Samantha couldn’t contain the moan he pulled from her as he made love to her breasts. The movements of his fingers and mouth were sure, but tender. She cradled his head to her, loving the way his longish hair swept across her skin.
Marveling at the wonderful color of his skin, rich and healthy against her fairer tones.
Mon dieu, the warmth of him. Of his skin everywhere it touched hers. Alive. Welcoming her into his human world.
She pressed herself closer, needing the life that poured off him in waves. But it wasn’t enough as the barrier of her jeans kept her from feeling all of him.
“Peter.” Together they worked at baring all of her, the jeans coming off in a flash and flying across the room to land in a heap of denim.
She was naked.
He groaned at the sight of her fully revealed to him and rubbed the back of his hand against the dark curls at the juncture of her thighs.
She needed to touch him too. She moved her hand between his legs, intrigued by his dark blond curl. “You’re a real blonde,” she teased.
He chuckled. “I am and you’re…God, you’re so beautiful.”
It had been so long—maybe never—that a man had told her she was beautiful. But she was coming to realize Peter wasn’t like any other man she had ever met.
“You’re beautiful, too.” She ran her hand up his body to the muscles of his chest, where she idly drew her thumb across his dark copper nipple. It beaded beneath her fingers. “Do you like?”
“Hmm,” he answered in a lazy tone. “I like you touching me. Wherever. And you?” he asked as he mimicked her motions, running his thumb along the turgid tip of her breast. His nose brushed hers, playfully nuzzling her before he brushed the lightest of kisses along her lips. “Tell me what else you like.”
A little uncertain, she teased, “Why, Detective. You like to talk?”
The grin that lit up his face was devilishly naughty. “Definitely. I want you to tell me what you want next, Samantha.”
She sucked in a breath as she imagined just what she wanted next. Almost without thinking, she blurted out, “I want you to kiss me again. Where your hand is.”
Peter didn’t hesitate, lowering his head and kissing the tip of her, just once before murmuring against her breast, “And now?”
Samantha tangled her fingers through his marvelous hair. “Kiss me again…and again.”
And he did, nibbling and suckling until her body was shaking with need. Until she was clenching her thighs together to battle the emptiness inside her. She cried out his name as one forceful tug nearly sent her over the edge.
“May I touch you…here?” His hand was at the juncture of her thighs. She answered him by raising one leg and letting him ease his leg between hers.
She swallowed her shocked gasp at his touch.
“You’re so warm. So wet.”
She hadn’t realized it until now, but she had been growing warmer with his lovemaking. Unlike the other night, so far the human remained in control. She gripped his shoulders, her grasp on him tightening as the sure movement of his hand between her legs brought her closer and closer to the edge. As the heat inside her increased, the first stirring of the beast came. It smelled her arousal and the scent of his flesh. The singing of the blood in his veins.
Shaking her head, she called out his name, almost in fear. “Peter.”
Her tone made him raise his head from her breast. It was her eyes he noted first. The blue was disappearing as the light of the vampire grew. Her breathing was rough and unsteady as he stroked her to completion. But she was afraid of that completion. Of the human release that might free the demon within.
He wanted to temper that fear. Keep the woman with him. Kissing her, he said, “She’s still there, Samantha. Real and wanting to feel this. Hold on to your true self and control the beast.”
Her body shuddered against his and she closed her eyes, bit her lower lip.
He leaned close, licked the spot she was worrying with her teeth, opened his mouth against hers until she responded to his kiss.
“Peter, I…I want you—” She couldn’t finish. A moan escaped her lips as he slipped yet another finger inside her. Her body responded, pulling at him. Moving against his hand as her climax neared.
“Tell me what you want now, Samantha.”
She opened her eyes once more. The glow was gone and only the crystalline blue of her human eyes was visible. “Kiss me. Down there,” she rasped, her breathing uneven.
A shiver worked through his body as he imagined loving her with his mouth. Between his legs, the first stirring of life finally came. With each slow kiss, he moved downward, taking his time while he paused to lick and suck and trail a line of kisses down the center of her.
He slipped between her thighs. With a quick glance at her face, he nuzzled the curls with his nose before he tongued the center of her.
She arched off the bed at the first touch of his mouth. He tried to soothe her, running the back of his hand along her nether lips as he said, “Ssh, love. We’ll take this slow.”
Murmuring something almost unintelligible, she grasped his shoulders and urged him closer.
He answered her petition, bringing his mouth to the center of her, where he ran his tongue over the hard bud nestled beneath her curls. He eased first one finger and then another into her, slowly stoking her passion while he sucked at her clitoris. Bit at it gently. Fighting his own growing need so that she could reach her completion.
The muscles of his shoulders were hard beneath her hands. As he kissed and sucked and bit, moved within her, she arched her back, pressed her hips upward, seeking what she had been denied for over a century.
His loving and her human response to it.
A woman’s cry of need and completion and devotion.
Her desire was growing, rising inside of her, but along with it was the beast, tasting the salt of his skin. Smelling the scents of arousal as she climbed higher and higher.
“Peter, please,” she pleaded as she struggled to contain the demon.
He must have sensed how close to the edge she was, for he slowly shifted his body upward until he was lying between her legs. He was magnificently hard now and poised at her entrance.
At his delay, she met his gaze. That wonderful hazel-green gaze that invited her to step into his world. To become woman to his man. He smiled then, that devastatingly boyish grin, urging her to play.
Almost without volition, she found herself smiling back.
“Are you ready to be mine? To let me know the woman you are?”
The intensity of his gaze and words nearly undid her, but with them came fear. “My undead life, Peter? Is that what you truly want?”
“I want you,” he responded, but he didn’t wait for her reply to thrust inside.
The feel of him stole her breath and her heart. There was no turning back she realized as he began to move, drawing her with him into a world of emotions she hadn’t ever expected to experience.
While he moved, he kissed her.
She could taste herself on his lips and in turn, wanted to taste him.
She licked his neck and the hollow of his shoulder. She licked him again and this time, opened her mouth and sucked the saltiness of his skin. He moaned.
She rolled until he was beneath her. The position buried him deep inside and she paused for a moment, absorbing the sensation of her body accommodating his breadth and length. Of his hea
t tucked tight within.
As she moved slowly on him, heat grew. For a moment she feared the demon inside would rise up, but it didn’t because the human in her wanted him too much. She desired the mortal release swelling over her body more than the satisfaction that would come from feeding on him.
She shifted her hips, driving him in and out as she reached for her climax. He guided her, his hands on her hips, urging her on until she barely had the strength to continue.
Sensing she was tiring, Peter exerted gentle pressure and rolled her beneath him. His own body was slick with sweat. His breathing rough and labored. He was near completion, but he wanted to gift her with her release first. Slipping in and out of her, he made his strokes more determined and caressed her clitoris with his thumb until she cried out his name and arched off the bed.
He stilled then, giving her a moment to come down a bit. He was still rock hard, still ready to bring her to yet another climax, which he did, more slowly this time.
It was only after his own harsh cry echoed hers that he allowed himself to drop beside her and spoon against her back. He wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her close.
“That was nice,” he said.
She laid her hands on his forearms and sleepily teased, “Just nice?”
He smiled and tucked her close. “Can you stay the night?”
She chuckled. “Only if you promise me one thing.”
There was a playful tone in her words and so he went along with it. “Only one? I was kind of hoping for more than one.”
Her laugh this time was broader and she turned in his arms to face him. She surprised him by reaching down and stroking him.
He surprised himself by instantly responding, immediately growing hard as she slipped her hand up and down his shaft. “Um, Samantha? Is that the one thing you wanted?”
“Not really,” she said and moved downward, kissing her way along his body until her lips were just above the tip of him. “I think it was this,” she said and took him into her mouth.
Chapter 26
H is dislocated shoulder was stiff and achy.
His legs and arms were sore.
His penis…He reached down to make sure it was still there, and yes, there it was, slightly tender, but amazingly, growing hard once more.
With her back toward him, Samantha was still in bed at nearly five in the morning.
She kept a human schedule, so he suspected she wouldn’t be trapped in his apartment if they tarried a little. But when he recalled the whirlwind of activity that was the shelter in the morning, he knew he should see if she needed to go.
He laid a hand on her shoulder and gave her a light shake.
She murmured, “Can’t go right now.”
He rose on one elbow and glanced at the window, where only the barest hint of dawn streaked the morning sky. “Will the sun be too strong later?”
She turned toward him, a sleepy look on her face. “Not in the early morning. I’m just a bit tired, although I should get back to the shelter before they get worried.”
“Probably.” He shifted until he was lying close to her, his erection hard against the soft skin of her belly.
Her eyes opened wide. “Are you sure you’re not the vamp? Your…staying power seems—”
“Superhuman. Maybe it’s the company, love,” he answered honestly, since he couldn’t remember ever being this hot for anyone before.
She smiled and kissed him. Against his lips, she said, “Even as tired as I am, it seems a shame not to take advantage of this before reality intrudes.”
He couldn’t argue. Mindful that both of them were feeling the effects of a very long and traumatic night, he opted for something slower and infinitely more tender than their earlier lovemaking.
Easing her thigh over his, he shifted until he joined with her and simply stayed within while he caressed her breasts and kissed her.
Her breath hitched with the way he slowly stretched her as he entered. She nearly came right then, but managed to control herself so she could savor the growing passion. He fingered her breasts and made love to her mouth, which caused her to pull and clench around him with her need.
When she would have moved on him, he gently urged her to be still. “Easy, love. It’ll happen.”
He kept his actions tender so the demon would not rouse. And then it finally happened. A slow swell of pleasure rolled over her, bringing fulfillment different from the wild rushing waves of the night before.
Through both, she’d stayed human. With his gentleness and encouragement, she’d experienced his loving like a normal woman. Like she never had before this.
She kissed him and he cradled her close so they could savor the last vestiges of their passion.
“Ah, Samantha. I could stay here all day with you, but we both have too much to do.”
She turned in his arms to stare out the windows where the sky was slowly brightening with the approach of morning. “I should go back.”
“I just need to grab a quick shower and then I’ll take you,” he said and moved from her side.
She flipped in bed to face him once again, watching as he gathered what he would need for the day. “You don’t need to. I can go back—”
He turned to her, his face serious. “I want to make sure you’re safe. I’ll take you back.”
“But you should get more rest.” He could use the sleep to recover from the injury to his shoulder.
Peter walked back to the bed and cupped her cheek. “I’m fine. Plus, I can grab a quick nap at the shelter before I head to work. That is, if you don’t mind me in your bed.”
Samantha smiled and covered his hand with hers. “The only thing I’ll mind is not being there with you.”
The Artemis Shelter was still quiet when she and Peter walked through the door. Everything seemed in order. Safe and secure.
She gave him a grateful smile. “Thanks for everything.”
He laid a hand on her waist and kissed her. “Do you need help with anything?”
She shook her head. “No, I’m fine. Go get some rest. I’ll wake you later.”
As she watched him walk down to her room, she became aware of the presence of others and glanced up the stairs. Sofia was there, along with Leslie and another of the shelter’s occupants, sitting on the steps and peeping through the railings. They were all grinning and clearly pleased.
“Is everything fine?” she asked, wondering why they were spying on her.
“Girl, if everything’s fine with you, everything’s fine with us,” Sofia replied with a wink.
Samantha thought of Peter in her room. With a smile of her own, she replied, “It’s never been better.”
Which prompted a whoop from Sofia, who came down the steps and embraced her. The two other women quickly followed and Samantha found herself in the center of a rather boisterous and enthusiastic group hug.
“We’re so happy for you. The detective seems like such a nice guy,” Leslie said, and the other two women echoed that sentiment.
She was taken aback, never having really had female friends. Never having shared confidences or other girlfriend things. It brought tears to her eyes. “I’m happy, too.”
After a few more hugs and kisses, she excused herself to begin the morning routine, putting on coffee and making breakfast. Preparing lunches for everyone. It was toward the end of breakfast when Peter came down to the kitchen.
Seeing him, a numbe
r of the kids raced over to welcome him.
It was like a homecoming. He seemed so happy surrounded by the kids. He was the kind of man who should have children of his own. Something she could never give him. First, because she was undead and she’d never heard of a human-vampire hybrid. Secondly, because even if it was remotely possible, Elias’s beating had made her infertile.
He deserved a wife and kids. She bit her lip to fight back the tears.
Returning her attention to the plate of bacon and eggs she was preparing, she failed to hear him as he approached and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder.
“Penny for your thoughts,” he said, leaning close and brushing a kiss along the side of her face.
“I’m not really sure you want to hear those thoughts.” It might be best for them to reconsider the night they had just spent together.
He sighed deeply and squeezed her shoulder. “Not right now, Samantha. For right now, imagine that it might be possible.”
“What?” she asked, playing dumb.
“The home. The kids. The happily ever after.”
She hated that he could be so intuitive, but then again, he was a cop. Getting a read on people was a necessity in his line of work.
Turning to look at him over her shoulder, she held up the plate and said, “Biscuit?”
“Please.” He took the dish from her hands and once again brushed a kiss along the side of her face. “Thank you.”
She wouldn’t ask what for, afraid of his answer. Afraid that she’d break down into tears with everyone watching them with interest.
Peter must have realized her fragile state since he didn’t linger. Instead he returned to the table and let himself be engaged by the children’s conversation.
Before she knew it, everyone was heading out, including Sofia, who said she was leaving early to study at the library. Which left Samantha and Peter, standing in the upstairs hallway awkwardly, wondering what to do next.
Temptation Calls Page 17
