arms under her back to clutch her shoulders as he thrust inside her in one swift motion. She cried out as he kissed her neck, her chin, her cheek before consuming her mouth.
He pulled back and captured her heart within his gaze. “I love you, Eden. God, so much. I’ve finally found everything I’ve searched my entire life for. You, baby. It’s always been you.”
Tears pricked her eyes even as a smile bloomed on her lips. “Looks like your chasing days are over.”
“Hmm… I don’t agree.”
She lifted an eyebrow. “Oh?”
He shifted and plunged deeper, playing out the tingles still coursing through her. “I wouldn’t mind chasing around a few babies. Ones that look exactly like you.”
Her soul melted. “You’re on, bad boy.”
Shane laughed. “Baby…I’m so gonna rock your world.”
Oh yeah. She could hardly wait.
About the Author
Kristin Daniels has always been a reader of romance, but it wasn’t until she discovered the erotic romance genre that she finally figured out what had been missing from all the books she’d read before. The heat, the passion…that was it! Her love of reading (any genre, any format…really just anything) led to her taking a chance on writing something of her own, and she’s been hooked ever since.
Kristin calls the suburbs of Chicago home, where she lives with a hero of her very own and their three great kids.
The author welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
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Also by Kristin Daniels
Ellora’s Cavement: Flavors of Ecstasy I anthology
Lily’s War
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