Heat licked at her back. It took a moment for it to register. When it did, she whirled around to see that stone wall Lucien called a chest, confronting her.
“Do you like the chairs?” he asked.
“Yes, they’re exquisite. I love the craftsmanship. And this leather is so soft, it must be Corinthian or from some other fine source.
He took one long stride to stand too close to her. Quinn swore she felt his heartbeat through the sliver of space separating their bodies. His hand rested on top of hers, as he took it and guided it along the leather of the chair.
“It pleases me that you like it.”
What should she do? Sure signs of arousal sent signals to her body to bypass her brain and get closer to him. He continued to rub her hand along the lines of the chair.
“Why this chair?” he asked, voice too damn low and sexy to ignore.
That was a good question; one she couldn’t quite answer. She did her best. “I don’t know. It called to me.”
“It called you? Interesting.” He moved around her to sit down in it.
The chair seemed to fit him like a tailor-made suit. It was his chair. Damn it. And she’d made a beeline to it. He must think she was into him. She was, but he didn’t have to know that.
“Please, come around and take a seat. I’d hate to have to talk with you back there.”
Her feet had moved before her mind caught up. Quinn looked at the chairs on either side of him. None of them appealed to her. She couldn’t do it. Quinn couldn’t bring herself to sit in any of them. It was strange and crazy, but she’d rather go back up on that cold-assed roof than sit in those chairs. She didn’t know why, but the notion repelled her.
Eyeing her as Quinn stood there contemplating, Lucien said low but firm, “Come here.”
Like an obedient drone, she did. When he pulled her down to him to sit on his lap in that chair, she didn’t refuse. Lucien said nothing as he brought her into his lap to rest. Delicious heat enveloped her as she lowered herself onto his lap. This was right, strange and new for her, but right.
13
Quinn…
Quinn had the crazy desire to nestle in and enjoy the warmth of his body. She didn’t. Too curious and confused by this change of events to move from her perch on the edge of his lap, she sat frozen. No other seat felt right. A part deep in the recesses of her being that Quinn had never been able to reach before settled. Sharing this chair and space with Lucien did that. If she didn’t know better, Quinn would swear sitting in another one of the chairs would repulse and sicken her.
She took in the surrounding view of the room. Finding anything to focus on besides him would help her get a handle on her nerves.
There was a huge screen mounted on the wall behind the large recliners where they sat. In the next section on the other side of where they’d entered, she spied a bank of large computer monitors and workstations. They sat nestled against one of the brick walls. The natural flow of a work area revealed the next space. It hosted a large conference table with more oversized, leather executive chairs. Beyond that appeared to be a pool table.
Heat from his large hand in the middle of her back threatened to coax her into letting down her guard. Quinn ignored it and him, continuing to take in the spacious room.
The room boasted exposed brick walls and polished, wide panels of alternating maple and dark walnut hardwood floors. They held the design of the room together. Tasteful artwork, smatterings of vases, and other decorative flourishes impressed Quinn with how well everything seamlessly flowed. Whoever decorated this room had an eye for quality and design. The exposed brick was gaining on her. Here it had subtle character and warmth.
Before now, she’d always viewed interior brick walls as cold and narrow in scope of character and decorative options. These brick walls were more. From the gym downstairs and up here, intricate patterns set each room apart. This must have been featured throughout the building’s interior rooms. This room, in particular boasted functional grace and succeeded in casting a casual feel. It did all this while continuing to promote the potent energy that dominated every space she’d seen so far.
A gentle tilt from his index finger on her jaw to look up at him sent tingles of excitement from the point of contact down to her stomach.
“Give me your attention… please?” His request was understated but commanding as Lucien pulled her focus back to him.
Flutters reached all the way to her sex in an embarrassing barrage of intensity. The flush of heat to her face had Quinn attempting to hide from his perusal. Her saving grace was the mid-ranged cinnamon-brown complexion of her skin. With the soft lighting in here, the chance of him seeing how red her cheeks might be was slim.
He considered her deep and long. His inspection ingrained itself into her. It was so thorough; Quinn imagined it engraving a part of his assessment on her conscience. Girding herself up to withstand his scrutiny, she returned the intense attention. Quinn held her resolve and stared back into Lucien’s handsome face.
This close and her earlier assessment of his features proved grossly inaccurate. Even though he looked to be in his early to mid-thirties, Lucien Drake’s entire being screamed timeless. Wisdom, control, and strength were refined and pure. Simple words like sexy and seductive were too crude to describe him. He was an inferno of extremes that could easily make her cede anything to him if he took the smallest effort in securing it. Inherent knowledge, discernment, power, and masculine beauty radiated from him. The effect was a palpable snare to capture her senses. And yet there was more to him than even this. What that was, was a mystery that refused to show itself. It was as if Lucien withheld another side of himself, one that was truer than what she encountered now if that was possible.
Quinn sat here seized by the epitome of every possible attribute she loved in the opposite sex. Mr. Grumble Butt had transformed into the Sultan of Desire. He’d done it with the ease of shortening her proximity to him. In his lap, she sat mesmerized and locked in a hypnotic trance of his making.
Scanning down from the top of his head, she met with thick dark brows. They provided the perfect complement to the most exotic eyes she’d ever encountered. Not to mention they matched his thick mane of hair. This close with not-so-bright lighting, Quinn still saw those large, expressive green eyes, rimmed with the thickest, longest lashes she’d ever seen. They missed nothing, and that made her want to run. She couldn’t muster the willpower to break free from the attention he bestowed on her.
The air of the room, cold and quiet, did nothing to douse the rising heat within.
Quinn dared to stare, open and direct, as she took in the details of his striking facial features. His look was dangerous, addictive, poignant and intriguing. Not well versed in the mechanics of symmetry or what made someone comely instead of average, Quinn wasn’t sure she knew what exactly made him so… goddamn beautiful. Was the way his wise, brilliant eyes popped against the hue of his skin? Or, was it the way every feature on his face complimented the other to showcase a collection of perfect, masculine magnificence?
That damned hand of his made sensual circles along her back, leaving trails of heat through her sweatshirt.
Back to those eyes of his, she noticed tiny details like the number of thick lashes that rimmed them. His lashes, full and lush, matched his thick, silky eyebrows in how sleek they were. So not fair. His eyes reminded her of all the tales of Arabian princes and tall, dark and handsome heroes. His skin was more than olive. It had a honey-golden hue that gave him the look of extreme health and vitality. His complexion held a crazy mix of sunlight that illuminated the olive with golden hues that completely worked for him. This had been another quick assessment she’d gotten wrong.
His features were the right mix of strong and chiseled. Nothing on his face was extremely sharp, staying in the range of striking instead of harsh. Everything played its part to the utmost. Lucien’s nose was straight and well proportioned. It nestled between the perfect male cheekbones and the mos
t enticing full lips she’d ever seen on a man.
Quinn couldn’t fight the magnetic draw to his lips. His face was a blank expression, and still, his lips teased and taunted her. Willing herself to look away from them, lest she do something stupid and embarrassing, Quinn pulled her focus back to take in his face. A strong jawline set his visage in the perfect balance of masculinity and beauty.
Her breath caught as that jawline rippled beneath his skin. She might have been too obvious in her observations. Lucien remained still as he must have worked to keep from ejecting her off his lap at her blatant objectification. An urge to trace his bone structure with a finger drove her mad. The force of her desire fighting with her common sense caused Quinn to tense up.
“Why so stiff?” he asked, relaxed and seductive.
This was new. The formal and boring Lucien that had been her tour guide for the evening was nowhere in that question or his current actions. At a continued disadvantage on what she was dealing with, Quinn continued to sit here, not making a move. Piercing eyes bore into hers as he probed her in silence. He smiled, unleashing a beautiful smile full of straight white teeth and… warmth. Quinn wasn’t buying this one hundred eighty degrees change, though.
“Why are you like this?” She had to break away from those eyes of his. They glistened as if something complex was behind them. She’d looked a lot of people deep in their eyes, but his were like looking into a massive kaleidoscope.
“Pardon me? I don’t understand the question.”
“You know, so different from before. Lucien, you went from cold and distant to this. What gives?” she asked, sensing a little of her tension had ebbed away with the question.
He paused, looking at her again with that intense stare down of his. Chancing a look at the chair next to his, she contemplated making a leap for it. Uncomfortable as they were before, sitting in one of those chairs looked like the better choice by the second.
Understanding her intention, he said, “Oh no you don’t. This is where you belong.”
That proclamation made, Quinn’s time on his lap ended. With ease, he pulled her up his massive frame to face him. No amount of preparation could have readied her for what happened next. He planted a kiss on her, powerful enough for her to lose touch with reality. Warm, smooth, full, and manly, Lucien’s lips were irresistible. They encompassed all the best qualities to weaken Quinn. She had little time to take a breath before they connected with hers.
And the kiss… it was perfect—not too sloppy or wet, with the right amount of pressure and desire. There was no messing around with Lucien’s technique in how his lips possessed hers on impact. From the moment she collided into him, the move had been a fluid completion of action. She landed against his chest. The fact that they were kissing bypassed her sense of reason and modesty.
Quinn relented, surprised and caught off guard with the ease of being in his strong embrace. Good thing she was the adventurous sort, because this was out there, even for her. To hell with tomorrow and all the cares that resided there. Quinn wanted this… him… now.
Shifting her body to expose more of herself to him, she grunted at the sharp angle her waist had contorted into. Swift as the wind, Lucien lifted and positioned her to face him in that chair. That wasn’t the end of his adjustments. Before she could acclimate, he got the chair into a slight recline.
This man had tricks. Quinn positioned her knees to fit into the snug pockets of space on either side of his trim waist. She swallowed a wince as the sting of the scabs on her knees strained with the bend and angle of her new position.
“My apologies, I forgot about your knees,” he said, placing hands over her knee caps. Heat and tingling sensations soothed the mild discomfort. Whatever he did, the stinging subsided, and she was good to go.
Quinn had ended up on top of Lucien, in the chair reclined. He’d put her in the power position, but somehow Quinn knew Lucien would attempt to top from the bottom. It turned her on even more. Quinn loved a good battle of wills, and this guy knew how to stoke her fire. Lucien was more cunning and shrewd than she’d first thought. His plan was to let her think she was in control, while he worked her. Been there, done that, but she’d play along. Yep, Lucien was debonair and sly—even better.
The gusto he used to bring her down onto his hard chest, disoriented her once more. Maybe he wasn’t going to play coy with her after all. Again, his lips captured hers, devouring her will to stay in control as he kissed, sucked and nipped at them.
“Mmm,” she moaned when his arms encircled and crushed her into him.
Forget about the damn cold room. His body was all she needed to catch aflame. Quinn loved how her entire body reacted. Maybe this was what she’d needed all day—a one night stand. Lucien was willing, and they were adults. She’d fool around with him. That would drive haunting thoughts of Craig’s betrayal and cunning treachery out of her head. What better way to replace thoughts of Craig than to lose herself with this gorgeous man? Her stupidity could come to torment her nightmares later tonight. Lucien was proving to be way more interesting and powerful than Craig had ever hoped to be. The pain was real, but Lucien could help her forget for a night.
Quinn had pushed it all down—all the humiliating things Craig had done to her. She wasn’t a fool, and yet Craig had conned her and taken her for an expensive ride. Here in this man’s arms, she had a chance to forget and replace them if Lucien was as good at this as she hoped he was.
His kiss was a polished advancement of his goals. It appeared Lucien wanted her as much as she wanted him. He’d been playing cold and distant the entire time—the little sneak. That was in the past. He pulled her into him without pretense. Direct, and without misinterpretation, Lucien wasted no time deepening the kiss. She opened up as his tongue plowed its way into her mouth. It plundered and explored her mouth with a ferocious vigor. Quinn fancied herself caught in an inferno of passion of Lucien’s making.
Never had a kiss been so freaking hot. Sleek like silk and oh so warm, Lucien’s smooth lips set a maddening contrast to everything else on him that was chiseled, hard and strong. Thirst built as she tasted him, wanting more. Intense passion, potent and sure, answered her with each flick of their tongues. He cupped the back of her head, keeping her head in place, as their kiss grew into a tangle of want and need. Heavy breaths commingled to drive her into the land of urgent arousal. More, she needed more of him. Quinn’s sex attempted to communicate with his as she wiggled to position herself on his long, thick, hard cock. Its outline evident through the jeans he wore.
Low and powerful, the growl he released permeated her soul. When his hips thrust upward to answer her, Quinn knew she’d lose control. She’d do about anything to have him inside her. Hands—strong, large and heated—breached her sweatshirt, moving up. She didn’t care. Everything he did was right. When his hand cupped one of her ample breasts, Quinn moaned in delight. Lucien worked it, finding the nipple through the sturdy material of her minimizer bra. Flicks and circles drove her mad as he charmed her nipple into a hardened ache.
Nothing else mattered but reaching the blessed promise Lucien was offering. Without a shadow of a doubt, he could deliver. She’d let him have his way. It was one night. Quinn would lose herself in the moment and then never see him again. There was nothing to lose here. Yes, she let go, falling into the tempest of arousal they created together.
His other hand joined to work magic on her nipples as she flirted with the edge of sexual frustration.
“More,” she moaned into him.
He answered with a powerful thrust up, filling her crotch with promises she was sure he could keep. Without a clue about what she was doing, Quinn pushed down in answer as her body moved in time, riding him through her sweatpants. This was crazy good. She’d never done something like it. Freedom from cares or worries encouraged her as she ran a hand through his thick, dark hair. Full commitment to experience whatever happened drove her.
When the hem of her sweatshirt rose up her back, a smil
e spread across Lucien’s skillful lips. Silent communication instructed her to lift her arms. She did, and the garment was off and tossed somewhere in the distance.
“Take this off before I rip it to shreds,” he said, tugging at the unflattering straps of her bra. His command was strong.
Quinn knew he was extremely dominant in bed. It took one to know one. She loved it and how deep and primal his voice had become. It was a shame this would be a one night stand. Thoughts of how good it might be playing with him in bed and subduing him made her wet with want.
Agile fingers that had done this a thousand times unhooked the no none sense bra. Before she could remove it from her arms, the weight of her breasts landed in his hands. Quinn arched instinctively as a hot tongue swiped one of her pebbled nipples.
“So soft… mine,” she heard him whisper to himself.
Home.
Somewhere in those recesses that were settled and content, the mantra of that single word formed and took root. It would take a little time for it to grow into recognition that her mind could understand. No matter, her body already knew what her mind would learn to accept.
The moan that filled the room was long and ladened with hunger. It had come from Quinn as Lucien’s mouth captured one of her swollen nipples into his hot mouth. She writhed above him, as he leaned back and pulled her up to position her breasts close to his mouth. When he sucked one nipple hard as he played and pinched the other between his thumb and forefinger, she grabbed handfuls of his hair and tugged. His response was to bite down with a light nip, sending a jolt of pleasure straight to her pussy.
Lucien: Dragofin Mated: Book 2 (Dragonfin Clan Mated) Page 11
