Lessons Learned (The Gifted Realm Book 2)

by Jillian Neal

  Her cell phone rang again, and Rainer hit the brakes as he entered the beginning of New York gridlock.

  “Hey, Uncle Tad,” she grinned. “Yeah, well, if you want a turn, then I think you’ll have to get in line behind Rainer and Dad.”

  Rainer furrowed his brow and studied her.

  “To severely injure the guys who tried to take me,” Emily hissed as she held her hand over the receiver. Rainer’s stomach churned uncomfortably as he nodded his adamant agreement.

  “Really?” Emily exclaimed excitedly. “Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! You are the best uncle ever!” The sudden turn of Emily’s mood had Rainer smiling again. “Ok, well, we’ve been on the turnpike for about fifteen minutes, so we’ll be there in about an hour I guess.”

  She fell silent for a moment before continuing, “No, Rainer’s going to try to get us a room at the Gansevoort!”

  “I know, but we don’t want to put you and Nathan out,” her eyes twinkled as her mouth fell ope. She laughed as her cheeks colored again. “Uncle Tad!” she gasped abashedly. She giggled and paused.

  Rainer could hear Tad talking.

  “Okay, well that isn’t the only reason we’re not staying with you.”

  A few minutes later, Emily hung up and began bouncing in her seat. “Uncle Tad is getting us the room, and Nathan knows Vera Wang! And Uncle Tad says he has tons of stuff I can choose from to wear in the wedding, and stuff for the bridesmaids!”

  “Uh, who is Vera Wang?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Rainer, she’s like, the most amazing wedding dress designer ever!”

  “Ah, and I take it you would like to have a Vera Wang gown?”

  “I don’t know, maybe, but I kid of don’t want one that’s been in every bridal magazine. Mom still wants me to wear hers,” she shrugged.

  “And have we decided when I might get to see you in the dress at the end of an aisle?” Rainer winked at her as he edged the Hummer forward in New York traffic.

  “I don’t know; there’re June weddings, or Valentine’s Day, or the beach, or on the farm this spring when the cherry trees bloom. I just can’t decide,” she hemmed. “Our last challenge will be at the big Summation Exhibition the day after Christmas, so definitely after that. I want to have a long honeymoon.”

  “Why’s that?”

  She giggled deliciously as she slid her hand to his crotch, and Rainer’s body tensed.

  “Because there’s so much I want to do with you.”

  A shuddered moan escaped Rainer’s lungs as he tried to remember to concentrate on the traffic surrounding their car. The flirtatious challenge in her eyes had him reeling.

  He began to ponder what might happen if he tapped into her rebellious side this weekend. They had a night to play in one of her favorite cities, and he decided to make the most of their reprieve.

  The Gansevoort Hotel

  After fighting through the horrendous traffic for nearly an hour, Rainer pulled up to the Gansevoort Hotel. He was forced into the valet lane, but he certainly wasn’t allowing anyone that kind of access to Emily’s car or luggage. He rolled down the window as the attendant approached. The heat from the city and the bright sunlight hit him in a suffocating blast.

  “Tad Anderson phoned a little while ago and booked our room.”

  “Ah, yes, Mr. Anderson did call. I spoke with him myself. He booked one of our suites for the evening for a Mr. and Mrs. Rainer Lawson?”

  Emily glowed, and bit her lip in delight.

  With a slight chuckle, Rainer nodded. “Yeah, that’s us,” he winked at her as she tried not to giggle.

  “I will be happy to park the car for you, Mr. Lawson, and we will bring your bags up immediately.”

  “Thank you, but I’ll take care of the car and our luggage.”

  He’d been lectured repeatedly by Vindico on all the many things Wretchkinsides did or had done in the past to get what he wanted. Having employees at banks, hotels, restaurants, media venues, everything from cleaning service companies to sanitation workers all fell into the complicated Interfeci structure, and all were paid very well to get Wretchkinsides whatever he wanted.

  Rainer parked, and helped Emily out. She grabbed her purse and make-up bag. He casted the Hummer in a shield cast and then grabbed the suitcase.

  They entered the sleek check-in area of the Gansevoort hotel. The bar glowed from their left, lit with purple, green, and blue neon lights. Emily took it all in with a beaming grin as Rainer secured the keycards and guided her to the elevators.

  After checking the corridor to make certain no one was watching them, Rainer summoned and passed his magnetized hand over the keycard reader. He held the door open to let Emily enter ahead of him.

  He watched her as she took in the opulent contemporary décor of their suite. He thought it was a little over the top, but he knew she loved the hot-pink and purple accents on the cushioned headboard of the king-sized bed. Sexy imagery of couples photographed around the city hung on large canvases in the suite. There was a rounded, hot-pink couch near the window that offered them a view of Chelsea. A wet bar, a glass-topped desk, and a sleek black dresser ran along one wall.

  “Wow,” she moved into the large tiled bathroom. Rainer followed after her. The bathroom was decorated in shades of steely grays and onyx black. There was a large steam shower along with a stand-alone bathtub, plenty big enough for two.

  Rainer chuckled at her exuberance as he glanced at his watch. They needed to get to the jewelry shop so Tad could start copying the ring.

  He pulled Emily against his chest and smiled as she wrapped her arms around him.

  “I think,” he squeezed a handful of her luscious backside, “That we should go see your uncles so that Tad can get started on the ring and then, I think we should come back and you should let me give you a bath,” he husked in her ear.

  She trembled in his arms, and Rainer’s heart gave its customary longing beats that occurred every time he thought of her naked and in his arms.

  “And what shall I give you?” her sassy flirting always made him ache.

  “Don’t worry. I’ll show you, baby.”

  Her breaths quickened. She slipped her hand to his zipper, and began massaging and groping him as he stiffened all for her.

  “Well, I think,” she led him out of the bathroom, “that Uncle Tad can wait just a few more minutes,” she pushed him down on the pink couch.

  “Do you?” Rainer began unbuttoning her shirt. All thoughts of racing to the jewelry shop flitted quickly from his mind. She gave a heavy nod as she loosened his belt and tugged his jeans downward.

  He watched the fervent storm begin to swirl in her eyes, and he felt the need surging through her as her energy began to spike.

  He moved to kiss her, but she stopped him with a naughty grin and fell to her knees in front of him. It took her no time to edge his jeans down until she’d revealed his cock, strained tightly for her.

  A hungry, evulsive growl echoed from deep within him as she dragged her tongue up his length. She licked him then ran her fingers down him lightly, reaching lower and cupping him as he panted.

  She swirled her tongue around his head, and then drew him in deep and drowned him in her mouth.

  She moaned as she continued her work. He’d never felt anything so exquisite as the vibrations of her voice rocked through him. She bathed and sucked him as she spun her tongue along his ridge.

  He was going to lose it. He started to panic. Every move she made drove him wild. Her long hair swept across his thighs softly, and he pulsed in her mouth. She moaned again. He had to stop her.

  “Em, baby, stop,” he pled. She swirled her tongue again before releasing him.

  “Why?” her breaths teased his throbbing cock before she drown him in that heavenly fire again.

  He groaned from the sensation. “Baby, please,” he begged, but the last thing he wanted her to do was stop. His mind filled with the erotic thoughts of her drinking him. He shook himself.

 
; “Stop, Em, I’m gonna…” he tried to explain. His body was at an all-out war with his mind.

  “That’s the whole idea,” she purred and huffed hot breath around his length. She went back for more. She pulled him deep and he bucked, unable to stop himself.

  Everywhere she touched or licked set him on fire, and he throbbed in her mouth once more before he lost it all.

  A low, guttural groan cried from him as he watched her. To his absolute amazement, she didn’t stop. She drank him dry; he was astonished.

  “Uh, wow,” he panted as she slid back onto the couch. She appeared rather proud of herself.

  “Are you laughing at me?” he was still unable to move, and could barely catch his breath.

  “You’re cute,” she teased.

  “That’s not how that’s supposed to work.” He was still unable to believe what she’d just done. He turned, and immediately tried to rectify the situation, but she shook her head.

  “You can make it up to me later.”

  “Gladly.”

  “So, are you ready to go see Uncle Tad?”

  “Yeah, just give me a minute to try to wipe this incredibly goofy grin off my face.”

  She smirked, “Come on, Lawson. Get it together. You don’t want Uncle Tad to know I just gave you a blow job.”

  “Ah, more Christmas dinner conversation.”

  Latus

  Rainer hailed a cab, and directed the driver to Latus Jewels, Tad and Nathan’s shop, deep in the heart of Chelsea.

  Emily glowed as she entered the small shop that was full of unique pieces of jewelry and high-end gifts.

  “There they are. I was wondering where you’d gotten to. Nathan was all, ‘You got them a room at the Gansevoort; they’re making use of that, of course.’” Tad rolled his eyes, and Rainer tried very hard not to blush. “How is my favorite niece?” he hugged Emily tightly.

  She laughed, “I’m your only niece, Uncle Tad.”

  “Okay, fine, you’re my favorite niece or nephew. Just don’t tell your brothers.”

  “Emily, Rainer,” Nathan smiled as he came around the glass counters to give them both hugs. “Look at his face, Tad; I told you they were having fun in the room.”

  Rainer glowed bright red, and Emily laughed hysterically. There was no one else in the store, so Tad lifted Emily’s left hand and began studying the ring.

  “Very nice,” he nodded, and then pulled out a jeweler’s loupe. “So, you had no idea?”

  “No idea,” Rainer confirmed.

  “And the transference goes through the band, so it’s virtually undetectable,” Tad grabbed a few sheets of paper and began sketching the ring.

  Emily started to remove the ring and hand it to her uncle.

  “NO!” he demanded.

  She halted abruptly and furrowed her brow. “But… don’t you need it to copy it?”

  “My sweet and precious Emiy, my sister gave birth to ten children, and so far you’re the only one with any taste, so please, child, leave the ring on where our dear Rainer placed it so that it will keep you safe.”

  “I will make a few sketches, write a few notes, badabing, badaboom, Uncle Tad is a hero, you have two rings, and you become the most fantastic Arlington Angel ever known, without cheating.”

  With that, he gave a deep bow as Rainer and Emily laughed. “Here, you come over here, and look at some of my ideas for the wedding, while I sketch.“

  Since Tad was holding Emily’s hand, he guided her towards one of the back glass display cases.

  Rainer followed, but gestured to Nathan. “So, I need a wedding ring that will match her engagement ring. Do I let her pick that out?”

  Nathan smiled, “Let Tad design it for her. You know she’ll love that.”

  “All right,” Tad wrote one more note on his sketch, and then smiled. “Now, I know you’re all engaged love birds, but I don’t get to see either of you very often so, when Lill called last night, I took the liberty of making reservations for you two at Nightingales.”

  Emily’s mouth fell open. “Uncle Tad, oh my gosh!” She threw her arms around his neck.

  “But, after dinner, you have to come over and have wine at our place before you go off to enjoy the Gansevoort,” he insisted.

  Emily was jumping up and down. Rainer tried hard not to laugh at her outright.

  “Thank you. I could never have gotten us in there,” Rainer grinned.

  Tad scoffed, “I’m pretty sure you could have, Mr. Lawson, but as you don’t care for using your name to get you places, then it does help to have uncles who know people who owe them favors.”

  “Oh, my gosh, Nightingales,” Emily buzzed, “I don’t have anything to wear.”

  “Hmm, now where on earth in New York city could a girl find a fabulous dress for dinner in New York’s most romantic restaurant? I mean, the city just has nothing to offer,” Nathan joked.

  “You are the best uncles ever!” she vowed again, and hugged him tightly.

  “And don’t you ever forget that,” Tad drawled. “All right, now go shop. I’ll have the ring ready tomorrow. Your reservations are at seven, so be at our apartment by ten, or I’m calling the Governor.”

  Quite a Night

  Several hours, and many department stores later, Emily had located a dress she deemed worthy of New York’s most romantic restaurant, and had picked out a new coat and tie for Rainer.

  Once he was ready, he settled himself on the couch to watch television while Emily finished getting ready.

  He let his mind recall, in great detail, everything they’d done on the couch earlier in the day. He glanced at the watch that had been his father’s to note how many hours it would be before he could get her back to the room and make up for what she’d done for him.

  He was lost in dizzying fantasies of what she smelled like, and tasted like, what she felt like when he entered her, and the intoxicating sounds she made, when Emily emerged from the bathroom.

  “Wow, you look gorgeous, baby.”

  She spun for him, and he let a low whistle slide between his teeth. She was wearing a strapless black dress, with a very short skirt, and stiletto heels with straps around her ankles.

  Her ample cleavage was on stunning display in the low-cut dress. Her hair was pulled up in a loose twist with just a few tendrils cascading softly around her face. Her neck was exposed, and Rainer longed to kiss it and drag his teeth along her tender skin.

  “Absolutely gorgeous.”

  “Thank you.” She bit her lip sweetly. His eyes tracked downward. He deeply admired the way her backside looked in the figure-hugging dress.

  “You certain you want to go out tonight?” he flirted shamelessly. “We could stay here, and I could help you out of that dress.”

  Emily giggled and shook her head. “First dinner, then you can play, Mr. Lawson.”

  “Oh, I intend to do more than play, sweetheart.” He watched her skin flush. The rosy pink heat crept seductively up her bare neck and pooled in her cheeks. It drove him wild.

  To prove his point, he brushed a kiss across the spot where her neck met her shoulder. He kept kissing across her collarbone until he spun his tongue in the hollow of her neck, making her whimper slightly. Her eyes closed as she reveled in the sensation.

  “We are going to Nightingales,” she insisted in a breathless pant.

  Rainer nodded, and decided that perhaps he would simply draw out their evening rather than try to get her to shorten it.

  “Just a preview, baby.”

  A slight moan escaped her as he took her hand and led her towards the door.

  The maître d’ held the door for them as they entered the beautiful restaurant. Lit only by candles and fireplaces, the red walls gave the restaurant an extravagant feel.

  In true Tad style, he’d booked Rainer and Emily one of the best tables in the house. It was a rounded booth, complete with red velvet- cushioned seating, and a long, pristine, white tablecloth, that set in the back corner of the large restaurant. The table
was nestled behind a grand staircase and near one of the fireplaces, which blocked it from the view of other patrons.

  Rainer gestured for Emily to enter the booth, before he slid in beside her. The table was lit with two long candles. Red roses stood gracefully in a thin vase in the center.

  “This is beautiful,” Emily whispered as she studied the romantic surroundings.

  Rainer wasn’t quite able to admire the décor. She just looked too devastatingly delicious, and he wanted desperately to let her know that dinner was only to be the very beginning of their evening.

  “Not as beautiful as what I’m looking at.” He gazed deeply into her eyes. She scooted closer to him and brushed a kiss across his cheek.

  He drew measured breaths and tried to leash his lust.

  “I’m starving,” focusing on the menu didn’t seem to help. Desperate desire coursed through his blood as he took in Emily, lit by the fireplace and the candles. He caught the scent of her perfume in the wafting heat from the flames. She reached to hold his hand in her lap, and his heart thundered against his rib cage.

  A waiter appeared with a water pitcher, took their drink order, and then recommended the oysters or the scallops for an appetizer.

  Rainer gestured for Emily to pick. She shrugged slightly and bit her lip. She and Rainer had eaten oysters at the beach the summer before. Neither were huge fans, though Rainer ventured to guess the oysters they were serving at Nightingales that evening were vastly better than those being steamed on the beach.

  “How about the scallops?”

  Emily looked relieved. The waiter gave a polite smile and disappeared.

  “Baby, why didn’t you just say you wanted the scallops?” Rainer tried to get her to relax a little. She blushed slightly, only furthering his desire as he studied her.

  “I don’t know. Oysters are supposed to be a romantic thing to eat, right? And this is such a romantic restaurant.” Her blush became more pronounced. “I’ve been with you since I was seven; why am I nervous?” She seemed to ask of the air around their table, and sounded thoroughly baffled.

  He put his arm around her and drew her closer. “First of all, I think you’re nervous because I haven’t really had the means to bring you places like this until very recently, and dating as adults out of the Academy is different. I’m a little nervous, too. Not to mention everything that’s happened since we started working.”