He lazily assessed her face. Passion and uncertainty coupled in her expression. His primal instincts urged him to slam into her to satisfy her ardor, yet he desired to make gentle love to appease her hesitancy.
He’d prefer to bind all four limbs to the posts, but he wanted her legs flexible so he could maneuver them into positions allowing full access to every morsel of her pussy.
Lowering his face, he captured her mouth with his. Her eyes closed and her torso briefly stiffened beneath his body. The tantalizing sensation swept directly to his balls, setting them on fire. His cock ached. And the friction from his underwear made it worse. Like a burn. He ground it into the mattress as temporary pacification before doing something dispassionate like prematurely burying himself in her tight pussy. Normally it would’ve felt damn good, but he’d approached an explosive level and his cock was too engorged and sensitive. He tilted on to his side to ease the pressure.
This woman tested his endurance. If he didn’t somehow control his urges he’d be shamefully walking away with an incomplete deed on his shoulders. But, swearing on his grave, it was the most trying moment of his life.
He broke the kiss and lowered his head to the hollow of her throat, nibbling then sucking on the delicate flesh, leaving evidence of his travels. The effects of her faint moans were equivalent to subtle squeezes to his scrotum. He lifted his weight off her torso and scooted farther down her body, taking a pebble-sized nipple into his mouth.
It hardened as he wrapped his lips around it and sucked. Her shoulders sank into the mattress and she arched her back, shoving her breasts closer to his face. She was a very passionate woman and displayed it well. Every whimper and gesture from her hot, petite body enticed him to provoke another. He could watch her writhe and squirm all day, every day.
The nipple inside his mouth swelled and throbbed against his tongue, informing him it’d been properly abused. After he transferred his lips to her opposite breast he gave the nipple a final squeeze and rolled it in between his thumb and index finger.
She hissed, tossing her head from side to side. If she had use of her hands he imagined she’d be fisting and tugging his hair.
Her entire body trembled. To stabilize her at that level he climbed over her leg and lay on the outside of her parted thighs. With his upper half leaning halfway over her torso, he cupped the breast he’d been torturing with his lips. The other hand made a suave beeline for her pussy. The moment his fingers grazed her clit she whimpered and her hips jutted upward. He bypassed the sweet pink nub and slid a finger into her warm insides. The wet, cushiony walls clamped his knuckle. After a few deep thrusts he withdrew his finger, saturated by her juices.
Her eyes sprang open. “Please don’t stop,” she squeaked.
That was the furthest thing from his mind. He watched her intently as he inserted the finger into his mouth and sucked it clean.
Shanna groaned and her eyes rolled.
The dewy liquid made him hunger for more. He’d never had the pleasure of fondling such a juicy pussy. And as he gently nibbled a trail to her hipbone, he stuffed two anxious fingers inside her vagina.
She slammed her cunt against his hand. “Niall!”
“Easy, love.” Swirling his tongue in circles past her hip and grazing her skin with his chin stubble during the journey, he moved in for the assault on her clitoris. During the initial jab of his tongue she gasped and stiffened. Then seconds later, as if her mind needed time to process the sensation, her legs opened farther and she shoved her pussy into his face.
Juices drenched his lips. He tried removing the wetness with a quick sweep of his tongue, but she wasn’t backing off to give him the inch of space needed to accomplish the task. Instead she rolled her hips up and down, taking what she could get. And he planned on giving her a lot more.
Removing his fingers from her cushiony insides, he spread her labia with his thumbs and swaddled his lips around the silky-smooth bud and sucked. Her ass flew off the bed then she stilled.
But he refused to wait and he sucked on the sensitive hood as if sucking in his last breath. Slurping sounds filled his ears along with her soft cries of pleasure. The bed shook and post creaked, most likely from her tugging on the restraint.
At first he couldn’t hear her breathe then loud, raspy breaths echoed throughout the room. While she bumped and ground her bottom against his mouth, he reinserted the fingers into her pussy.
Amid her whimpers and gasps and moans, he wiggled in a third.
“Niall, Christ you’re killing me. Harder. Faster. Slam me.”
He couldn’t chance her not remembering that this loving took place. And he sucked and finger-fucked her, burning the images and ensuing sensations into her mind. Her cottony-soft insides groped and contracted in contrast to his thrusts. That’s it, Shanna my love, carve impressions of my fingers inside you.
He increased the speed of his hand and intensified suction to her clit. And as he felt spasms race across her inner thighs, he wet his pinky finger and inserted the tip inside her ass. She didn’t freeze or pause or back off to digest what’d happened. Instead she slammed her rear down until his finger completely disappeared into the narrow channel.
It was his undoing. He left it stationary, giving her free rein to ride it while he freed his other hand and shoved his underwear and pants over his hips. And after a final suck to her clit that initiated a trail of shudders throughout her lower body, he climbed in between her legs and positioned his cock at her entrance. Before he moved so much as an inch, he pushed her legs upward so that her knees rested along her waist.
“Hurry, Niall. I can’t wait.”
Neither could he, but he loathed the possibility of causing her discomfort by one quick thrust. Taking hold of his cock, he eased the tip just past her opening.
“Faster. Just do it,” she squealed, arching her neck.
Warm, juicy walls squeezed him but he waited until they loosened and released his cock head before he sank his shaft any farther. But it didn’t stop her attempts at trying to urge him deeper by jutting her hips forward.
He used his body as leverage and weighed her down, hindering all further attempts on her part. He’d done this enough to know that a quick entry, regardless how wet and ready, was never received without some type of discomfort because of his size. Maybe Shanna was different but he wouldn’t take that chance. Once she adjusted to the intrusion, he’d comply with her needs. He’d been gifted with a hell of a lot more cock than he needed, and ramming it inside a woman to satiate his needs wasn’t his idea of fun. That was a lesson he’d learned the hard way. Poor Abigail waited months to make love to him again after their first encounter. Shanna appeared hardier, but still, he wasn’t taking the chance of ruining the moment. She’d previously complained he was ripping her apart. Why would this time be any different?
Once he’d filled her, he remained still while her pussy squeezed and unclenched before he initiated any type of rhythm. And the instant he partially withdrew then thrust forward, she moaned loudly and wrapped her legs around his back.
“Yes,” she hissed.
He smiled then kissed her, plunging his tongue into her mouth in sync with the rhythm of his hips. It took only a half a dozen thrusts until her bottom writhed, back arched and her cunt squeezed the hell out of him, shooting threads of heat to his balls.
“Oh God. Oh God,” she whimpered as her tummy jerked with tiny convulsions.
Everything below his navel was on fire. And as he increased his hip action to a sturdy, fast pace, he kissed a bead of sweat from Shanna’s brow. Her eyes were tightly closed with her bottom lip captured between her teeth as she continued meeting him stroke for stroke while in the clutches of rapture.
Her expression caused the pressure in his testicles to exceed manageable levels. And the only way to relieve it was by increasing his thrusts. He came up on his hands, bracing himself against the mattress, and slammed into her cunt. Over and over. Until his mind couldn’t keep up with the pace.
The friction ignited sparks deep in his balls. Then suddenly his cock jerked. His arms shook as he rammed inside her as far as he could and came with a vengeance in the confinement of her pussy.
He rolled to her side for fear of his elbows buckling and him landing on top of her. She lay silent as if in a stupor, but when he gazed at her face, tears were sliding from the corners of her eyes. His guts knotted. “Shanna, are you okay?”
She nodded.
He reached behind her and unhooked the restraint then lowered her arms to her sides. “Then why are you crying?”
“They’re not sad tears.”
“Did I hurt you?” He lowered his lips to her cheek and kissed the tears away.
She cupped his face in her hands and smiled meekly. “No, Niall, you didn’t hurt me. It’s one of those things only a woman understands.”
“Explain it to me, love.”
She rubbed her thumb along his bottom lip and sighed. “I feel special when I’m with you.”
Let’s hope you continue feeling that way after tonight.
Chapter Seven
Niall hooked his pants, rolled off the bed and stood, running a hand through his hair. He needed to start the discussion now or get the hell out of Shanna’s room. He wasn’t feeling his best and grew weaker by the minute.
He glanced at the alarm clock. One-twenty a.m. She’d been in the shower approximately fifteen minutes. If she didn’t finish soon their talk would have to wait. Damn it, he hated postponing it any longer. What started as fun for him ended by making a spectacle out of her. That wasn’t the plan. Actually he hadn’t taken that into consideration at all. And once she knew the truth, hell, she’d probably never speak to him again.
Could he blame her?
The bathroom door opened and Shanna entered the room wearing a long mint-green fuzzy robe and matching slippers. A towel was wrapped turban style around her head, holding her hair. A flock of wet strands dangled along the outside of her left eye. He had the urge to tuck them inside the towel but thought it best to get down to business.
“You don’t look very good, Niall. Are you all right?”
His hand retreated to the back of his neck. “Sit down.”
“Uh-oh, is this the talk?”
“Yes.” He watched her take a seat on the edge of the bed. “And it’s no joke.”
“I’m not laughing.”
Replacing his hand in his hair, he paced from the desk to the plush chair and then back. Okay, he thought he was ready for this, but obviously not. What could he say? Unbridled and straight to the point was probably the best approach. He stopped directly in front of her and waited for her eyes to reach his. “You know that ghost you talked about? The one you couldn’t see.”
She jumped up. Her shoulders stiffened and her gaze roamed the total perimeter of the room. “Did it come back while I was in the shower?” she asked, her eyes wary and wide open.
“Sit down, Shanna.” When she plopped her butt back down, he stood directly in front of her to block the door in case she tried to escape. “Yes, it’s back.” He watched her swallow hard and he wanted to pull her into his arms but thought it best to keep a little distance between them. “It’s me.”
That didn’t seem to register. Her brows furrowed then her shoulders slumped.
“What did you do, sabotage my room as a prank or something?”
“No, it’s not like that. I’m your ghost, Shanna. Me.” He pointed to his chest with his thumb. “I made love to you the day you arrived. It wasn’t some random spirit who stopped by for a quick fuck.”
Her mouth dropped open. She snapped it shut.
“Say something.”
“You… You’re crazy.”
“Why do you think the hostess and patrons at the restaurant looked at you as if you’d lost your mind?”
“They’re nosy and eavesdropped on our conversation.”
“No, love, think about it.” He squatted in between her legs and placed his hands on her thighs. “The manager of The Cave thought you were drunk and kicked you out because of your actions. Doesn’t that tell you something?”
Her eyes darted around his face. “Well, you were rubbing me off right there at the table.”
“Shanna, they can’t see me.”
“What do you mean they can’t see you?” She set her hands over his and gave them a hearty squeeze.
He studied her long and hard. Confusing the hell out of the woman who’d stolen his heart was by far one of the most complex scenarios he’d endured. “Only believers of the supernatural and the gifted have the ability.”
“So if I quit believing, you’ll go away?”
“No, love, your ability supersedes a believer. You’re capable of feeling me.”
Again her mouth dropped open and again she snapped it shut—right before she threw his hands off her legs and jumped to her feet. “Those people who think I’m crazy should be in here listening to this. You’re a nut!”
“How else can you explain being made love to while you were alone in the room?”
“I told you about it.” She folded her hands across her waist.
He spun on his haunches then stood. “You do understand how those photos appeared on Derek’s computer screen?”
“Electrical glitches.”
“Shanna, I opened those files to expose his fraudulence before he swept you down the aisle. Who do you think tossed him across the room when he nearly struck you?”
She traipsed to the bathroom door and back. “This is crazy, Niall. Just go. Go to your little cottage in the woods and stay the hell away from me.”
“If you don’t believe me, talk to Áine Byrne.”
Shanna rolled her eyes. “Yeah, that’s something I want to do.”
“She’ll back up everything I’m saying.” He tried laying his hand on Shanna’s shoulder but she sidestepped out of his reach. “Áine knows everything. It’s why she led you to me the other morning.”
“No,” Shanna snapped. “What led me to you was my own stupidity.”
“Áine doesn’t shove her guests outside in the cold without a reason. She knows my destiny. She’s one of the gifted, Shanna. She can see and communicate with all of the souls lingering at Tullamore.”
“If you’re a ghost, you have no destiny.” Again she rolled her eyes. “Get real. Do I look like an idiot?”
If he had more strength right now, he’d make himself invisible to prove everything he’d said was true. The problem was, he wouldn’t be able to resurface right away because he was too weak. Showing himself for a long period of time typically drained him. And having sex taxed him even more. After he’d made love to Shanna in the cottage, it took him nearly a full twenty-four hours to rebuild energy. “You’re not an idiot.”
With her current frame of mind, vanishing before her eyes wasn’t the best idea anyhow. She’d probably faint, think she was dreaming then he’d have to restart the entire conversation at a later time.
Hell, he didn’t want to scare the heck out of her either. He’d done enough damage when he’d fucked her the first time. But damn, he couldn’t wait to sink his cock in her luscious body. For the past year he’d wandered the hotel, waiting earnestly for her return, and when she’d stepped out of that taxi the other day he’d fought a hundred and one demons to remain grounded and stay in control. Unfortunately he’d lost the battle.
She stomped in front of him and pinched his arm. “Ghosts are shadows and mists. But you… You feel like flesh and bone.”
“Shanna, that’s the beauty of it. For reasons unbeknownst to us we’re very receptive to each other. I couldn’t believe you saw me the day you arrived at Tullamore. And when you actually felt my touch that night I made love to you, I realized how special you are. It’s almost as if you’re an important link to my fate.”
“And that is?” she spat, drumming her fingers on her forearms.
“I don’t know, but from what I can surmise, my circumstances are different from typical
ghosts. They’re misplaced souls. I’m not misplaced. I can only guess that dying accidentally and preventing another person’s death gave me a purpose. It really wasn’t my time to go.”
She stormed to the door and pulled it open. “It’s your time, Niall. Go.”
“Listen—”
“No, you listen. You lied to me. You said you’ve never seen a ghost, now you’re trying to convince me that you are one.”
“I’m sorry.” Maybe he should go. Right now she wasn’t in the right frame of mind to listen to logic. Not that any of this sounded logical. But really, was there even a right frame of mind to ingest what he’d tried explaining? He believed only because it’d happened to him. If she tried convincing him of the content, yeah, he’d think she’d lost her fucking mind.
He sat down on the edge of the bed. To hell with his earlier theory, he wanted to get this over with now. “Close the door, Shanna,” he said then disappeared.
Where’d he go? Holy smokes, she did not just see him vanish. “Niall?” She closed the door and backed against the wall. “Niall!”
“I’m here, love.”
“Where?” Under the bed? Behind a curtain? She stood completely still, holding her breath while her eyes made a quick sweep of the room.
“I’m still sitting on the bed.”
She glanced at the exact spot where he’d been. “No you’re not. I don’t see you.”
“That’s the idea.”
“Please come out. This isn’t funny.”
“You gave me no choice.”
“I swear, when I find you, you’re going to be sorry.” She squatted, lowered her head to the carpet and cased the floor, looking for his feet.
“I’m right here, Shanna.”
She glanced under the bed where the voice sounded the loudest, but it was completely empty. “You’re not anywhere. How’d you do that?”
“Did you not hear a word I’ve said?”
“Now where are you?”
Phantom Mischief Page 10
