by Luna Joya
Her warm willing body and the way she leaned into him told a different story. He pinned both her thighs, but she hadn’t pulled back. In fact, her hands covered his, gripping tightly.
“Can’t what?” He breathed, concentrating on her eyes. He tried to focus on those huge golden pools, not the lust screaming through him.
“I mean I can’t, you know, with other people.” She glanced down, and he made the mistake of following her gaze to where he pressed against the damp heat of her. Her two front teeth sank into her bottom lip.
He dipped his fingers inside the lace to the crease. God, she felt so good. She shivered, and it took every bit of control he had not to strip her and take her right there.
“Never?” He stilled. What kind of selfish assholes had she been with?
“I can do it perfectly by myself.” Now she sounded indignant, irritable, and irresistible.
“Want to show me that?” The mental image of Cami pleasuring herself had his dick going from already hard to rock hard.
“No.” Her face flamed red.
He fought a smile. Her blush was sweet and so damn tempting. He kissed her gently and trailed a finger to one hip and then the other.
“Anything you want,” he assured her, keeping his voice as light as his touch. He’d give her anything. Everything. She only had to ask.
She licked the edge of his tattoo at his collarbone in an impulsive flash. Her gaze never left his. The intensity of that shared hot look shattered Sam’s self-control. He grabbed her hips before he yanked her panties down and hustled her back on the desk, stripping the lace to her ankles and off her feet in one quick motion, grabbing her thighs and jerking her toward him.
He needed her. All of her.
Cami gasped when her bare thighs hit his coarse jeans. She rubbed against the scratchy roughness before she could stop herself. She couldn’t help but sigh at the friction. Sam kissed her again, stroking her as he did.
He swallowed the sounds she made as he alternated between fast and slow, delving deeper to circle her clit. She moaned again. Two fingers slipped inside. She shook from the vulnerability, but she wouldn’t let him stop now. She’d never felt so insatiable.
“That’s it,” he told her between hungry kisses. “So hot, so wet for me.”
She murmured an unintelligible agreement and rocked against his hand. Something was building. Something she hadn’t shared, hadn’t been able to do in front of anyone before. Her body screamed. Her legs jerked. She clutched his arms tighter to stay upright, feeling her short nails dig into his flesh.
Every nerve tingled, and her senses heightened. She could smell Sam all over her body, feel the cool breeze from outside anywhere he didn’t touch her. The excitement of being open scared her, but she couldn’t bite back the little sounds escaping her.
“I’m going to finish you like this.” His forehead touched hers. “And then I’m going to put my mouth where my hand is.” The image of him licking her there sent an ache through her. “Let me taste you, Cami.” His fingers moved faster, demanding exactly what he would have her do. She rocked her hips against him, the hotness of his words driving her on. “I need to know what you taste like when you come for me.”
Every sensation narrowed and focused on one sharp edge that splintered into a thousand pinpricks before her body clamped over his fingers inside her. Her breasts brushed his chest, and she came undone. Panting, she slowly lowered her legs to the ground to let gravity and reality sink back into all her senses.
She hadn’t known she could do that. To lose herself? With the balcony door open so close by? On a desk? At Sam’s work in the middle of the afternoon?
He stuck two fingers in his mouth. “What do you know? You do taste that sweet everywhere.”
Lust shot through her. Trying to regain some composure, she fumbled to straighten the top of her dress and close her legs.
He swept away her hands. “I wasn’t finished. Though I’m thinking maybe you finished for at least the first time. Am I right?”
Flustered, she nodded. That was one way to put it.
“Good.” He trailed his hands up her thighs and started to lean down.
She jerked at his shirt collar to stop him, pulling him back to her. “What are you doing?”
“You know exactly what I’m doing. I told you I’m going to put my lips and tongue where my hand was. See if I can make you come again.” He grinned, wicked and wild.
“But don’t you want to...” She gestured toward his zipped jeans. Good Lord, she couldn’t finish her sentence. What was it about Sam that stole every word right out of her head?
He chuckled. “Want to? Of course, I want to. Any man would. I’ve been dying to have you since you walked into my place. Your bossy little self telling your sisters what to do with all your curls and curves. And those golden eyes.” He flattened his palms against her thighs and then stroked outward. “How could I not want to? But I need to do this first.”
He knelt in front of her, his hands tracing lazy circles on her hips and thighs. She would have fallen off the desk if he hadn’t shoved her so far back. How was she supposed to think with him touching her like that? He hadn’t given her time to clear the fog of a climax, and here he was stroking and petting her again.
Harsh pounding on the inner door shook her out of the daze. She tried to clamp her legs together, but Sam hadn’t moved. He stayed there kneeling with his palms forcing her thighs apart.
“Unless something is on fire, handle it,” he snapped toward the door.
The beating stopped. His harsh domineering tone left no room for argument. She hoped he never took that authoritative voice with her. Or maybe, a part of her argued, maybe she hoped very much that he would.
“Boss, it was a little fire. In the kitchen. We got it, but….”
“Shit.” He shrugged into his shirt and fastened the buttons quickly, not bothering to tuck it. He leaned over and stole a kiss from her lips.
“Gotta go, love.” He snatched her panties from the desk where he’d tossed them. Tucking the thong into his pocket, he winked at her. “Stealing these.” And with that, he was out the door.
Chapter Ten
Sam had been gone and the door closed again before she could even argue. Heck, she hadn’t even tugged down her dress. She picked up the creamsicle mimosa with one hand and brushed her swollen lips with the other. The straw dangled dangerously against the side of the glass. The ice cream in the mimosa wasn’t the only thing melted into a puddle.
Although she’d panicked when he’d mentioned the ocean having the same pull as she did, the anxiety had eased under his touch. Sam couldn’t know about her powers, yet he’d felt it. She’d have to be more careful. The last man she’d invoked her powers around, she’d nearly drowned.
Golden light spilled over the cliffs outside when Cami’s phone rang with the third blocked call of the afternoon. She had gotten a lot of unrecognized numbers, blank voice mails, and odd calls this week. The caller never left a message.
She stretched and checked the clock. At almost seven, Sam would need at least another hour to wrap up his long day here at the restaurant before heading back to Santa Monica.
“Come on,” she called to Bogart, who’d been sleeping on the balcony. She hooked the leash, and Bogie loped behind her down the stairs and out the back door. Cami paced him toward the shrubs at the edge of the parking lot to do his business. Careful not to bend too far and flash anyone, since Sam had kept her panties, Cami rubbed Bogart’s neck and ears before turning to head back inside. She whirled when she heard the squeal of tires speeding across the pavement.
A familiar turbo-charged red Mini Cooper with black racing stripes wheeled into the lot and whipped neatly into a parking spot. Mina bounded out of the passenger side in shorts and a tank top with a hooded sweatshirt tied around her waist. Delia unfolded from behind the driver’s side wearing a long classy dress. Linen, Cami would bet. Delia smiled at her, a rare genuine melting of her wide mouth and lovel
y features under mirrored glasses.
Bogart wiggled excitedly. She looked down, and he fell on his rump with his tail thumping.
“Are you Bogart?” Mina cooed and bent to pet the dog. “Did she make you sit?”
“I didn’t make him sit. I politely asked him to,” she clarified.
“Think you can swing us a table at your new boyfriend’s place tonight?” Delia asked.
“Deals, it’s Friday night,” Mina argued between fending off dog licks to her face.
Delia’s arched brow threw down a challenge.
“Come on,” Cami told them and gave a gentle tug on Bogart’s leash. They rounded to the
front of the restaurant. At least the deck had open spots, though it looked like the bar had filled already. She caught sight of Sam and waved. He lifted his chin and flashed a smile before returning to a guest.
She requested a table for three, and the hostess pointed them to a quiet spot at the far end of the patio. After snagging menus, she steered her sisters to the table.
“What do you two want to drink?” She looped Bogart’s leash around her chair and dug in her back pocket for a chew stick.
Delia slid her sunglasses on top of her head. “Do you wait tables for him now?”
Her sister’s face had been expressionless, but Cami knew by the judging tone of voice Delia didn’t approve. “No, but I thought you might be thirsty, and I could speed up the process by asking Sam at the bar.”
Delia narrowed her eyes but asked for a water and a glass of whatever wine Sam recommended.
“Iced tea,” Mina said.
Cami walked to the bar, her gaze never leaving Sam. He stopped to chat with a few customers along his way down the bar, topped off a drink, and cleared an empty glass like a dance in motion. She enjoyed watching him work. He answered a server’s questions while pouring from three bottles for a mixed drink, but when his gaze met hers, his look said she had his full attention.
“Delia and Mina are here.”
He handed the cocktail to a passing server. “What would they like to drink?”
“Iced tea for Mina, and Delia wants a water and whatever wine you recommend.”
“Is the wine recommendation a test?” Sam joked. With Delia, she probably meant it to be. Cami shrugged and didn’t answer outright. Sam sobered at her evasiveness. “What’s she like to those of you she doesn’t ignore?”
She considered before she answered. “Prim. Proper. More refined than the rest of the family. Nasty in a courtroom. Probably a volcano waiting to happen for the wrong guy.”
“Or the right guy,” he said with a grin that had her insides melting. “Chicken or beef kind of woman?”
“Steak. Rare.”
He nodded. “Full-bodied, red, bold, a little dry. I got just the thing.”
He reached for a wine bottle from the top shelf. The edge of his shirt rode up to show a sliver of tanned skin. His forearm muscles flexed as he uncorked the wine and took another order. She remembered that skin pressed against her, his mouth open and demanding on hers. Hot and intense. She leaned against the bar, her body weakening with the memory.
With a sly look in her direction, he popped a fingertip in his mouth and sucked. Her eyes damn near crossed. He kissed her cheek and nuzzled her ear as though he knew exactly what she was thinking. Then he patted the pocket where he’d tucked her panties.
“Later.” He pushed a tray loaded with tall glasses of what her sisters requested and an extra glass of wine in her direction. She took a deep fortifying breath before lifting the drinks. Thank goodness he’d added some wine for her. She’d need it after that rush.
She managed on unsteady legs back to the table, and the server taking her sisters’ orders plucked the tray from her with murmured thanks. He unloaded drinks and napkins before leaving the sisters to chat.
“Tell us about your restaurant-owning surfer guy,” Delia said, taking a sniff and then sip of her wine. “Other than he has excellent taste.”
Cami told them everything but the foreplay in his office because those were big bold conversation lines not to be crossed. By anyone. Ever.
“Have you slept together yet?” her older sister asked.
“Delia.” She hissed. Thankfully, no one sat close enough to eavesdrop.
“What?”
Mina rolled her eyes. “At least our sex crimes DA didn’t ask you about penetration or oral stimulation.”
“Not having this conversation,” she bit out.
Delia cocked her head to the side. Cami wouldn’t budge.
“Come on,” Mina pled. “You gotta help your loveless sisters live vicariously.”
“That was a no,” Delia told her baby sister. “They haven’t. But she wants to.”
“What?” Mina asked, her mouth falling open. “Why haven’t you? It’s been two weeks since you met, right? You two lip locked in a library. Like steamy hot bodice-ripper made out according to our phone convo. I would assume you’ve kissed him since. What’s the problem?”
Cami took a long drink of her wine but not before a blush stole up her cheeks. Sisters. A girl’s best friends and worst critics.
Mina wasn’t finished. “Seriously, your new boyfriend is hot. You need to fix that.” She wound her finger in a tight circle to suggest wrapping up the sexual situation. “Remember, chica, no one judges sex on the first date anymore. So the third or fourth or whatever you guys are on is fair game.”
Cami coughed. “You better not let Ama hear you say that. Or worse, Ita.” Their maternal grandmother was a scary force of nature.
Mina paled. “Ita doesn’t play. She’d probably conjure me a chastity belt.”
Delia pressed her lips together. “I think our Cami has already made some progress toward taking things to the next level. I’ll have to shake hands with your Sam later.”
“Don’t you dare use your psychic powers to read my boyfriend,” Cami whispered to Delia. She pointed at Mina. “You either.”
Mina held up her hands in mock innocence.
Her youngest sister had double the psychic powers of the rest of them. She wouldn’t be surprised if Mina hadn’t already tried to read the past and any possible future of Sam’s restaurant. Mina could also catch any loud thoughts he might focus on. Please, don’t let her see what happened on the desk earlier.
Delia stared at her over the wine glass. “I don’t ever use my powers if I can help it.”
“You’re no fun.” Mina stopped short of a full eye roll.
Delia edged forward and dropped her voice. “It’s not like we would use our elements on him. What good would that do, Mina? I might blow over some tables, and you’d set the whole place on fire. There’s a reason for discretion, for the rules. No public exposure unless it’s for a damn good reason.”
Cami swallowed. She’d learned that lesson with Neil. Hopefully, he didn’t remember the seconds before the water rushed over his head or the way her eyes had changed with the magic.
“It’s not like I can control my time slips all that well anyway.” Mina crossed her arms. “Why do you think I need all your help researching Sunny?”
“I know you don’t have as much direction for your powers.” She didn’t want to imagine losing her ability to pinpoint her communication with animals. Ruby had the same precision over her healing powers. But Delia had almost no control. Her power of touch to read an object or a person didn’t have a switch to voluntarily turn it on or off outside family immunity. Mina’s power came when it wanted. Her only choice was whether or not to physically follow the visions from other times.
“Sam’s researching Sunny to get closer to you.” Mina set her jaw. “Why are you doing it?”
“To keep you off the bluffs another night. Or from wandering sightless down the Sunset Strip. Or breaking into the mansion.” Cami didn’t doubt Mina would try to slip again. She wouldn’t risk her sister’s safety. “Sam loves history. No magic necessary.” She shot a hard look at Delia. “No attempts to read him are necessar
y either.”
“You think Ama hasn’t already run your new boyfriend’s name through the witchy networking chain?” Delia asked.
“She’s dating Sam,” Mina protested. “Not agreeing to have little witch babies.”
Cami’s phone rang again as the server brought her sisters’ food. She checked the screen–“No Caller ID”–before silencing it.
“Who’s that?” Mina asked.
“Nosy,” Delia accused, cutting into her steak.
“I’ve gotten blocked calls all week,” she explained and waved it away.
Delia frowned. “Any messages?”
“No.”
“You got a new phone number after you moved back.”
She nodded. Of course she’d changed her number. She’d changed almost everything. After their last fight at the beach, she’d left Neil crawling out of the ocean gasping. She’d fled, abandoned her life there, and picked up the pieces as best she could.
“You haven’t seen Neil, have you?” Delia asked sharply.
“No.”
Delia’s lips thinned. “You need to be careful. Change your number again. Better yet, get a different phone.”
“I’m sure it’s nothing.”
“You’re still running scared.” Delia shook her head. “We should’ve made you go to counseling.”
“It wouldn’t have done any good. Stop worrying. Eat.” She gestured toward their plates.
Delia took a bite, but clearly she hadn’t finished lecturing. “You don’t trust yourself anymore, little sister, and none of that with Neil was your fault.”
“I know that.”
“No, you don’t,” Delia argued. “Not really. You still blame yourself.”
Cami looked at Mina.
Her baby sister forked a potato wedge. “I agree with Deals on this one. Neil the Eel was crazy and took advantage of your sweetness.”
“I’m not that sweet.” She tried not to think of Neil being dragged deeper into the coming tide.
“You are,” Delia said. “You’re the darling of the family, and we love you for it, but we need to know you’re safe. You wearing Ama’s ‘alarm charm’ everywhere?”
