Of Demons & Stones: A Tri-Stone Trilogy

by Anne L. Parks

  The waiter enters and stands at Alex’s elbow. “May I clear your plates, sir?”

  Alex glances across the table at my empty plate, and lifts his eyes to mine, a smile filling his face. “Yes, “ he says with a chuckle. “I think we are through. Crème brulee?” He asks me.

  “Yes, please.”

  Alex gives the waiter two fingers. The man nods his head, takes our plates, and leaves.

  “Did you enjoy the meal?”

  “Contemplated licking the plate,” I say.

  Alex tips his head back and laughs. “I’m glad you liked it. This is my secret getaway. I never bring anyone here.”

  “So why me?”

  He cocks his head to the side. “Honestly, I’m not sure. Everything I’ve done so far has been impulsive—which is very unlike me.”

  Silence looms between us. He refills my champagne glass. "So, never married?"

  I take in a deep breath and steady my nerves "No, never married."

  "How come?" His eyes never leave mine as he raises his champagne glass to his lips.

  I hate this question. People constantly feel the need to judge my life choices. "You're thirty-five? Not married? No kids? Tick-tock, time's running out."

  "I don't know." I shrug and let my finger circle the rim of the champagne glass. "Too career-oriented? Haven't met the right guy? Shunned by men who are intimidated because my knowledge of sports surpasses their own? Take your pick." I glance at him. "What about you? Can't decide on just one twenty-year-old blonde?"

  He pauses. "I haven't ever considered it. I guess I've never allowed myself to get to know a woman intimately enough for that type of commitment."

  No shock there.

  Alex Stone is not a man that has long term commitments. Hell, he barely has short-term ones, from what I gather. This relationship—or whatever this is between us—will not go any further than the weekend. Oh, sure, he asked me out on a date. But I’m sure he will come to his senses before making any actual plans. This is it. This weekend, and nothing more.

  And I’m going to have to be okay with that, no matter how much I wish the circumstances were different. Alex Stone is a player—and any thoughts of him wanting something more from this little excursion with me are a foolish waste of time.

  Chapter Six

  Back on board, Alex leads me to the top deck. I slide into the first mate's seat as he starts the engines and expertly navigates out of the harbor.

  The weather is perfect. The sky is clear, and the stars are twinkling against the ever-increasing black backdrop. Neither of us speaks, as the waves lap against the sides of the boat in the moonlight.

  Alex reaches for my hand, lifts it to his lips, and places gentle kisses across my fingers and knuckles. The brush of his lips against my skin sends shivers of warm pleasure through my body. His smile makes me feel like I'm the only person in the world who makes him happy.

  I drop my shoes onto the deck and pull my legs up, curling into the seat. The moonlight hits Alex's face, throwing shadows across it and enhancing his chiseled masculine features. He keeps his eyes forward, but a slight smile remains constant and fixed.

  The boat slows, and the anchor drops into the water. Alex extends his hand to me. We descend the stairs in silence, make our way through the middle cabin, and head out onto the aft deck.

  Alex turns to me. "Stay here. I'll be right back."

  A moment later, music fills the air with soft dulcet tones.

  Alex reappears, clasps his hand in mine, and wraps the other one around my waist. He pulls me close and whispers, "Dance with me."

  My breathing quickens, and I melt into his body.

  We sway and turn together as Tony Bennett sings, "The Way You Look Tonight," in the background. Alex has me spellbound, his gaze bewitches me.

  As the song comes to a close, Alex tightens his arm around me. He presses his lips against mine, sucks my bottom lip into his mouth, releases it, and plunges his tongue inside. I can still taste the champagne on his lips.

  I slide my hand to the back of his head and grasp his hair. The musky, spicy scent that is all his creates a flame that becomes a burning desire. All I want is to have him closer, his body against mine. His tongue deeper.

  Splaying his hand across my lower back, he coaxes my hips against his. A tingle runs down my spine, transforming into an excruciating throb between my thighs.

  Every muscle in his back tenses at my touch. I run my hands along the curve of his back, revel in the firmness of his ass, and relish in his perfection.

  He breaks the seal of our kiss, skims the surface of my neck with his lips, and nibbles along my shoulder.

  I ache to have him, to feel his skin glide over mine.

  Alex lifts his head, rests his forehead against mine, and takes several deep breathes. "Wow, you are really, really good at that."

  "Yeah, well..." I gaze at him and laugh.

  "I love when you laugh. Your whole face lights up. It's beautiful, and it makes life seem so simple."

  How can this man make me so horny I'm ready to have sex with him on the deck of his boat and then say something that makes me want things I know he can't give me? Things I don't want.

  Or do I?

  Alex takes my hand and leads me into the interior lounge. I slide onto the couch as he makes his way into the galley. The air is crisp with a slight breeze coming off the ocean. I settle back into the soft cushions and enjoy this perfect night and the memory of Alex's kiss.

  "How would you feel about staying out here tonight?" he calls from the other room.

  I still. "You mean, overnight? On the boat?" My heart thumps? I may never get another opportunity to spend time with Alex. And it has been a long time since a man has turned me on like he does.

  Returning with a bottle of red wine and two glasses, Alex sits next to me and fills both. He hands me a glass and turns to face me.

  "Yes, here on the boat. I'll get you back on land tomorrow. I'm just not ready for this night to end, and I want to spend more time with you."

  I'm numb, but there's a buzzing in my head. This is what I want—no strings with a guy who is emotionally unavailable. Except, a small part of me wishes there were a chance for more. But that's impossible with a man like him. He has commitment-phobe written all over him.

  I raise my glass. "Sure, I'd love to stay. I've never seen the sun rise from a yacht in the middle of the ocean. I can mark that off my bucket list."

  I rest my arm on the back of the couch, and prop up my head with my hand. Alex taps his glass against mine, pauses, and lets out a soft laugh before taking a sip.

  The red wine sits on my tongue for a moment before it slides smoothly down my throat. I narrow my eyes at him. "What?"

  "I was just thinking about the day we met—when you stopped to help me with my car."

  I grin. "Yeah, I remember that day very well."

  "And what is that sly smile about?"

  "I was—unimpressed with you."

  "Really?" Alex lifts his eyebrows and grins. "Unimpressed with me," he murmurs, and rubs his finger across his lower lip.

  I instantly track his movements, unable to look away.

  A rumble moves throughout my lower body, and heat flames between my legs.

  Without thinking, I let slip, "Yeah, I thought you were an arrogant asshole."

  Laughter erupts from his chest, and too late, I realize that my mouth has exposed what my mind was supposed to keep under wraps.

  "Well, don't hold back. Tell me how you really feel," he says.

  "Okay, so I didn't think that the whole time. There were periods when I thought you might actually be a nice guy. But you totally blew it with the offer of payment for my services." I wink.

  He lowers his eyes.

  "Okay, I'll give you that. It was an incredibly stupid and insensitive thing to do."

  "And presumptuous," I add before taking another sip of wine. "How did you know I wasn't wealthier than you?"

  "Because I would have al
ready known you. Only a handful of people have that amount of money, and we all know each other."

  "Well, I nearly died when you showed up in my office two days later. What are the chances of you showing up at my law firm?"

  He gazes at me, his mouth screwed into a Chesire grin. He's trying desperately to suppress a smile. "Pretty good, if you have the right resources to find a person."

  "Meaning?"

  Alex grabs the wine bottle from the table and refills my glass before his own.

  "Meaning that, about thirty seconds after I got into the SUV, I asked Jake—my security guy—"

  I nod.

  "Well, I asked him if he had saved your number from the caller ID on his phone. Of course he had, and he already had one of the other security guys gathering information on you."

  I'm trying to comprehend what he's saying. "Why would your security guy gather information on me?"

  "Because it's what he's paid to do. I'm high profile, and not many people get close to me. You stopped to help me. My security wants to know if it's random or if you're a stalker. It's just standard procedure."

  I feel violated. What type of information Alex does he have? Does he know about my screwed up childhood? The circumstances of my father's untimely death? John?

  I quickly close down any thoughts of John or that awful night and force the door closed on the box in my mind that contains those particular memories.

  I shift in my seat. "Okay, so do tell. What did you learn?" My heart is racing.

  Alex leans back, and takes in a deep breath. "Thomas, my other security guy, called Jake, who immediately starts laughing. He tells me you're an attorney and work for Jack." Alex shakes his head. "Jack, my attorney for almost twenty years, and you work for him. How's that for a small world?"

  Alex drapes his arm over the back of the couch."So, of course, I asked what type of law you practice, hoping it would be international or contracts."

  I scrunch up my nose. "Yuck. No way in hell."

  He takes a drink of his wine. " I had the same reaction when he said criminal defense. I said, 'I don't need one of those.' I briefly considered getting arrested just so I could call you, but Jake put his foot down."

  I giggle, the wine and sea air apparently going to my head. "Thank God Jake has more sense than you. What were you thinking?"

  "Obviously, I wasn't. It was purely a statement of desperation. Then, Jake reminds me that I have a nephew who is in need of a criminal defense attorney. That's all it took. I called Jack and explained Josh's situation. He starts selling me on what a great attorney you are and that I should come by and meet with you. The rest is history." Alex drains his wine glass, and he looks at me, satisfied with the conclusion of his story.

  "Let me get this straight," I say, slowly. "You have people dig around into my private life. You take that information and proceed to stalk me. You coerce my boss into an introduction under false pretenses. Then you convince me to come on your boat and take me out into the middle of the ocean where I'm unable to escape? And this is the heartwarming tale of our first date?"

  He nods. "Pretty much."

  Laughter bursts from my chest and fills the interior lounge.

  A comfortable calm settles over me. I've never met a man who could make me laugh while driving me so incredibly crazy with desire.

  What if I never do again?

  Resting my head on my outstretched arm, I fight to keep my eyes open.

  Alex gently pulls me up and embraces me. "Time for bed."

  We descend the stairs and enter the bedroom where I changed earlier. Alex goes to the chest of drawers.

  "What would you like to sleep in?"

  "T-shirt's fine, if you have one," I say through a yawn. I didn't anticipate spending the night when I packed a bag.

  He tosses me a gray T-shirt, kisses my forehead, and turns to leave. My heart sinks. I was hoping we'd be sleeping in the same bed.

  He stops at the door and glances over his shoulder. "Back in a sec. Just going to make sure everything's secure on deck."

  A small squeal escapes me after he leaves, and I clamp my hand over my mouth. Since our dance on deck, I've had an overwhelming desire to touch and explore every inch of him. A warm shiver runs through my body and leaves me light-headed.

  I enter the bathroom, slip out of my dress, and pull the T-shirt over my head. Returning to the bedroom, I slide under the covers and melt into the cool, soft sheets. My eyes close, and I fight to stay awake until Alex's return.

  The overhead light goes out, and I can hear the rustle of clothes as Alex undresses. I feel him move in behind me, the material from his pajama bottoms lightly grazing my bare legs.

  Alex caresses my arm until he reaches my hand and laces his fingers with mine. His lips press on my back. I instantly roll over and face him. Any contact with my back makes me apprehensive. I don't want to spend my time with him answering questions about what happened and who did this to me. It's not something I ever talk about—to anyone.

  He runs his finger across my lips and traces their outline. "I have never met anyone like you—smart, beautiful, funny. Kick-ass in the courtroom. You amaze me...and scare the hell out of me."

  I lightly graze his bicep muscle with my fingertips. "Why do I scare you?"

  "Mmm," he murmurs. "You make me feel things—things I'm not used to feeling. It's hard for me to control myself around you."

  I pull my head back and look into his eyes. I can't quite wrap my head around what he's saying. It's sweet and beautiful and a bit overwhelming.

  "And I've never had a fierce attraction to a woman, as I do to you." Alex rolls onto his back and pulls me along.

  My head rests on his chest, and he gathers me in his arms.

  "When Jack and I came into your office, I couldn't take my eyes off of you. You were so calm. You knew exactly what needed to be done. All the while, you sat there, looking stunningly beautiful and sexy as hell.

  "I couldn't get you out of my head. I came up with excuses to come by the firm. I even called Jack at home, told him I thought we needed to move our settlement meeting there, just so I could be close to you and see you." He chuckles. "And I insisted on going with Josh to his hearing."

  My mind blanks for a moment, and I hold my breath. Can this be real? Alex Stone was coercing my boss into a meeting with me?

  "That was a mistake." He snorts.

  I lift my head and stare at him.

  "You were so smooth in that courtroom. You spoke, and the place just seemed to come alive. People respond to you."

  I put my head back down. "Thanks." My voice is quiet, and I’m embarrassed by the accolades. "But why was it a mistake?"

  Alex inhales deeply and holds his breath for a moment before slowly exhaling. "Because I knew, no matter what I had to do, I had to be near you. Talk to you. Touch you. I can get lost in your eyes so damn easily. It's a new experience for me."

  I raise my chest and rest my weight on my arm so I can see his eyes. "Wait. Are you saying that you have never pursued a woman?"

  "Never needed to. Women pursue me. Money is intoxicating." His voice is clipped.

  "How do you know I'm not intoxicated by your money?"

  "I guess I don't know for sure. I don't think I care."

  I frown. "Yes, you do."

  "Yes, I do. But you seem to be established in your career, which is very sexy, by the way. I gather Jack is paying you well, and you're financially comfortable. So my money's not a big draw."

  "True. So, what else is new, besides me being the first female on your boat?"

  "Well, let's see. Sharing my suite at the baseball stadium. I typically reserve that for visiting business associates."

  I rest my head on his chest and lightly graze his chest hair. "I actually already knew that one. Phil told me."

  Alex lightly runs his fingers over my back. It's nonthreatening, and it relaxes me, which is a slightly surreal experience.

  "Did he now? Phil is giving out insider information, h
uh? I'll have to check into that."

  "Go on," I encourage, not giving him the opportunity to change the subject.

  Alex moves his hand to my hair and runs his fingers through it.

  How is it possible I am this comfortable, lying here with him? I can't remember ever feeling this uninhibited with a man, especially one I barely know.

  "I've never just held a woman and talked, like we are now," he says.

  "Not even after sex?"

  "Especially not after sex."

  "How is that possible?"

  "In the past, when it was over, I was done. Nothing left to do but get up and get dressed."

  "And the women you were with didn't throw a fit?" "No. It was understood. They always came out of the bedroom dressed, and I would send them on their merry way," he says, coolly.

  "And no one ever asked to stay?"

  He sighs, and I can't tell if he is upset or just bored with where this conversation is going.

  "None of them cared any more for me than I cared for them. They were just hoping they could get in tight with me and have a chance at the prize. It's why I never see the same woman more than once. Second dates eliminate the one-night stand effect, and there's an expectation of something more."

  He's so emotionless. I'm sad for him. Even though he's been with countless women, it's apparent he's alone—and lonely.

  "Anything else new? We're on a roll."

  He's holding my head tightly against his chest, and my words are muffled.

  Alex chuckles and releases his bear hug on me. I lift my face and gaze into those perfectly blue eyes.

  He places his forehead against mine. "I have never wanted to wake up in the morning next to someone as desperately as I want to wake up next to you."

  My heart stops, and I am perfectly still. Am I still breathing?

  His body tenses under me. Alex Stone has never put himself out there. He's never faced rejection from a woman. Always controlled his encounters. This is completely foreign to him.

  "That's sort of a sure thing," I say.

  He lifts his head and furrows his brow.

  "I'm somewhat captive out here."

  A low chuckle rumbles through his chest. "True statement, Miss Tate. Almost as if I planned it that way."