by Jinx Jamison
This side of the building was half shadowed, with small sconces at each balcony entrance providing muted illumination. The garden below seemed designed to encourage clandestine meetings and lovers’ trysts. Several couples walked slowly in the moonlight, hand in hand, enjoying the crisp night air. She shivered a little and wished she’d brought a wrap. Andre immediately slipped out of his jacket and hung it on her shoulders. It smelled of him, aftershave and his unique scent. She smiled gratefully up at him.
The door behind them swung open. A woman, obviously inebriated, stared back at them before giggling and going back in. As the door swung shut, Andre sighed.
“I’m so weary of this.”
Casey turned to face him, a question on her face. He smiled ruefully and gestured around them.
“I used to find inspiration in the people around me, the energy of each city I visited, the sights, the sounds. But for a long time nothing has inspired me. Everything looks the same. No mystery. No excitement.”
She laughed and crossed her arms. “No mystery or excitement, huh? I didn’t realize I was that boring.”
He grimaced. “Sorry. That came out wrong. It’s just this whole routine is so…routine.”
They laughed. Casey studied the beautiful scenery. She couldn’t imagine considering champagne in a five-star hotel as routine. “I suppose you come to a lot of parties like this. Poor baby, your life is so difficult.”
Shock flickered across his face before a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “I sound like a spoiled brat, huh?”
She shrugged. “Maybe a little. But I really think you have it all wrong. People may seem predictable sometimes but they’re never boring. People are complicated and fascinating.”
She gestured over the balcony to the gardens. A couple below was dancing in the middle of the pathway, oblivious to everything around them. “This is a perfect example. Tell me what you see.”
Andre squinted down at the couple. “I see a couple dancing. I see this at these parties quite often. People get bored and wander off. Growing up, my brother and I were forced to attend many social events. My mother is very concerned with appearances, you see.” He chuckled and sent her a sly look.
“If she only knew how many of her prim-and-proper friends we caught in compromising situations over the years, she probably wouldn’t have been so insistent that we attend those parties.”
Casey giggled when he winked. She nodded toward the couple again. “You say they’re a couple but how do you know? Just because they’re dancing together?”
Andre leaned over and whispered in her ear. “No, I assume because of the way he has his hand on her ass.”
Casey peered over the railing again and her breath hitched. The man had one hand firmly on the woman’s bottom while the other rubbed slow circles on the skin exposed by the plunging back drape of her gown.
“I bet she’s really cold,” she quipped. Even as her face heated and she started to turn away, the woman stood on tiptoe and pressed her mouth against her lover’s. She looped an arm behind his head and held him to her, caressing his back, neck and face. Casey couldn’t turn away, their dueling tongues visible even from a distance. They kissed with such passion it embarrassed her to watch.
She peeked at Andre. He seemed completely at ease observing the other couple’s passion so she strived to seem as unaffected as he.
“That doesn’t mean they’re a couple. Look at how they touch each other. They’re so desperate. So urgent. Perhaps they’re forbidden lovers. Maybe they haven’t seen each other in a long time and this is their only chance to be together.”
Andre glanced over at her, obviously amused. “That’s very romantic but I doubt it. It’s more likely they’re just another bored married couple who got tired of socializing.”
They turned to face each other and Casey instantly knew she’d made a mistake. The sudden movement threw her off balance and she had to grab onto his arms to avoid falling. She molded to him from chest to thigh, every inch of her skin heating at the intimate contact.
The urge to wrap herself around him and explore the hard muscles under her hands overwhelmed her. If only she could be as bold as the woman below. She could pull up her dress and wrap her legs around his long frame and finally stop wondering what he tasted like.
As if he heard her thoughts, Andre brushed his lips over her forehead. Then he froze, awaiting her reaction. She closed her eyes, her mind telling her to do one thing and her body crying out for her to throw herself into his arms. In the end she compromised. She turned her face up to his and licked her lips. That was all the invitation he needed.
He groaned and swallowed hard. “Tesoro, you don’t know what you do to me.”
“What does that word mean?” Casey whispered.
Andre swallowed hard. “It means treasure. My treasure.”
Before she could process the words he was kissing her, his lips feathering gently over her eyes, her cheeks and then finally, finally her mouth.
His taste exploded on her tongue, heady like sandalwood, cinnamon and man. She clasped his shirt in her fists and pulled him closer. With a stark, animal sound, his hands settled on her lower back as he kissed her deeper, only breaking apart to take desperate, greedy breaths.
It was too much at once, too many sensations to process. Casey opened her eyes and the world around her seemed to spin and swirl. She broke away and covered her face with her hands.
“I am so sorry. I just can’t…” She heard his harsh breathing but he didn’t try to touch her again. He probably wondered what her problem was. She couldn’t tell him because she didn’t know herself.
“You don’t have to apologize. I shouldn’t have been so rough. I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
Casey regarded him thoughtfully. He thought he’d been too rough? She shook her head slowly. “You weren’t rough at all. I’m just not very good at this.”
Anya thought she needed to have a fling, but she didn’t even know how to approach a man. It wasn’t the kind of thing easily learned either.
Maybe Anya could give me remedial love lessons. Seduction 101.
“Love lessons?”
Casey jumped at the soft whisper against her ear. She didn’t realize she’d spoken aloud. She bit her lip nervously and he leaned forward at the sight before letting out a rough, grating laugh.
“If you only knew the things I would love to teach you, piccolina. The things I’ve dreamed of doing to you.”
“Excuse me?”
“Don’t you know how you affect me?” Andre sighed heavily and leaned his head back. “I’ve tried to be discreet with my attentions so I wouldn’t offend you. Even still there are times when it seems you’re avoiding me.”
Blushing, Casey turned to stare at the people walking on the path below. Anything to avoid looking directly into his eyes. “I didn’t avoid you because I felt offended,” she whispered. “You make me nervous.”
Andre touched her hair, tentatively. “Truly? Do you feel this same obsession, this longing? Or am I the only one in torment?”
“Torment? Because of me?” Was this his idea of a joke? A man who could have any woman he wanted didn’t long for the receptionist at his advertising agency.
“Yes. These past months have been torture. Watching you, wanting you. And now you stand here asking for love lessons.” Andre skimmed a finger over her cheek. “You have only to ask.”
The husky timbre of his voice skidded along her nerves and her nipples tightened as his finger trailed down her neck and over the swell of her breast. This had to be a dream, a champagne-fueled hallucination. But if this was a dream, Casey figured it couldn’t hurt to ask for one thing.
“Kiss me.”
Andre moved so quietly in the dark, his breath warm on her neck as he embraced her. She breathed in deeply, his scent overwhelming her senses. She reacted instinctively, curling against him, pressing against his erection.
He stilled, the arm around her waist tightening until she
couldn’t move. He held her gaze unblinking as he lowered his head and touched his mouth to hers.
They both sighed at the gentle touch of his lips against hers. He watched her as he brushed against her lips again and then she felt the first tentative stroke of his tongue. She had no chance to feel awkward or nervous. She simply melted, her mouth open against his, her arm wrapping around his neck.
He lifted her, carrying her behind the column into the shadows. All the while, her hands traveled over the flat planes of his chest to the ropy muscles of his arms which tensed as he clasped her to him. He was hard everywhere, his arms and thighs like steel cages locking her in place. Andre circled her wrists and held her still as his lips glided over her cheek to torment the skin on her throat. He tugged at the thin straps of her dress until they slid over her shoulders, exposing her lacy strapless bra to his view. He pushed the lacy cups down until her breasts popped out. When he took a taut nipple in his mouth, she bit her lip to stifle a wild cry.
“I want you in my bed, where you won’t have to hide the sounds of your pleasure. I want to hear what my touch does to you.” His lips against her skin sent a chill of sensation through her.
“I thought you were teaching me about kissing?”she teased. She was on fire, every nerve ending at attention.
Andre chuckled, a dark husky sound. “Cara mia, I never said I would only kiss your lips.”
His dark head moved back and forth between the tips of her breasts, alternately sucking and biting on them. She’d never known she could feel these sensations, had never guessed at the force of passion that lay untapped within her. She wanted to crawl out of her skin and all over him. She wanted him inside her and all over her. She never wanted him to stop.
She panted into the wind as he stopped his attention to her breasts, shifting to hitch up the long skirt of her dress. The material glided over the skin of her thighs, the soft rustle of fabric unbelievably erotic. His hand moved under the material to cup her between her legs. The darker tone of his skin against the pale white of her thighs was raw, animalistic.
A whimper escaped her lips as he stroked the damp silk at her core. Andre hooked a finger through the edge of the lace and ripped it with a sudden jerk of his arm. She cried out, first in surprise then in pleasure as his fingers met her wetness for the first time, skin to skin.
“I knew you’d be wet for me. I have to feel you.” One long finger sank deep and she moaned at the decadent sensation.
There was something primal about being backed up against the wall with one leg cocked over his hip and his hand playing between her legs. He shifted, the base of his palm rubbing directly against her clit. The heat built as he continued to caress her internally, every press of his finger and grind of his palm sending her closer and closer to orgasm. She shifted her hips, unconsciously tilting up with the rhythm of his hand.
“I didn’t intend for our first lesson to be about the G-spot.” He chuckled softly as she clamped down on his finger when he tried to withdraw.
“Is that what that is?” she panted. As she felt a second finger slowly working its way next to the first, she cried out and gripped his shirt.
“You’re so tight, so perfect.” He muttered something in Italian, before capturing her lips in a drugging kiss. “Cara, you make me want.” Control obviously gone, his accent thickened.
That she caused him to be in that state felt incredibly satisfying, especially when she unzipped his pants and grasped the evidence of his excitement. His length pressed long and thick against her fingers. At her touch, he jerked and his fingers rammed harder inside her. The sudden shocking pleasure brought tears to her eyes.
“More.”
Andre pulled back at her tortured whisper. “You like it hard?”
At her shaky nod, something dark and intense passed over his face. He fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a condom, ripping the packet with his teeth. She watched as he rolled it over his cock, her desire building with every breath. Some hazy part of her knew this was a bad idea but she wanted him. Nothing could stop what was coming, not even if the entire party came out on the balcony with them.
He kissed her again, his tongue invading her mouth and all thought fled. He lifted her easily and angled her back against the wall. Then he drew back and thrust home, the moisture of her arousal easing the way. His gaze captured hers as he fucked her and despite her embarrassment, she couldn’t turn away. He watched with carnal satisfaction as she accepted every rough thrust, every penetrating glide of his cock through her tender sheath, his eyes soaking up every nuance of her expression.
Her orgasm surprised her, its heat spreading from her toes, up through her core and radiating out, tingling even the tips of her ears. She looked down to where she stretched open around his cock. The sight ignited a second, smaller orgasm.
Casey squeezed her eyes shut as her sheath clenched uncontrollably, every spasm leaving a soul-crushing wave of pleasure in its wake. He stiffened beneath her and moaned into her mouth as he came.
He waited until her shudders subsided before withdrawing. The wet glide of his cock leaving her body sent a jolt through her system. He wrapped the condom in a tissue and put it in his pocket before carefully zipping up his pants.
“I’ve never felt like this before.” Casey buried her face against his shoulder and tried to catch her breath.
Andre anchored her face with a strong hand and kissed her again, pulling her up until she was straddling his leg. She bit her lip at the exquisite pressure, every move they made causing her mound to rock against the muscles of his thigh.
“Cassandra, tell me what you want.”
Andre inhaled deeply as he tried to slow himself down. He hadn’t ever felt so hot and achy with a woman, hadn’t ever wanted to cherish every inch of her the way he did right now. She was extraordinarily responsive despite her obvious inexperience. When she’d asked for deeper penetration, he had almost come in his pants.
Despite the spine-numbing orgasm he’d just experienced, he could feel his cock thickening again. Her scent was driving him crazy. He knew they had to stop now before someone saw them but damn if he didn’t care about that now.
“Tell me what you want.” Andre gripped her slim hips and rocked her against the muscle of his thigh. He teased her unmercifully and continued to stare into her eyes, willing her to answer. He watched as her large, dark eyes drifted closed while she tried to shake her head.
“I just want one night. One night to learn about all the things I’m missing.”
He dropped his forehead to hers. If she thought they could work this out of their systems in one night she was more innocent than he’d assumed. Either way he was happy to volunteer himself for the night.
Her pert breasts rose as she stretched in his arms. He leaned down and drew the stiff point of her nipple against his tongue. He laved it repeatedly, loving the soft texture, the rich smell coming off her skin. Everything about her intoxicated him.
“Piccolina, I want to be inside you again.” He knew his desire was evident in the strain etched on his face as well as the bulge in his pants.
Part of him wanted to say to hell with propriety and take her again, right there standing up against the wall. He could hook her legs over his arms; the angle would be perfect. She would be so wet and open, he could thrust into her and sink deep over and over until they were both sated.
But as he looked down at the line of her profile, something stronger rose up in him, some instinct to cherish and protect. He wanted only to please her and see her smile. Making a spectacle of her with the people she worked with would hardly fall into that category.
“Cassandra, we need to go back inside. We have to at least say goodbye to the others before we leave.”
“Leave? You mean, together?” Her eyes flew open and darted around as if seeing things for the first time. “Oh no, we can’t leave together.” Casey pushed away from him so quickly he was startled into letting her go.
“What is the matter, sweetheart
? Did I hurt you?” Andre watched, bewildered, as Casey pulled the straps of her dress up on her shoulders until she was fully covered. He reached out to pull her back into his arms but she twisted away, shaking her head furiously.
“I’m so sorry. I’m so very sorry but I have to go.”
She raced to the door and yanked it open, the noise and light from the party spilling onto the patio, illuminating her face. Her eyes were huge. Something like regret flashed across her face before she turned and ran in.
“What the hell just happened?” Andre raked his hands through his hair. Up until a few minutes ago, she’d been right there with him. He could still taste her and the sounds of her quiet cries were still ringing in his ears, torturing him. But considering that he’d just mauled her in a semipublic place where any of her coworkers could have walked by, he was lucky she hadn’t slapped him. He deserved it.
Though his father had been dead for over a decade, he found himself wondering whether Nicolas Lavin would be proud of him now. This was definitely not how he and his brother Philippe had been taught to treat women. The older man had been true to his mother until his death despite her barely concealed contempt for him. He looked up at the star-filled sky and let out a long, slow breath. He’d pushed Casey too hard and scared her off. He’d be lucky if she’d even talk to him now.
The door opened again and he turned, hoping she had come back. Milo Hamilton stood there smirking.
He glanced down at Andre’s obviously aroused state. “Things not going so well?”
Andre cursed and turned away. “Apparently not.” He heard the other man’s knowing laugh before the door slammed shut leaving him alone in the dark.
Alone with a massive load of guilt and a raging erection.
Find out where to get The Mirage Agency series at www.minxmalone.com
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