Paparazzi must have been tipped off to David’s presence. Throngs of reporters crowded the sidewalk outside the hotel. She squeezed past them, not looking at anyone except David as he cut through them expertly and pulled her to a distinct black car.
Once settled into the back seat, the driver weaved through Italian traffic, barely slowing. Genise studied the stern man who’s eyes flicked to meet hers in the rear view mirror. “He’s the same driver from New York.”
David nodded. “Stuart travels with me when possible. He will also go to Paris with us.” He went back to whatever he did on his cell phone, promptly dismissing her.
Fashion Week was nothing like she expected and everything more than she anticipated. Crowds, lush clothes, elegance and pettiness. Women openly glared at her when she and David cut through room after room of endless cocktail parties, black ties affairs and outdoor fetes at luxurious locations.
At every fashion show, she sat at the edge of her seat devouring the sight of the wonderful collections while committing to memory every color, smell and ambiance. At the end of the runways, magazine photographers crowded and called out to the models, taking over the show if ever the loud music lulled.
There were lights, themes and very creative designs. Every element of each event was breathtaking and overwhelming. The only thing constant was David’s control over the crowd.
Each time David walked, the atmosphere changed, conversations hushed to a quiet reverence reserved for the best of the best.
When he strolled down the runway, Genise lost her ability to breathe at his casual, yet graceful, strides. He carried not only himself, but also whatever he wore with style, instantly bringing the fashion elite to scribble notes and snap pictures in order to fill their stores with the pieces. As expected, whenever he walked, just as many flashes were directed towards her as to him. Margo’s instructions to not take her eyes from him were never a problem, as she would have to fight to not stare at the striking male.
Each night, she fell into bed exhausted and alone. Sometime in the middle of the night, David would join her. The man’s schedule was inhuman. After all the parties and shows, he had interviews and shoots. Inevitably, Margo stopped by nightly to go over the day and the plan for the next.
Rarely did they include Genise.
She was both relieved and hurt by his lack of attention once back at the hotel. Although pleasant and never looking down on her, once alone, he remained distant, professional.
Which, if she were to be honest, was what they were, but she wanted to get to know him. Perhaps her expectations had been unrealistic.
Now to convince her annoying heart not to get involved.
That was the hard part.
Chapter Five
Stuart pulled up in front of a nondescript, two-story, Victorian building in the Fulham area of London. Genise had not slept more than three hours the night before, after they’d, once again, entertained in their hotel suites.
Now, as Stuart glided into the empty spot in front of the building, alertness pushed weariness away to be replaced with curiosity.
As usual, David remained on his phone. He seemed to speak nonstop to someone who was overlooking some sort of business venture he and the person were launching. He ended the call just as the car came to a stop.
“Is this really your home?” She peered out the window to the off-white, stucco building with perfectly trimmed potted trees on the three steps leading up to the front of the house.
He seemed surprised at her question, an eyebrow shooting up. “Yes, of course.”
It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him it was crazy to bring someone he barely knew there, to remind him she could publicize the location. However, she’d signed a contract, which precluded it, so instead of saying anything, Genise sunk back into the seat waiting for Stuart and David to perform the ritualistic male task of unloading the suitcases before Stuart came and opened her door.
With her oversized tote and smaller purse, she climbed the stairs then turned when hearing her name. A discrete distance away, across the street, two men took pictures.
So they already knew where he lived. David took her elbow and leaned forward with a smile. “Let’s go inside, darling.”
She pretended he said something witty and laughed, turning toward Stuart as if ensuring he followed. To the paparazzi, they looked to be a couple having a wonderful time, excited at returning home after a hectic time spent at Fashion Week.
The interior of his home shocked her. The flat was spacious, with polished, reclaimed wooden floors and what looked to be very comfortable refurbished furnishings.
He guided her to a bedroom. “This is the guest room where you will stay. I hope it’s to your liking.”
The room was perfect, nicely furnished, lit well and it would be a lonely place to sleep. Although they’d barely spoken in the evenings, she’d become used to him sharing the bed.
“It’s just fine. Thank you.” She went to the bed and plopped her bags on the bed. “I think I’ll take a nap if that’s okay.”
His shrug was elegant. “I have quite a few things to catch up on. Dinner will be delivered at seven. Until then, if you require anything, I’ve had the kitchen restocked.”
Genise sat on the bed and bit her bottom lip. Now what? This was her chance, make it or break it as most would say. Hopefully it wasn’t her heart that was about to get smashed to smithereens. From her purse, she pulled out a Tic Tac container. In it were two capsules one pink and one blue. Zelda had pronounced the pink one would make her pheromones sizzle and the blue one make him pop. She wasn’t too sure she needed sizzling pheromones or whatever made David “pop”.
He was a shifter after all and with altered senses could smell her arousal anytime there were together. Most embarrassing, but since it couldn’t be helped, she tried not to give it much thought.
Then again, better to have something in her corner in case the man was not interested, or needed a little boost in the “below the waist” department.
She shook one of the pills onto her palm and stared at it. Could she do it? Find a way to take one and slip him the other? What if it backfired? Or if he didn’t want to sleep with her?
The attraction she’d felt the first day, it could all be a well orchestrated act for the media. Genise slipped the pill back into the container. Two days together. Best to keep it a wonderful memory of time alone and not use any juju. Shrugging, she fell back onto the pillows.
“Nap. Who am I kidding?”
* * *
David paced and then he stalked from one side of the room to the other. He raked his fingers through his hair and growled under his breath. The wolf was restless, demanding he take her. Inside him, the beast fought for release and he was of a mind to give in.
It was not the time. Genise wasn’t ready. They’d not had time to get to know each other. That he’d finally met his mate didn’t matter however to his wolf. The beast demanded he take her and make her theirs.
For the first time in his life, a sense of belonging to someone filled David with uncontrollable urges to not take no for an answer to declare everything to Genise and convince her to accept him.
If they made love they would bond. That part he could not control. The terrifying thought that she would reject him after made him pause. He’d have to proceed with much care. The wolf would not allow her to go without marking. Somehow, he’d have to find a way to satisfy both his urge to have her naked beneath him and his wolf’s demand for a mate.
Genise had a say of course, he’d never bond with a female without her permission. It was too soon, much to early but he’d have to find a way. He would not mate with the whoever was arbitrarily chosen by his pack leader, as was customary. He had to chose his own mate and Genise Snow was the woman he chose. Of that at least he was sure.
Best to get rid of the steam, which threatened to escape in an uncontrollable way. David took two steps at a time down the side stairs to the back of the property. Once in hi
s garage, he removed his clothes and shifted.
The wolf raced through the small wooded area behind the house and on past to the back streets. Not as in control of the animal as he wished to be and running before late night, David hoped to be mistaken for a large dog as the wolf continued its trek, happy to be released.
The chill in the air only made the wolf freer and it wanted to run longer. After an hour, David was finally able to control his beast.
It had been a long time since he’d been so overwhelmed with desire. Years, in fact. At thinking of Genise, the wolf howled, the beautiful melody of want and desire echoing from the tall buildings surrounding him.
Finally, several hours later, in his bedroom, David showered and dressed casually in jeans and a simple, white t-shirt. Padding barefoot to a mirror, he studied his reflection. It never ceased to amaze him why people considered him to be the ideal man. In his opinion, his nose was too big for his face and his hair was an uncontrollable mess. The only thing about him to his liking was his eyes. The bright blue was an inhuman hue that often had to be dimmed in his pictures. Aquamarine, they matched the ocean surrounding Spain.
Absently, he wondered what Genise thought of his eyes and then shrugged at the absurd thought.
The air stirred. The smell of her came to him in a rush and, once again, the wolf stirred. It had been so difficult, torturous really, to avoid taking her. Especially when he could sense the speeding of her heartbeat and scent of her arousal whenever he was near her.
He’d seen Genise for the first time during a trip to New York. At a café, she’d been sitting with a wolf he’d met several times. Stuart Wolfe was gay so didn’t pose a threat to a male interested in Genise.
Her smile had first caught his attention. The second thing that he noticed was the riot of curls bouncing as she’d thrown her head back and laughed at whatever nonsense Stuart spouted.
David’s wolf wanted to claim her on sight, but he’d hung back and watched, hoping for a chance to speak to Stuart. Not five minutes after he arrived, she’d looked at her watch and left.
It was then he’d come up with a plan, to hire a fake girlfriend. Margo was incensed, as he’d expected. The woman wanted more between them than a professional relationship. It was becoming tedious, but she was great at what she did. He could not ask for a more efficient publicist and manager, so he held back on firing her.
Tonight. The wolf demanded and David took a fortifying breath.
Night after night, in the hotel room, he’d avoided the bed until she slept. Thankfully, shifters did not need as much sleep as humans. But the strain of not mating was taking its toll. He could not face Paris without having her.
“Damn it,” he swore out loud. His shyness when it came to women frustrated him to no end. “Fine.” David let out a breath and headed to the door.
If Margo was right and Genise was there only to gain publicity for her small marketing firm, then so be it.
He wanted more, much more.
A mate, a partner.
But for now, he’d settle for her body.
* * *
Dinner was delicious. Genise couldn’t believe the change in David. He was attentive, entertaining her with anecdotes of what happened behind the scenes in Milan. They laughed, ate and drank wine. He promised to take her for a walk the next day to the small shops and his favorite café the day after.
“Is the paparazzi always outside your door?” She fiddled with her fork and met his gaze. “I assume they will follow us about.”
It was wonderful to see the playful gleam in his eyes. “We’ll sneak out the back. That will shake them for a bit.”
His hand shook just a bit when he refilled her wine glass and she wondered if it was the weariness of the past week. She lifted the glass to her lips. “I saw you leave earlier. Your wolf is beautiful.”
David’s eyebrows rose. “I don’t normally allow him free in town, but he has been demanding release.”
“With your coloring, I expected a darker wolf. But you are more of a silver-gray.”
How she wanted him. Genise had made up her mind that she’d be with him tonight. Prepared with two condoms in her pocket, she absently patted her jeans pocket.
His eyes narrowed and she wondered if shifters could read minds. God she hoped not. “David…”
“Let’s move to the couch. I’d like to watch a bit of the news,” he interrupted.
They settled into the couch and she tucked her feet under. Now or never, she told herself and placed her hand on his thigh. “David?”
“Mmmm?”
“Your mind is not on the telly, you keep looking away. Is something wrong?”
His brows lowered and he lifted his eyes to meet hers. “My wolf. It’s demanding things of me and I’m trying to control it.”
“Oh?” Genise wasn’t sure if it meant the animal was hungry or if it wanted David to bit her leg off. “What…kind of things?”
“A mate. It’s getting past time for me to find a mate.”
The statement, without emotion made it hard to gauge if he was happy or not about it.
“I’m not sure what that means. Do you mean a sexual partner or a wife…or whatever shifters do?”
When he turned to her, the sharpness in his eyes startled Genise. Whether anger or desire she couldn’t be sure. His startling, blue eyes brightened, yet at the same time the hue was different, almost midnight blue. “A wife. Someone to share my life with. What do you think about that?”
Did he really expect her to give him a blessing to go forth and find a woman? Genise fought the urge to point at herself and say “hello I’m here”. Instead she pretended to ponder his question. “I don’t know enough about your kind to make a valid statement. But I suppose if you are having those urges, then perhaps it is the perfect time to settle down. It could be the right woman is like you know someone you already know…or something,” she finished weakly.
He reached ever so slowly for her, cupped her jaw for a scant second before taking her mouth with voracious hunger. Genise could only cling to his shoulders as he took her mouth, his tongue delving past her parted lips.
Her body tingled with awareness, every inch demanding to be touched by him. For the moment, she settled with running her hands down his broad back and then up again.
David was all she dreamed, his hard body against hers, the delicious mouth taking hers, his rapid breathing intoxicating.
Genise wanted to cry, knowing how much she’d savor this moment, not just in the space of the present, but forever.
“Come with me.” David stood and pulled her by the hand to his bedroom. “I want you in my bed. I need you tonight.”
Once inside the doorway, he stopped her and, once again, took her mouth. He held her tight, his strong arms like a vice pinning her arms. Genise let go, allowing David full control.
He took a step back. His heated gaze explored her, moving from her lips slowly down until pinpointing her breasts. One at a time, he slid the thin straps of her tank top and then pushed the flimsy cloth down to her hips.
“Beautiful. So full and plump.” He pulled her by the hands until he could sit on the bed then lifted her breasts and pushed them together. When his mouth covered her right nipple, she gasped at the strong pull.
He sucked it deep into his mouth while his thumb pad caressed the other. From one to the other, he continued taking his time with each one, licking and then sucking the tender tips in.
Genise raked her fingers through his hair encouraging him to continue the wonderful torture even though her core pulsed with need and her legs threatened to give out.
“Ah!” she cried out when he bit down, his teeth grazing the sensitive flesh.
Kneading one breast, he took the tip of the other in his mouth, laving at the taut tip while Genise rose to her toes at the exquisite feel of it.
Skilled hands moved to her waistband and pushed her pants down past the roundness of her hips until she kicked them away.
Wearin
g only her thong, she felt incredibly exposed, as he remained fully dressed.
She tugged at his shirt and pulled it over his head. His eyes never leaving her, he stood and unzipped his jeans. Then slowly pushed them down past his narrow hips. The jeans fell to his ankles exposing his perfect, muscled legs.
Genise lost her ability to breathe at seeing him completely nude. The man was a work of art. She knew he spent many hours working out to ensure he stayed in shape, but seeing the evidence of someone who most would think only existed in fiction made her almost fall to her knees and thank every saint in heaven.
There was something about him in that moment that made her meet his gaze and not look away. If she were to bet, he seemed vulnerable, as if he were exposing a part of him that was rare.
The thought was silly, of course, yet at the same time, she followed her gut instinct. “David, you are so beautiful. I will treasure this moment for the rest of my life.”
He looked to his feet and then up at her. “I can say the same.”
“How about we make this more memorable?” She crooked her finger at him to move closer.
Evidence of his arousal jutted from his body. He was thick. The drop of moisture on the pink tip made her mouth water and without thinking, she fell to her knees before him.
Genise took him in hand and brought it to her mouth and with her tongue flat, she ran it up the underside. David’s grunt encouraged her to continue. She licked him from base to tip, making her tongue pointy to tease the base of the head.
“Ah!” He took her head with both hands and held her in place. “I need to have you now.”
Gina looked up at him and sucked the tip of his hardness into her mouth and then took a long pull, watching his mouth fall open. When he fisted her hair and plunged fully in until hitting the back of her throat, it made her sex constrict.
Her eyes on him, she allowed him to take her mouth. It was not gentle. Genise had to relax her throat as he plunged deep each time. She sucked as hard as she could, her tongue pushing onto the underside of his length while fondling his sack with one hand and holding on to his left hip with the other.
Magic and Mayhem: London Howl (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Southern Shift Book 3) Page 4
