by Dawn Ryder
His eyes narrowed. “Don’t bet on it.”
She drew her finger across her collarbone, and his gaze settled on the path she was tracing. “I think I might,” she purred. “Anticipation does sweeten the climax…”
He bared his teeth at her. “I’m not the one who has to get up early tomorrow.”
“You’re up early every morning,” she replied as the door opened and a waiter entered to begin serving dinner. Nartan’s eyes glittered, sparking an answering hunger in her. The meal was splendid, but her attention was focused on the man sitting across from her.
Tension tightened as the moments went by. She felt the intensity growing, the insatiable need beginning to block out everything else. The moment she finished her entrée, she wiped her lips with the napkin and tossed it onto the table.
Nartan’s eyes narrowed, her challenge pleasing him. She had a moment to watch his pupils dilate before he was out of his chair and rounding the table to pull hers back. He clasped his hand around hers and pulled her through the private section of the restaurant and out into the night. His valet scrambled to bring the Lamborghini around.
Nartan took them down the private section of road far faster than she’d ever driven it. His hands locked on the wheel, controlling the precision automobile with a confidence that sent a jolt of excitement through her. The sensation was sharp and hard, and she liked it that way.
The civilized ceremony of dinner had tapped out her patience too.
She didn’t wait for him to pull into the garage, but got out of the Lambo while the garage door was rising. Nartan pulled it inside as she followed him, feeling her hips swaying.
She pulled her dress off, enjoying the way his lips thinned at the sight of her garter belt and matching bra.
“They can’t put that damned gate in soon enough… I want you stripping in the garage every night.”
The garage door slid shut as they connected. They actually lunged at each other, reaching for what they craved. He fisted a handful of her hair and turned her so she was backed against the smooth, sapphire blue of the Lamborghini. Her senses were overloaded, the feel of his hard body, the scent of his skin all combining to intoxicate her.
She reached for his belt and had it open before she unzipped his pants and pulled his erection free. It was hard and promising in her hand. But he caught her hands and pressed them back on the car.
“I want dessert,” he growled. He hovered over her mouth for a moment, teasing her with the softest of kisses while he stroked the swells of her breasts. He followed his fingers with his mouth, kissing the tops of her breasts and sending her arching up to offer them to him.
Clasping her hips, he held her in place with a grip that sent a twist of need through her sex. He licked and kissed his way to her navel as he lowered himself.
“This smells delicious…” he rasped as he found the short curls. Her clit was pulsing, pounding with the same tempo as her heart.
“I’m not sure…I can take that… Fuck me, Nartan. That’s what I want.”
She tried to shift but he had her locked in place with his hands on her hips. He lifted her up, perching her on the edge of the car.
“Dessert first.” He pressed his head between her thighs.
She gasped, the feeling of his hair against her inner thighs a rush of sensation that she hadn’t anticipated. She fell back and caught herself with her hands as he pulled her folds away from her clit and exposed it completely.
The first lap made her cry out. By the next one, the only sound she had left was a moan. It bounced around the garage as he licked and sucked on her clit. Her pussy contracted, desperate for his cock, but he was driving her insane with his tongue, sweeping across her clit again and again before returning to suck on it.
She was on the edge, straining toward him as an orgasm began to burst inside her. She locked him in place with a leg over his shoulder, raising her hips toward his mouth as he sucked her through the wrenching climax. It was hard and sharp and snapped like a whip.
And it wasn’t enough. “More,” she demanded. “Fuck me.”
He teased her swollen clit with a soft lap before rising. His face was hard, his eyes reflecting how close to the edge he was. She reached out and fisted her hands in his shirt, popping one of the buttons free as she pulled him to her.
“Fuck me hard!”
He thrust forward, forcing a whimper out of her as her body stretched to accommodate him. But she was drenched from her climax, making it easy for him to penetrate her until his balls smacked against her bottom.
“Like that?” he demanded.
“Harder!”
He didn’t disappoint. There was a savage glint in his eyes that pleased her greatly. Knowing that she’d driven him to the edge set fire to something deep inside her. He was breathing hard, thrusting into her with purpose while he held her in position for every hard penetration.
“More!” she sobbed, her eyes closing as everything centered on the hard pounding he was giving her. She fought his grip, wanting to meet him, but he kept her prisoner, using her and pleasing her as he satisfied his appetite.
His breath left him in hard grunts, a snarl warning her that he was losing control. She opened her eyes and watched the muscles in his neck cord. His lips curled back as he worked faster and slammed himself harder into her. He cried out, the sound savage as he began to come. She was already melting, but the first spurt of his cum was molten. She shuddered, clenching around him, and another burst of pleasure exploded inside her.
He slid his arms around her, pulling her into an embrace as they both panted. She had no sense of time, only a heightened awareness of him surrounding her with his strength. Euphoria engulfed her, keeping her warm when her heart had slowed enough for her to feel the night air.
“Come on…let’s soak.”
He cradled her against him as he walked through the house and off to the left where an indoor Jacuzzi waited. He set her down and she wobbled before kicking off the heels she’d put on for dinner. After turning on the glass fireplace, he unlocked the sections of French doors and slid them open. The night air rushed in. He turned on the jets and the water began to bubble as Celeste unhooked her bra and garter belt before she got in.
She gave a little sigh as the water started to work on her sore muscles. She heard his clothing hitting the floor and opened her eyes to enjoy watching him bare himself.
“Like what you see?”
He pulled off his socks and dropped them.
“Hmmm…if stripping for you in your garage wasn’t compliment enough, I guess I could resort to words.”
He joined her and pulled her in front of him. “Stripping works for me.”
“A man of action you are.”
“As often as you like,” he promised next to her ear. “But at this rate, we’re going to end up with a nest full.”
“I’m taking birth control.” He locked her in his embrace and settled his chin on her shoulder.
“Nature has a way of making her own plans.”
“Like making you so irresistible?”
He chuckled and scooped up water to dump over her shoulders. “I could charge you with the same crime.” He stroked her breasts and lower until he was fingering her clit. “You’ve become an addiction.”
“Still not happy about it?” She rubbed her back against him, feeling his cock hardening as he rubbed her.
“Still want to run away from it?”
She turned around, climbing up to straddle him. “I like being here.”
Four little words. She had resisted him so much, but in the end, the words weren’t that hard to say. She bit her lip as she lowered herself onto his length. He cupped her hips, holding her down on him as he angled his head and kissed her.
“I’m desperate to have you here, Celeste.”
They weren’t flowery words, bu
t they struck her as some of the most deeply felt she’d ever heard spoken. They reflected her own need for him, both sexually and emotionally. She couldn’t separate the two hungers. At some point, they had merged into one craving.
Just one craving for him.
***
“I got his name.”
Caspian smiled as he sat back and crossed his legs. “It took you longer than I expected.”
“I double-check my facts before delivering.”
Caspian didn’t care for the tone of the man’s voice, but he wanted the information badly enough to overlook it. “Who is he?”
“Nartan Lupan, owner of Angelino’s in Malibu. He’s got a private house on the property.”
“She went there with him?”
“Got naked the minute they pulled into the garage. He doesn’t have shit for security. No street lighting on the road. Piece of cake walking up on them. Got the photo evidence if you want it.”
“Send it.” Caspian tightened his hand into a fist. “Your fee will be transferred.”
He killed the line. For a moment, he sat still, staring at the picture of Celeste on his desk. He curled his fingers into a fist and slammed it down on the desk. His door opened a moment later as his bodyguard looked in on him. Caspian didn’t give the man a single glance. He was a servant; his job was to perform.
Caspian contemplated the picture a while longer before standing up. He punched the intercom and opened a line to his assistant.
“Bring the car up. I have business.”
***
“Let’s take the yacht out tomorrow night,” Nartan suggested.
Celeste stretched her toes out to where one of the jets was set into the side of the Jacuzzi. Nartan smoothed a hand over her bare shoulder as she leaned against him.
“Can’t. I promised to referee a tournament in Oceanside,” she answered.
She ended up holding her breath, waiting to see what he’d do when faced with the fact that her life wasn’t just fitting neatly into his.
He shifted, tracing her neck with his fingertips. “What’s wrong, Celeste?”
“Nothing.”
He closed his arms around her when she tried to sit up. “You’re as tight as a bowstring. Why? Worried I can’t accept that you enjoy your martial arts because I need you to be focused on me a hundred percent?”
He placed a tender kiss on her neck and she quivered.
“I guess…maybe a little…”
The admission was a crack in the dam that she hadn’t realized was holding back her feelings. She felt them surging to be free and washing through her like a flash flood.
“Invite me.”
“Where?”
He nipped her shoulder. “To watch you referee.” He smoothed his hand over her shoulder, down her arm, and through the bubbling water until he cupped her breast. “To be part of something important to you.”
“You can’t waste that kind of time.”
“Spending time with you is never a waste.” He cut through her argument. “If it’s important to you, I’ll make time.”
“I do it to support the sport maintaining its Olympic standing. There have to be a set number of tournaments yearly. But it’s not necessary for you to come. I won’t be able to spend any time with you.”
But she was touched.
Deeply.
She turned around and straddled him, lifting up and sheathing him in a soft motion that was more about connecting than satisfying lust. She just needed to be closer to him.
Completely intimate.
He closed his eyes, pleasure drawing his neck tight. She lifted and he guided her back down with a hand on each hip.
“Oceanside has a harbor…” His eyes opened, showing her the glitter of anticipation. “What time should I pick you up?”
***
A black sedan was waiting outside the gymnasium for her. Celeste paused for a moment but chided herself for hesitating.
Nartan wasn’t being controlling.
Just demanding.
And there was a huge difference between the two.
Excitement was brewing inside her as the driver took her toward the marina. It was full of expensive yachts, but she was looking for the man waiting for her. He was standing on the pier, his dress shirtsleeves rolled up to his bare his forearms and his collar was open again.
Yeah…demanding.
And she had every intention of being his match when it came to demanding.
Chapter 11
Her phone rang just before quitting time on the following Friday. Nartan’s number flashed across the screen, making her smile. Friday was the one night she didn’t go to the studio to train. She’d been giddy as the afternoon wore on and she anticipated having more than a few hours with Nartan. As she was picking up the phone, Sandy came through the door again with flowers in her hands.
“Just getting ready to leave,” Celeste told Nartan.
“I’ll be late tonight.” He was agitated; she could hear the stress in his voice.
“What’s wrong?”
“One of my horses is sick. We’re loading her up to take her to the vet. I need to be with her,” he informed Celeste gruffly.
“I’m sorry, Nartan,” she answered quietly, hearing the raw emotion in his voice. “You didn’t have to send flowers because of that.”
“I didn’t.” His tone immediately changed to territorial.
“Oh, just an assumption.”
“Who’s sending you flowers?” he demanded.
“Probably one of our clients who can’t pay,” she said. “Marcus has an open door for ex-military, no matter their circumstances. Sandy just brought them in. I haven’t looked at the card.”
“I’ll be home when I can.”
“Call me if you want me to come to you.” She left the invitation hanging between them. The silence on the other end of the phone told her he was considering letting her into the private part of himself. “I’ll keep my phone handy.”
“Thank you, Celeste.”
He killed the line, leaving her with that last sample of the pain in his voice. She was suddenly too far away from him, the work in front of her meaningless as the sound of his voice echoed in her head. All that mattered was being there for him.
She stood up, restless. She wandered over to the flowers, fingering their cool, fresh petals. But when she got in front of them, she saw the crystal butterflies woven into the arrangement. Her mouth went dry as she scanned it and realized it was a bouquet.
An exact replica of her wedding flowers.
She recoiled from them like they had suddenly revealed a tarantula. It took all her strength to reach for the little white envelope stuck into them. Nausea was twisting her insides.
You are not a Connor. Resume your place or this will be only the first cut.
She gasped, stepping back as horror gagged her.
Oh God, it had been Caspian outside the studio.
First cut?
Nartan’s horse. It was one of the few living creatures he cared about. His grandfather had bred it. Celeste was reeling and staggered back, hitting her desk and sending a sorting tray crashing to the floor. She didn’t even look down at it.
Her heart was racing, sweat trickling down her sides as she tried to get control of the rising tide of terror in her. It was all encompassing, threatening her like a tsunami.
“Celeste?”
She jumped and a tiny sound came out of her mouth before she realized Marcus was standing in the doorway. Her normally easygoing boss had a look on his face that she’d only seen a few times. It was raw, hard anger. The side of him you never wanted to mess with.
“What’s wrong?” he demanded.
“I’m fine.” Her thoughts were frozen. She looked back at the flowers and shuddered, unable to control her
reactions.
Marcus stepped into the office and plucked the card from her stiff fingers. His expression tightened as he read it. Celeste took a deep breath to still her racing heart.
“Who’s he threatening?” Marcus demanded with the card between his fingers.
“I think…Nartan said there was something wrong with one of his horses.” She covered her mouth with her hand, trying to scrape together her wits. “They’re a replica of my wedding bouquet.”
“I knew that prick would come back after you.” Marcus looked at the flowers. His lips twitched up in a very menacing grin. “He’s leaving an evidence trail this time.”
He disappeared and came back with a cell phone. He snapped pictures of the flowers before picking them up. “I’m going to see if I can find out who paid for these. Give Nartan a call and give him a heads-up.”
Celeste sat down at her desk, feeling like she was moving in slow motion.
She’d known.
Oh God…she’d known!
Memories of the way Nartan went to greet those horses sent tears to her eyes. Caspian always knew who to hire to find out what was important to his enemies. He was absolutely ruthless in the way he went after what he wanted.
Her fingers were still shaking as she hit the redial button on her phone. She drew in a deep breath, trying to still her racing heart as the phone began to ring.
But the call went to voice mail. She hung up and typed a quick text message. Tucking her phone back in her purse, she turned off her computer system.
“Where are you going from here?”
Marcus was back in her office doorway.
“No class tonight. I was going up to Nartan’s.”
Marcus took a moment to dwell on what she’d said. “Go straight there.”
“I will.”
She hesitated once she slid behind the wheel of the Lamborghini.
Her gut was starting to twist with a sick fear she recognized.
Like fucking hell!
She swallowed the bitter taste and watched her knuckles turning white on the steering wheel.
Like fucking hell she’d let Caspian punch her buttons.
She pulled out of the parking lot, merging into traffic as she searched her memory for the location of a spa she hadn’t been to in a long time.
