by Cathryn Fox
He glanced around the establishment and noted the patrons—business people punching away on their BlackBerries or conversing privately in a secluded booth. Quick flashes and distant images of himself in a similar position passed through his mind. Had he been a businessman? If so, what on Earth could he have done to have landed in Hell? He struggled to remember, but since a day in Hell was like a lifetime, those memories had long ago faded.
He ordered a beer and took a pull from the bottle, savoring the taste. Goddammit, it had been a long time since he’d tasted anything so fine. As he slammed the bottle onto the oaken bar top, the fine hairs on the back of his neck began tingling.
He didn’t have to turn around to know she was there. He felt her presence long before he saw her, felt her sexual energy even from some twenty feet away.
He shook his head and scoffed. Fuck, she had no idea how easy she was making this for him.
She moved toward him. His body tightened, his pulse quickene, and perspiration broke out on his flesh. As his senses exploded, lust moved through his veins, and there was little he could do to conceal his erection. What was it about her that had him reacting so strangely?
As she approached, he shifted restlessly on his stool. She shimmied in next to him, her eyes alive with anticipation. When their gazes collided it did the weirdest things to his insides, and for the briefest of moments, her mere presence softened his anger.
He toyed with his beer bottle and studied her, taking note of her nervous gestures, and the trepidation in her voice as she ordered a strawberry daiquiri. After it arrived she swallowed half the drink in one gulp.
He arched a brow, amused. “Thirsty?” he asked, breaking the quiet.
“It’s a warm day,” she confessed, and fanned her face. As her big, innocent blue eyes stared up at him, his heart hammered and he felt like he’d been sucker punched.
Fuck! What the hell was that all about?
She held her hand out. “I’m Kaylea.”
“Brand,” he offered and worked hard to hold onto his anger and summon a defence against her charm. Unfortunately, his efforts proved futile.
Her knee pressed against his and a rush of sexual energy hit him like a wrecking ball. As her heat reached out to him, it was all he could do to form a coherent thought. With his blood pressure soaring, he leaned into her and felt her warm, strawberry-scented breath on his face. “The hotel has a pool, why don’t you take a swim to cool off.”
“Oh, I’m not staying here,” she said quickly, then as if she’d given away too much information she began backpedaling. “I just stopped in for a drink.” She got quiet for a moment, then something in her expression changed. She aimed a longing glance his way. “And, well…”
The angelic look on her face brought warmth to his darkest corners and despite his efforts, everything inside him turned to mush. He curled his fingers and resisted the urge to brush a wayward blond curl from her cheek when she tilted her head forward. “And well, what?” he asked, softening his tone.
She fiddled with her straw and moistened her bottom lip. Christ almighty, she had the nicest mouth. “Well, to be honest, I saw you at the café.”
“Oh, yeah?” Her honesty was like a shot in the heart. As he studied her, he suspected she didn’t have a dishonest bone in her body.
“And well, I though you noticed me, too.”
After a long pause he said, “I noticed you.”
Seemingly encouraged, her eyes widened, and she leaned forward, affording him a view of her cleavage. Her attempt, he supposed, to entice him. He studied her, sensing her discomfort with her flirtatious, come-hither actions. When dark lashes fluttered over naive eyes, his entire world shifted. He gulped air, suddenly hating himself. Hating that for one minute he’d considered marking this sweet innocent girl for Hell.
Fuck…
As his anger completely dissolved, he drew a long breath to center himself, then touched her shoulders to put a stop to her obviously uncomfortable seduction. He didn’t want her exposing her body. Not to any man. Especially not to him. Because he wasn’t worthy of her. “Kaylea, don’t.”
She pulled back, embarrassed. Her cheeks flushed pink, and her beautiful blue eyes widened. “I just thought—”
Oh, Christ. The mortified look on her face turned him inside out. His gut clenched and he fisted his hands. Dammit, he hadn’t meant to hurt her, but it had been a hell of a long time since he’d dealt with people, or their emotions.
“I think I made a mistake.” Kaylea climbed from the chair and bolted to the elevator.
Before she had a chance to round the corner and disappear from his line of sight, Brand vaulted out of his chair, chased after her and caught her as she climbed into the waiting lift.
He stepped on with her, reached for her and gathered her hand in his. “Kaylea…”
She turned toward him as the doors slid shut and the elevator began its descent. Glistening blue eyes stared up at him in confusion. “What?”
“You didn’t make a mistake.” He pitched his voice low and spoke in a soft tone. “It’s just that…”
“Just what?”
Jesus, what the fuck was he supposed to tell her?
That he wanted her so badly his insides were shaking, but he couldn’t fuck her because it would mark her for Hell and she was too sweet and innocent for a life in purgatory. And for some weird, mysterious reason he cared too much about her for that to happen. Brand shook his head and pounded the side of his fist on the elevator wall.
He watched the ways she studied him and suspected she’d read the conflicting emotions in his eyes. She moved closer and gently touched his cheek, fragmenting his thoughts. The intoxicating, feminine scent of her skin pulled him into a cocoon of need and desire. His head began spinning, and he struggled to keep himself upright. What the hell was happening to him?
She began moving, pressing against him. “Brand…” Her sweet yet seductive voice curled around him and his hands, as though moving of their own accord, urgently began tracing the contours of her luscious body. Her heat reached out to him and his entire body shuddered with longing.
Oh God, he needed…
Suddenly, reality inched its way into his brain and he squared his shoulders and pulled back. He wouldn’t—couldn’t—do anything to hurt her. “Don’t. I can’t do this.” Fighting an internal war, he eased away and drew a ragged breath.
She stepped into him again, giving him no reprieve. “Can’t or don’t want to?” she asked breathlessly, her voice a low velvet murmur. Her legs widened and as though she, too, was driven by a greater force, she shimmied against him.
“Oh, fuck,” he groaned, completely unprepared for the emotions she brought out in him. Well past the point of thinking logically, he pressed the button for his floor, grabbed her wrist and pinned her against the mirrored wall. He positioned his lips close to her mouth. Never in his life had he felt so crazed or frantic.
“Kaylea…”
“I want you.” She poised her lips open and the invitation proved too powerful for him to deny. His lips crashed down on hers and he sank into her warm wetness. As he found solace in the heat of her mouth, her kiss fuelled the hunger brewing inside him. When she moaned in pleasure, fire pitched through his veins, and his cock thickened, draining all the blood from his brain, along with his cognitive reasoning abilities. Pressure began building in his body and he couldn’t think, he could only feel.
“Tell me you don’t want this,” she murmured, her lips moving to his neck, her tongue doing delicious things to his nerves.
The elevator stopped on his floor. With need ruling his actions, and well past the point of thinking rationally, he hauled her off. “I can’t,” was all he managed to get out as he ushered her down the hall.
Chapter Four
Kaylea’s heart raced as Brand gathered her hand in his and guided her into his lavish suite. He turned to her, his mouth parted, his eyes dark, intense. Carnal. Oh Lord, he looked so wild and so out of control t
hat it scared her and excited her at the same time.
Even though outwardly he seemed dark and dangerous, deep in her soul she instinctively knew she was safe with him. Intuitive intelligence told her that beneath the surface, he was a man of integrity and character, and had a fierce sense of protectiveness. And since she always trusted her intuition, as it had never guided her wrong before, she was going to give herself to this man in a way she’d never given herself to another. He might be rough and rugged on the outside but she’d glimpsed the softness, and the warmth underneath, which affirmed her belief that she was definitely in good hands.
Everything inside her told her that Brand was just the man to take away her virginity and give her a night of wild sex that she’d never ever forget.
She raised her gaze to his and his shaky thumb traced her lips, as his nostrils flared. “You’re…so…beautiful.” His words came out broken, fractured, and she sensed the urgency in his body.
She caught the hungry gleam in his eyes and her entire being began shaking with want, no…with need. The sexual pull between them was most powerful and did bizarre things to her insides.
“Brand—” Her words died when he pulled her against him, meshing her softness with his hardness. She relaxed into him, soaking in his warmth.
“Come here,” he murmured. His deep sexy voice made her toes curl. Brand buried his face in her hair as his hands traced the pattern of her body. Gentle fingers glided over her skin with the utmost care. Her entire body flushed hotly and a thin sheen of perspiration broke out on her skin. Something about the way he touched her felt so damn good, so damn right. A low, erotic whimper bubbled up from the depth of her throat and her sexy sounds prompted him into action.
Her body softened against his as his trembling fingers found the buttons on her blouse. Slowly, one by one, he worked them free until he exposed her lace bra. The pleasure in his eyes excited her when his gaze latched upon her cleavage. As he licked his lips in eager anticipation, desire moved through her, forcing her to lock her knees to keep herself upright.
Good Lord, she couldn’t believe how much she wanted him, this man, this stranger. Her depth of desire for him was most fascinating, and completely mind-boggling. She should be nervous, she knew, but the painstakingly gentle way he was touching her, and the tender way he was looking at her, put her at ease. As her inhibitions fled, and desire overtook her, she in turn tore at his clothes. Brand stepped back and quickly shed his shirt, chaps and jeans, then stood before her bare naked, lacking modesty and completely comfortable in his own skin.
Her breath caught in her throat as she took pleasure in his gorgeous body. Roped muscles flexed and relaxed again under her scrutinizing gaze. She turned her attention to the juncture between his legs. Her eyes widened in surprise as her glance settled on his rock-hard cock, and she could feel her composure slipping away.
He closed the small gap between them and, taking her by surprise, his mouth crashed down on hers. His kiss was deep, needy, and so damn possessive it left her head spinning. Cushioned in his powerful arms, his mouth ravished hers with primal need. The soft blade of his tongue played and duelled with hers, then lashed against the inside of her mouth. His fingers moved to her jeans and in one quick motion he ripped them open. He pulled them to her knees and sank to the floor along with them. A low savage sound climbed out of his throat as his face met her pussy.
“Widen your legs for me, babe.” His warm breath felt like fire on her skin. Using his tongue, he began at her inner thighs and worked his way up until he reached her sex. He buried his face in her pussy, lapping at her clit through her silk panties. Stars danced before her eyes, and his hot ragged breath on her flesh nearly drove her over the precipice. Gyrating and pressing against him, she raked her fingers through his hair and shamelessly held him to her. Jesus, it felt so damn good.
He pressed a kiss over her pussy, a promise of things to come, she hoped, before climbing to his feet and taking his warmth with him. With her body rebelling as it beckoned his heat, she moaned in protest. He grinned and began backing her up until her knees hit the bed. He unhooked her bra and let it fall to the floor, then none so gently ripped her panties from her hips until she stood before him completely exposed, completely vulnerable. Completely needy.
A gentle push had her falling onto the mattress. Brand moved right along with her until his body was positioned over hers. Her nipples tightened painfully and pressed into his hard chest. His beautiful, thick cock indented her leg, reminding her she was a woman with needs, but she was also a woman of little experience.
Her insides quivered with equal measures of excitement and nervousness, and her heady scent saturated the room. His cock seemed to grow against her leg, making her wonder how they would ever fit together.
As if he read her thoughts, he put his hands on either side of her head, lightly brushed his lips over hers and murmured into her mouth, “I’d never hurt you, babe.” She swallowed hard when she heard the tenderness in his tone. Her brows knit together, shocked at the way his voice seeped under her skin and played magic with her soul. He tilted his head, his eyes full of urgent need when they met hers. When he caught her perplexed look he whispered in a barely there voice, “Tell me you want this….”
In response to his question, she thrust her pelvis forward, urging him on. “I need to feel you inside me, Brand. Please…” Impatience laced her voice as feral desire clawed to the surface.
Reading her needs, he took full possession of her body. He slid downward until his mouth reached her breasts. The first flick of his tongue over her pink nipple had her writhing on the bed like a wanton woman.
Fire licked over her thighs when he greedily pulled her taut bud into his mouth and sucked, long and hard. His touch sent shockwaves through her and her skin came alive, burning with a need so fierce she thought she’d ignite. The intense, direct pleasure on her pebbled nipples made her wild with need. How on Earth would she ever survive this frantic, sexual encounter if he buried his face between her legs?
Brand groaned low in his throat and it thrilled her that he wanted her as much as she wanted him. Once he’d had his fill of her breasts he shimmied lower, gripped her legs and spread them wide. His nostrils flared and he remained motionless, his eyes caressing her pussy in mute pleasure. It surprised her how comfortable she felt with her body naked and open to him. Kaylea slid her hand down her stomach, and parted her twin lips, offering herself up to him. Her pussy clenched and throbbed in anticipation and she grew slick with arousal.
His eyes, so full of want, shot to hers, and in that instant they connected in a way she’d never connected with another. As her body called out to him, begging for his touch, her hand touched his shoulder. Her pulse raced and she bit back a breathy moan. She skimmed his sinewy muscles, taking joy in the feel of his sculpted physique. Her skin moistened and she began shaking with need, her body conveying without words what she wanted. “Brand…”
Without preamble, Brand insinuated himself between her open thighs and dipped his head. He inhaled her tangy, aroused scent before he buried his face in her drenched pussy.
She shivered under his invasive touch. “Oh. My. God,” she cried out and bucked against his hot, probing tongue. Every nerve ending in her body came alive as he unleashed himself on her. In a touch that was both commanding and soft, his thumb moved to her clit, where he drew slow, sinuous circles. Teetering on the edge of ecstasy, Kaylea gripped the bedsheets and hung on for dear life.
He slipped one thick finger into her pussy and she heard his breath catch. “Jesus, you’re so tight and wet, babe. I’ll never last when I put my cock in you.”
She smiled at him, loving the easy, sexy way he talked to her. But that smile turned to a heated moan when he began pushing his finger in and out, stirring her heat and raising her passion to never before known heights. So attuned with her needs, he touched her just right, adding the perfect amount of pressure to her G-spot as he skillfully pleasured her entire body. She threw h
er head to the side and concentrated on the barrage of sensations rushing through her.
“Do you like that, sweetheart?”
Well past the point of vocalizing anything intelligent, she gyrated against him. He inserted another finger for a snug fit and brushed his tongue over her clit. The duel assault pushed her over the precipice.
Pressure began building, coming to a peak. She grew slicker with each delicious stroke. Kaylea began panting, her hips coming off the bed.
“I’m—”
“Yeah, baby, that’s it. Come for me. Let me taste your cream.”
Her body began spasming, overcome with erotic pleasure. Her pussy muscles clenched and throbbed as she let go and tumbled into an orgasm. “Oh. God. Brand,” she cried out. Gripping his shoulders, she rode out every delicious wave of ecstasy.
After her tremors subsided, he slid up her body. As though needing the connection at all times, he never allowed his body to break contact with her. He brushed her damp bangs from her forehead, and put his mouth close to hers. “I’ve never tasted anything sweeter,” he murmured.
Her gaze locked with his and her pulse skyrocketed. Everything in the way he talked to her, touched her and made love to her with his fingers and his mouth got to her on another level. She honestly couldn’t believe how close she was to losing herself in him. This man, this stranger. A guy she’d simply picked up to take her virginity and give her a night of wild, unforgettable sex. It never occurred to her how easily she could fall for him.
She felt his cock press into her and warmth move through her blood. “Inside me. Please,” she murmured into his mouth. For some strange reason she needed him inside her, to join them as one as though her very life, her very existence, depended on it. As though they were destined to be together.
“Brand…”
“Kaylea…” His voice wavered. He touched her face, a silent communication that he felt the same way. God, could he be the one, the one she’d been waiting for. The one and only man meant for her.
