The smile faded from his face and Thomas narrowed his eyes as he spied Ken. The thin set of his lips spoke volumes about his displeasure in finding Nia with Ken bent over her back, his hands on her head.
A muscle throbbed in his jaw. His brows drew together in a deep, angry vee. “Am I interrupting something?”
Chapter 16
Frustration and anger burned through Thomas the instant he entered the office. Why the fuck did some other man have his hands on Nia? The look of pleasure on her face reminded him of their time together the other night. When he’d moved inside her. Emotion blasted through him, a blazing, green-hued monster. It startled him to realize he was jealous.
“Thomas!” Her eyes widened and she sent him a sexy smile. “I wasn’t expecting you.”
The jackass with his hands on Nia didn’t stop massaging her. Teeth grinding together painfully, Thomas curled his hands into fists. “The show is on hiatus for six weeks so I had time. Thought I’d stop by and surprise you.” He flicked his glance to the big bruiser behind her, then back to Nia. “Surprise.”
Nia knocked the guy’s hands away as she stood. Crossing the room, she approached him. She rested a hand on his arm and rose on her toes.
The press of her satiny lips to his in greeting made inroads to the anger and distrust that had claimed him when he first entered the office. He encircled her waist and returned the kiss with a fervor the other man couldn’t mistake. He marked Nia as his own and hated himself for feeling like he needed to stake that claim.
When Nia eased away from him, he stopped her backward motion by locking his hands together at the small of her back. “I’m sorry if I’m interrupting important work.”
She searched his face, a tiny frown marring the perfection of her brow. “Let me introduce you.” Grasping his wrists, she pulled out of his embrace. Holding one hand, she tugged him toward her cluttered desk. A whimsical picture on the wall behind the desk depicted a man hanging stars in the heavens.
“Thomas, I’d like you to meet an old friend and colleague, Ken Hillerman. I know him from NASA, but now he’s moving to town to accept a job in research and development.” She swept a hand toward the blond hulk. Ken extended his arm in greeting, a gesture that reminded Thomas of gladiators. Nia continued the introduction. “Ken, this is Thomas Wilde.”
“Thomas Wilde of Doubting Thomas? I knew you looked familiar. Love your show.” Ken pumped Thomas’s arm vigorously. “Pleasure to meet you.”
Nia rolled her eyes at Ken’s enthusiasm and gave her head an almost imperceptible shake. Thomas distinctly heard her tell the big dope to cool it, even though her lips hadn’t moved. Ken moved a pace backward, hands at his side, palms out, as if conceding something. A snarky grin spread across his face.
Perplexed, Thomas watched the byplay between them. He directed his gaze back to Nia. “I was hoping to get a word with you.” He shot a glance toward Ken. “Alone.”
“Oh, sure.” She smiled brightly at the other man. “Ken, can you give us the room? Bradley should still be in the observatory if you want to check in with him.” She jerked her head toward the door.
“Yeah, sure. I was just leaving. It’s really an honor to meet you, Thomas. Hope to see you around.” Ken strode across the room. The door clicked shut behind him.
In silence, Nia strolled around her desk and took a seat. Thomas followed her, and rested his butt on the edge of the desk. Crossing his arms, he squirmed into a more comfortable position. The tip of his shoe connected with her chair as he swung his leg.
Amusement lit her eyes as he studied her gorgeous face. Too busy the other night losing himself in her body, he hadn’t noticed the dark navy ring around the iris of her eyes. The effect was accentuated as a sunbeam leaked in through the blinds.
Cupping her cheek, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. “I didn’t get to kiss you good morning today,” he whispered into her mouth.
Her lips curved in a smile. She laid her hand on his knee. “No, you didn’t. My loss, I think.”
Easing away from her, Thomas covered her hand, holding her in place. The heat from her palm scored a direct hit on his groin. Predictably, his dick filled. The heavy, eager weight pressed against the fabric of his jeans. Taking a deep breath, he willed it to cease and desist. “I’m sorry, but I have to ask…who is that guy?”
Confusion flitted over her face. “I told you. He’s a co-worker.”
“I mean, who is he to you? The pair of you looked pretty chummy when I walked in.” His chest tightened uncomfortably. Thomas couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so insecure about a woman’s feelings. This thing between them had simply become too freaking important in his life in far too short a span of time. “I’m pretty sure I heard you tell him you love him.”
“Thomas, I’ve known Ken a very long time. But we never have been, nor will we ever be anything more than friends. He’s not the man for me.” Her eyes sparkled like stars as she gave his knee a reassuring squeeze.
“I don’t…I don’t know why this was so important to me. But it was. Is.” He leaned forward, cupped her cheek and reclaimed her lips.
She opened to him, easing her tongue into his mouth. Tasting of coffee, smelling of lemons and thyme. Wrapping his fingers around her nape, he increased the pressure of his lips and fenced with her tongue, a dominant parry for each of her delicate ripostes. She uncrossed her legs and leaned into him. The skin of her bare knee was cool and satiny beneath his palm. As the kiss deepened, he slid his hand along her thigh, reaching under the hem of her short skirt. He curled his fingers over her inner thigh and squeezed.
Her lips curved against his and she whispered, “Did you lose something?”
Trailing his mouth over her jaw, he nuzzled his way down her neck as he slipped his fingers closer to the apex of her thighs. “I think I’ve found heaven.” He nipped her neck, delighted when she shivered. “Is this okay? In your office I mean.”
Nodding, she drew away to look at him. “Probably should lock the door.”
Withdrawing his hand from under her skirt, he made sure to stroke his fingertips over her soft flesh on the way. Standing with a stiffy in his pants required a tremendous amount of concentration. The walk to her office door was uncomfortable, but the sound of the lock clicking home made the journey worthwhile. Twisting the cord on the blinds covering the door, he shut the world out.
On the return trip across the room, her gaze followed him, dipping low to his belt buckle then flashing back up. She’d laid her hand on her heart, and he found her pose endearing and seductive.
He spun her chair to the side, and then kneeled in front of her. He gently spread her legs, and as he possessed her mouth once more, he slid his right hand back under her skirt. His shaft jumped as his fingers brushed against the damp silk of her panties. Desire swelled in his chest when she moaned as he pressed the tip of his middle finger against her opening.
She clasped his head and opened her mouth wider, sucking his tongue farther inside. As he pressed closer between her legs, her skirt bunched higher on her thighs. Wiggling his other hand beneath her fine ass, he angled her pelvis, exposing her center.
Hooking his fingers under the lace between her legs, he eased it to the side. The timbre of her sigh was musical as he stroked along her folds. He flicked her clit, delighted to capture her answering moan between his lips. Thrusting his tongue deep in her mouth, he mimicked the movement with his finger. Gasping, she tore her lips from his and arched her neck. Her hips rocked in time with his hand and her juices melted into his palm. She was fucking hot, and passionate…quivering like a leaf in the breeze.
Her breath shortened and his pulse kicked up to match her quiet panting. Twisting his hand, he slipped another finger inside. She shuddered when he touched her in the most sensitive area—her g-spot. As he thumbed the taut nub at the top of her folds, her body tightened and clamped down on his fingers.
Blood sang in his veins, rushed in his ears and pulsed heavily in his sha
ft. The pressure of his zipper on his dick edged past painful to excruciating. Kneeling on the uncomfortable floor should have distracted him from the plight of his blue balls, but it didn’t. It was bliss to watch Nia dance on the rim of rapture, her mouth open on a moan, her eyes squeezed tightly shut, her hands cupping her breasts as he worked his fingers farther inside.
He buried his face in her belly, releasing the groan that had built in his throat as he worked her to a finish. She arched as she reached her orgasm, a quiet cry hissing through her lips.
Thomas turned his head and panted to ease himself away from the precipice, controlling the demand of his body to join her fall into paradise. Her heart thundered under his cheek. She ran her fingers through his hair, toying with the ends as she slumped back into the chair. A long, satisfied sigh slipped between her lips as he wiggled his fingers in her sheath.
Sitting upright, she grasped his bicep and urged his arm back. His fingers slipped from her body, slick and warm from her orgasm. Reaching for the buttons on his jeans, she seemed determine to return the favor.
Her cellphone chimed with an ominous strain of music. It was a selection he recognized from Holst’s The Planets. Nia paused, her fingers on his waistband, and dropped her head to his shoulder.
“Bloody hell!” She huffed out a breath, and then lifted her face to his. Apology and anger flickered in her gaze. The phone rang again. “I’m so sorry, I need to take this call.”
Fighting his grimace, he sat back on his heels and gestured to the phone on her desk. “Go for it.”
She mouthed sorry again as she swiped her finger over the screen to answer the call. “Hi, Mar…er, Martin. What can I do for you?”
Unintelligible words flowed from the phone. While Nia listened, her eyes narrowed.
Thomas pushed to his feet. Stepping to the side to give her as much privacy as possible in the small office, he grabbed a tissue from the desk and handed it to her, before grabbing one for himself. After he wiped his hands, he turned his back and adjusted the raging hard-on aching in his jeans. From the cloud gathering on Nia’s face, it didn’t look like relief would be forthcoming with her.
“Where?” she asked. The sexed-up color that had risen in her cheeks leeched away as she listened, leaving her ashen. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
Thomas turned around, and balanced his ass on the window ledge. The pressure in his dick had finally lessened enough that the position was only moderately uncomfortable. “Anything I can help with?”
The phone clutched to her chest, and biting her lip, she shook her head. “Not right now.” She massaged her temple. “I might ask later, but for now, I have to put out a little fire.”
While she talked, Thomas heard her call out for her friend, Ken. How the hell had he heard that? And why the hell was she calling for some other man after what he’d just done to her? Dark jealousy sat in his stomach like a python’s most recent meal. He shook his head, brushing the thought away. She hadn’t said anything like Ken’s name.
“If you want to go…”
She rose from her chair, carefully placing the phone on the desk. With a sultry pout and the sexiest sway in her hips, she moved toward him. “I don’t want to go. I have to go.” She draped her arms around his neck, brushing his chest with her breasts. Her lips were gentle and persuasive as she kissed him.
“Would you be interested in making it up to me later?” He ran his hands down her spine until they rested on the small of her back. He pressed, bringing her hips in contact with his still present erection.
Heat flared in her eyes. “Oh, yes.” She bit her lip again. He wanted to soothe the sting with his tongue. She sighed. “But what about Hailey?”
“As luck would have it, the Campfire Scouts are actually camping out tonight. I’m back to baching it.”
“Then most assuredly yes.” Her quicksilver smile warmed him from head to toe. She stepped out of his arms. “I have to go. I really am sorry we got interrupted. But tonight will be so much better because I’ll have time to think of lots of great ways to make it up to you.”
She walked him to the door. The window rattled when she tried to open it. With a tiny laugh, she unlocked it, then pressed her mouth to his in a deep, soul-searing kiss. Her lips clung to his for a moment before she pulled away. She swung the door open, and then playfully patted his ass as she scooted him out the door.
The window glass rattled again as she closed it behind him, drowning out his footfalls on the marble floor.
Shoving a hand in his pocket, he strolled down the hall, already looking forward to tonight.
Chapter 17
The urgent errand that had called her from Thomas’s arms was a need to address a labor dispute in Belarus. Mars had joined her and Ken at the site of a peaceful demonstration that escalated to violence with supernatural speed. They’d all agreed that Pierus or his silent partner had stirred emotions and forced the altercation. Mars still hadn’t uncovered which god or goddess might be aiding from the background. Or why.
In the shadow of a dreary industrial backdrop, the rank-and-file had physically engaged management, and the brawl had gotten out of hand. Barely more than a blip on the media radar, but quick intervention was needed to avoid serious injury or loss of life.
With Mars’s and Ken’s assistance, she’d drawn power from the sun to temporarily redirect the moon’s gravity. Spreading calm over the men and women involved in the melee had been hard work indeed. But with Mars’s hand on one shoulder and Ken’s on the other, Nia had found the effort less depleting than yesterday’s fun and games in the square.
She’d let Ken move them back through the Hollow, conserving her strength. By the time they’d returned to Delphi, Nia had regenerated most of her stores of energy, although a nagging ache lingered behind her eyes. An annoying zing of residual energy plagued her shoulders where the men had anchored her effort.
Ken skirted the front end of her car and headed toward her door. As she alighted from the car, she noted movement at the base of the large maple tree in her front yard. She tensed, expecting to see Pierus or Mayhem in the shadows.
She slumped against the vehicle when Thomas rose off the ground and moved into a ray of moonlight. Idly, she noted the angle of his shadow was oddly elongated across the patch of grass. The moon’s orbit was deteriorating even faster than she’d anticipated. In the odd glow, his eyes appeared hard. Like glittering diamonds.
“Oh, bloody hell. I’d forgotten you were coming over tonight,” Nia blurted.
Thomas pursed his lips and glared at Ken.
Nia apologized. “Sorry, that didn’t come out right.”
Without a word, Thomas stalked across the lawn and drew to an abrupt halt in front of her. He crossed his arms over his chest and swung his gaze between Ken and her.
He opened his mouth to speak, but Ken held up a hand and curled it into a fist, cutting off his words. Thomas froze in place. Panic filled his eyes, the only part of his body that could move under the force of Ken’s hold.
Rounding on Ken in indignation, Nia hissed at him. “Jesus, Ken! There was no call to spellbind him.”
She glanced back at Thomas and laid a hand on his arm, pushing calm through her palm, imagining a soft cottony cloud for him to rest on. His gaze darted toward her and a squeaking breath leaked out between his open lips.
She blinked away angry tears. “I’m so sorry.”
“I mean no harm to you, Thomas,” Ken explained. Thomas rolled his eyes. Drawing Nia two feet away from Thomas’s unnaturally still form, Ken lowered his voice. “You’ve been looking for a way to convince him about magic. Well, I think I might just have found it. Talk to him. Explain what you are. Don’t squander this moment.”
“Are you telling me this as my partisan, or my friend?”
“A little of both?”
“Right now, you aren’t being much of a friend to force my hand this way. Maybe in the next life I’ll see if you can be sent back as a Doberman.”
&n
bsp; “Whatever. Just work it out with him. Look at the angle on that shadow.” He waved wildly at the splotch of moonlight painting the yard with a silvery glow. “It got wrong entirely too fast. Our calculations were off. We didn’t account for the new orbit when determining the cycle. The full moon will happen at least a week early if we don’t fix this. We are running out of time faster than we thought possible.”
He was dead right. But witnessing the fright and anger in Thomas’s eyes didn’t bode well for her ability to convince him. Crushing doubt weighed on her shoulders and she slumped.
Swiping a hand over the burgeoning ache behind her eyes, she willed pain and fear away.
Ken squeezed her arm. “You can do this.” He stepped away from her and approached Thomas. “It probably won’t do me any good to tell you that you’ll understand soon. But listen to Nia. Give her a chance to explain. She needs your help, man. The world needs your help.”
Thomas’s eyes shifted to the side to track Nia’s guardian as he turned. Ken’s steps thumped on the concrete path as he moved away to enter the house.
“Hey! You need to release Thomas,” she yelled at Ken’s retreating figure.
The second the door banged behind Ken, the spell broke. Thomas’s body jolted and he stumbled. He bent, resting his hands on his knees. When he spoke, his voice came out gravelly and harsh. “What the fuck did he do to me?”
“He put you into a…uh, supernatural timeout.” Nia dropped her chin to her chest and prayed for the right words. Lifting her head, she held her hand out to him. “I have to tell you a story. Will you put aside your doubts and listen without judgment?”
Straightening, Thomas crossed his arms over his chest. “I’d say a little explanation is in order.”
Based on his posture and the frosty glint in his eyes, Nia was uncertain he’d be open to her explanation. When he didn’t reach for her hand, doubt zoomed like a hummingbird straight to her chest. Could she do this? She dropped her arm to her side. Sorrow and suspicion flickered in his gaze—the conflicting emotions confusing her.
Mayhem: Goddesses Of Delphi Page 13
