Santos pulled his mouth from her with a long-suffering sigh to see what had caught her attention. “We figured it was the artist’s initials. It’s not signed anywhere else.”
“Oh.”
“I want you, Ria.” Santos breathed on her ear, tracing the delicate shell with his tongue.
“Oh,” she said again as a thrill of excitement raced through her.
“Oh, yeah.”
The portrait forgotten, she turned in his embrace, twining her arms around his neck. “Do you ache, baby?” She plied his mouth with soft kisses, throwing his words back at him with her own sense of wicked teasing. “Let me take care of it.”
“Not funny.” He growled back, unamused.
She skimmed her hands down his torso, much as he had last night, only to lift the hem of his shirt and push it up high, reveling that glorious chest to her covetous gaze. “Very nice.” She laid her mouth on the hard point of his nipple, suckling the tight nub between her teeth.
The sound he made wasn’t human. “Damn it, Ria. I’m barely holding on to my control here.”
He looked anguished, his breathing rapid, the muscles in his jaw twitching. She couldn’t help herself. She lowered one hand to cup the thick outline of his erection. With a couple of flicks of her fingers, she could open his fly and set her hands on that bad boy. The anticipation of releasing all that hard flesh had her blood heating faster than any treasure could.
She smiled against his hot skin, moved her mouth to his other nipple. “Take off your shirt.” It was gone in record time, her hands busy at his fly. She scrapped her teeth along his skin, sliding her hand to the front of his jeans, stroking what she could of his cock. When it wasn’t enough, she shoved his jeans down to his thighs and wrapped her hand around him. He flinched at the touch, grasping her waist with his hands as if using her for support.
He filled her hand; long, thick, hard and oh so velvety smooth. Sliding her thumb over the engorged head, she found a bead of moisture at the tip. Lifting it to her mouth, and keeping her eyes glued to his, she flicked out her tongue.
Even as she made a sound of appreciation at the first taste, Santos muttered a dark curse, then he was reaching for her, holding her head as he kissed her, delving his tongue past her lips to sink in deep. She met his passion with equal ardor, mating her tongue with his, dueling and licking every crevice of his mouth.
In an unsteady dance of feet and nudging, she moved him back towards a familiarly shaped piece of furniture draped in a layer of white. Impatient now to feel him, taste him, she placed her hand in the middle of his chest and shoved, sending him in a sprawl over the sheet-covered couch. She dropped to her knees before him, easily sliding into the vee of his legs and reached for the jut of his arousal.
Understanding dawned and his cock jumped in her hands. “Ria, you don’t have to do this.”
“I want to do this.” Desperately, she thought.
His scent was stronger here, an earthy musk that tantalized her senses. She parted her lips and touched the tip of him with her tongue, not missing the clenching of his stomach muscles.
His voice was a hard rasp. “You’re killing me, kitten. I need to take care of you. I need to be inside you.”
She squeezed her thighs together at the erotic image. “Not yet.” Because she wanted to, and she was going to take what she wanted while she had the chance, she traced her tongue over the throbbing vein in his shaft, flicking her gaze up when his hips bucked at the intimate touch. His eyes were half-hooded, the glittering heat beneath them fixated on her every move.
Keeping her gaze on his, she circled the slit with a light, damp flick. Then she flattened her tongue and rubbed the sensitive spot just under the engorged head before stretching her lips wide to engulf the straining tip with the moist recess of her mouth.
His head fell back, the strong tendons and pulsing veins in his neck standing out in sharp relief. The rapid beat was an enticement to her overheated system and she felt her gums burn, the need to take his blood as veracious a hunger as the need to take him deep into the aching core of her body.
She felt his hands on her back, gripping her shirt as she worked his cock in long, wet caresses. Too big to take him all, she clasped the base of his shaft with one hand, stroking up and down in time with her mouth, the other clutched his thigh as if to keep him in place. Her tongue twirled and danced around his hard length every time she glided up his cock.
“Fuck!” Santos gritted out between his teeth, the hands on her back tightened into fists. “You need to stop.”
Shaking her head, she firmed her lips, increasing the pressure and rhythm she had, pumping him harder as his large frame began to tremble. His hips moved, rolling in jerky movements counteractive to hers, sending him impossibly deeper into her mouth. She relaxed her throat, taking him in as he lost control, and began to thrust. Not in hard lunges, he wasn’t hurting her in the least. He was however, lost to the pleasure she was giving him.
It made her feel wild and reckless. She’d managed to keep her fangs at bay and now grazed her teeth over his cock, keeping him locked inside her mouth as he arched his back and came apart in a hoarse shout. She lapped his seed with relish, humming as his taste slide down her throat.
His chest was heaving when she lifted her lips with a final, lingering suck, causing him to jerk once again. When she sat back with a satisfied smile, Santos lifted her up to straddle his lap. One hand cupped her head, pulling her toward him for a slow, languid kiss. His other rested on her thigh. “Guess it’s my turn to say thank you.”
She placed her hands on either side of his neck, hiding the siren’s call of his blood from her purview in the tender gesture. “Anytime.”
His eyes darkened. “A promise I’ll hold you to.” He bend his head for another kiss, then jumped to his feet in a motion so swift, she nearly fell on her butt.
“Sorry.” He steadied her and then did up his jeans just as pounding feet reached the door to this part of the attic.
Porter burst in, worry etched on his features. “There’s been an accident.”
Chapter Sixteen
Deep in the night, a predator crouched in quivering anticipation, sniffing the evening air, its uncanny eyes focused as its prey dipped in and out of cover, unaware of the danger that lay mere feet aware.
Rising to his feet, eyes never leaving the second floor room, Santos watched as Ria paced, the partially open blinds giving him rare opportunities to gauge her mood, other than the obvious.
Something was bothering her.
He no longer had any doubt Ria was his mate. The fresh snow and lilac scent that had twined around his senses Friday night had only built into a drugging aphrodisiac these last couple of days, making his cat damn near impossible to control.
They both wanted Ria. Now. And while she had given him release earlier with such sensual openness he’d lost his damn mind, he craved more. He needed to be inside her, moving through her tight sheath. Claim her with his teeth and his cock so that all she knew was him. That she belonged to him on every possible level.
The accident that had put a halt on his anticipated evening was the result of a stupid drunk driver. Only Rome’s lightening instincts at the wheel had prevented severe damage. The front bumper of the rented SUV was barely dented, but the airbags had deployed, causing Lance, who had been in the front passenger side, to suffer a wrist sprain and friction burns along his inner arm. Neither Rome nor Gwen, who had been in the backseat, had a mark on them. By the time the cops had been called, the drunk arrested, everyone tended to and safely back home, it had been past midnight.
Now, catching the merest glimpse of Ria as she crossed in front of the sliding door once again, his eyes went hot as melted steel. She’d claimed Lance was a friend, nothing more. Santos could understand concern for a friend, but the amount of agitation he was sensing from her went beyond platonic friendship.
His lips lifted in a snarl of jealousy, fueled by the clamoring hunger that had seized him by t
he balls. It didn’t matter that he’d come only hours ago. Didn’t matter if the suspicions that hounded him about Ria and Lance’s relationship were totally false. Until he was able to sate the feral lust riding him into a hard lather, his brain cells, and any amount of clarity that remained, were toast.
He closed his eyes, willing his beast into submission. Then in a silent leap, he vaulted over the railing and tapped a finger on the sliding glass door.
Ria jumped at the sound, spinning where she stood at the end of the bed, her hand over her heart. The bandage on her neck was gone, the unbroken, healthy flesh a relief as well as a visual validation of his belief that Ria was more than what she seemed. No human could have healed that fast. Deep satisfaction warmed his chest. If she healed quicker, then to his thinking, she wouldn’t be as susceptible to hurts like a human. He already wanted to wrap her in cotton wool and lock her in some safe room, away from sharp instruments. The knowledge that she wasn’t as fragile as she looked eased some of the gnawing worry making a mockery of his rational mind.
Dressed for bed, she wore a pair of thin pants in checkered squares of red, black and white. Her top was a short-sleeved scoop in plain red, thin enough that Santos could see the outline of her tight nipples.
He couldn’t take his eyes away. “Let me in, kitten.”
She hesitated a moment, looking at him with wariness. His tone had been a stark command rather than a beguiling request. A demand that went beyond entry to her room, and they both knew it.
Several intolerable seconds passed until she came over and unlocked the door. “How did you get up here?”
“Trellis.” He used his bigger body to gently nudge her back, closing and locking the door behind him.
Her lips compressed. “There’s no trellis out there.”
“Does it matter?”
After a considering moment, she waved her hand dismissively and pivoted away. “No. I’ve got a more important matter I’m dealing with.”
He breathed in, the scent of her causing his body to harden in painful intensity. Because his hands shook, he shoved them in the front pockets of his jeans. “Like what?”
“The coin is missing.”
That wasn’t at all what he’d expected, and the oddity of it jolted the raging need to the back burner. “What do you mean it’s missing?”
Another expansive wave of her arm. “Just what I said. It’s missing. I put it in a cleaning solution this morning and now it’s gone.”
Santos followed her pointed finger to the marble vanity where a small glass container held only clear liquid. “Could one of your team members have taken it?”
She shook her head. “I don’t see how. They don’t have a key to the room and no one else has been in here.”
“Maybe you forgot? Put it somewhere else?”
She pinned him with look. “No, Santos. I didn’t forget. It was right there when I went down to dinner. Now it’s not.”
Lines marred the sides of his mouth. Someone had sneaked into her room? Violated her space? “We have copies of the keys at the front desk. Someone could have swiped yours. Is that the only thing missing?” He scanned the room. A closet stood at one side of the entrance, the marble vanity on the other. A mini fridge, padded stool and waste basket were situated under the counter and various items were scattered across the top, both personal and professional. A suitcase lay closed on a small bench at the foot of the bed. Two nightstands and a dresser completed the ensemble.
“It is. I just don’t understand why.” Ria wrapped her arms around her middle. “The coin’s fake and made of bronze. It’s not worth anything. Chris, Robby and Lance all know that.”
“And all the guests were gone by dinner.”
Shadows passed over her eyes. “I know that.”
“You don’t think one of us took it?” His eyes hardened. If someone’s selfish and misplaced action had caused Ria to distrust him, he would break them in half.
“Of course not. I don’t believe you or anyone in your family took it.”
The pardon didn’t encompass everyone. “One of the staff?”
She shrugged. “What else am I supposed to think, Santos?”
The thought of betrayal had his beast snarling in rage. “I’ll deal with them in the morning.” He would hunt each one down and show no mercy. But he also wanted a compromise. He wouldn’t accuse anyone until he knew for certain none of her co-workers had absconded with the coin. “But you will check with your people.”
“I’ve already called Robby and Chris, but they’re on a plane and probably won’t get the message until morning.”
“And Lance?”
A negative shake of her head. “He doesn’t have it. And with one wrist sprained and his other arm covered in friction burns, he won’t be able to work tomorrow.”
“You won’t go out to the site by yourself.” It wasn’t an option.
“I have a deadline,” she responded with a unyielding look. “I have no choice.”
He clenched his teeth around the automatic no that nearly spilled free. Yes, there were cameras and other securities measures in place, but he would not allow his female to wander about by herself. He’d nearly burst a blood vessel upon finding Ria dozing this afternoon in the rock garden. Alone. Vulnerable.
Though Santos was a possessive bastard when it came to his mate, he wasn’t a complete idiot. If he told her that he wouldn’t allow her to go, she’d probably slice off his balls. “Then I’ll go with you.” She was more important to him then anything and he knew his father would understand. “But it will have to be later in the day. About ten or so.”
“You?” Her brows flew up. “What makes you think you can help?”
What a segue. His lips curved in wicked knowing. “Because I’m very good with my hands.”
That cut off whatever retort had been forthcoming. Her mouth clamped shut and she swallowed. Hard. Those luscious nipples tightened even further and the room became even more fragrant with her arousal. He knew she was remembering exactly how he’d used his hands on her only last night. Doing some of his own recalling made his body ignite. Sweat beaded on his back as his body temperature shot to the boiling point.
Her gaze took a slow journey over his body, coming to rapt attention when she reached his groin. She licked her lips. “You’ll do as I say?”
A husky question that quickened his blood to a fever pitch. “With your work?” Three long strides and he was in front of her. “Yes. But in the bedroom?” He cupped her face, lifting her eyes to his blazing ones. “Not tonight.”
Bending his head, he pressed his mouth to hers, a hard brush before he parted his lips to lick at the seam of her own, marveling at how cool they felt against his searing flesh, how incredibly soft. When she opened to his seeking tongue, her taste exploded in his mouth. He held her head steady as he delved deep, pumping his tongue past her lips to drown in her addictive flavor. She let him have his way with her mouth, exploring him with equal passion. His whole body was rock hard, screaming for release.
Giving in to his body’s demands, he swept her up and lay her on the bed, covering her smaller frame with his, spreading her legs by insinuating his own between them. Cradled in the vee of her thighs, his hips rocked into hers, rubbing his jeans-clad erection into the softness that held him captive.
Pulling a hair’s width back from the intense kiss, he stared down at her, seeing the dazed heat that burned in her eyes. With a heart-felt groan, he ducked his head to the side to nuzzle her temple while his hands slipped under her shirt to cradle her breasts. Hard peaks met his caressing thumbs and she let out a harsh, half-keening sound that had his cock twitching in response.
“Off,” he ordered, his voice thick and guttural with clawing need. In one sure move, he pulled her shirt over her head, revealing twin mounds of creamy flesh tipped with dusky rose nipples. Groaning at the exquisite sight, he hunched over and set his lips on her.
She let out a soft moan, arching her back as he teased her, dra
wing lazy circles around one nipple and then the other before plumping a soft globe for his enjoyment. He filled his mouth with her, pressing the tight nub to the roof of his mouth, suckling hard. He toyed with her other nipple, rolling the damp tip between his fingers, then switched sides to lave equal attention to the bounty before him.
The scent of her arousal grew stronger and one hand unerringly went to the front of his fly in urgency, knowing she was ready for him, and he was only seconds away from being buried to the hilt inside the most delectable place on earth. She wanted him and God knew he was going to die if he didn’t have her.
But something stilled his mad fumbling. He felt as if he’d waited for this moment with Ria forever, and his beast agreed, growling at him to just take her. Thrust deep into her long, lush body and piston himself into sweet oblivion. But rushing this, especially the first time, seemed a crime, so he forced himself to back up, ease up. She was his, whether she knew it or not, bound to him in a way that went beyond the physical. And he wanted every inch of her.
“I want your taste on my tongue,” he murmured, licking a damp trial down her throat and over her rapidly beating pulse. Stroking his tongue over the sensitive hollow where her shoulder joined her neck, he felt his fangs burn his gums, and had to fight against the instinct to make his claim irrefutable, make her his in the way his cat demanded. Rough fingertips caressed her breasts, followed by the brushing of his lips as he made a slow, sensual journey down her torso, her belly and finally his destination.
Though her legs were already splayed to accommodate his thighs, they were still clothed, and too on edge to tease anymore, he made quick work of ridding her of the rest of her clothes. Nudging her thighs apart, he told her, “Bend your knees for me, kitten.” Though she flushed, she did as instructed, and using his thumbs to open the tender folds, he simply stared at her pink sex; glistening and swollen with need. He wanted to roar in satisfaction, even as his mouth watered with the need to taste. Bending, he flicked the highly sensitized clit with his tongue, eliciting a rough gasp that ripped into him with primal delight. “Beautiful,” he purred. “And all mine.” Then he swept his tongue through her juicy folds and stabbed deep inside.
Drawing Deep Page 14
