She eyed me and then my car, as if it truly was a demon, sighed heavily, then flounced inside, putting her bag on the floor.
I closed the door and whispered, “Gotcha.”
Time to show her that even she could break out of the safe and somewhat stifling box she’d built for herself.
Chapter 28
~ISADORA~
* * *
“So what were you and Ruben talking about the other day outside the bookstore?” I asked, just needing some random topic of conversation.
He turned into a mostly empty parking lot near Loyola. “Just making sure we’ve got everything set for Saturday night. Is your sister Livvy willing to be your partner in crime?” He downshifted, the car purring as we slowed.
“More than willing. Livvy is always up for adventure.”
He wheeled to the back of the lot where there were only two or three cars parked.
“What’s wrong? You seem tense.”
Devraj shook his head, unbuckling his seatbelt. “Just the reading Violet did. I want to be ready for anything.”
“I’m sure your Vampire Justice League can handle anything unexpected.”
“Oh, we can. Vampire Justice League? Is that an Avengers thing or something?”
I laughed, thinking of Evie. She’d like the label. “I don’t think so, but it should be. I don’t know what you call your little party of vampire cops.”
He eyed me like I was crazy then said, “Get out of the car, Isadora.”
I unbuckled and met him around front. I glanced around, wondering where he was taking me. This was just an empty parking lot for students near the university. He took my hand and led me around to the driver’s side.
“What are you doing?”
He opened the car door. “Teaching you how to drive.” He gave a little shove to the small of my back.
“What?!” I backed up into a hard wall of Devraj. “No, no, no, no.”
He laughed, spinning me by my waist and pressing my back to the side of the car. He cupped my face, pinning me with his pelvis and his gorgeous eyes.
“Do you trust me, Isadora?”
I gripped his wrists. “Not if you’re trying to teach me to drive, I don’t.”
He kicked the inside of one ankle, spreading my legs and settled against me, possessing my mouth with dizzying speed. I pressed my blunt nails into his wrists in defiance of this crazy-ass idea. Still, I kissed him back, my appetite for him as voracious as ever. When our kiss mounted to that frenzied state, his tongue piercing making me want his tongue in other places, he pulled away and pressed his forehead to mine, still holding my face, his gaze so warm, so steady, so sure.
“You trust me with your body.” He pressed his closer to mine, rubbing against me, as if I needed a reminder. “And with your blood.” His gaze flicked down to my neck. “Now trust me with your fear. I can help you with this.”
“You think me wrecking your million-dollar car is going to help me get over a lifelong phobia? You’re nuts, vampire.”
He nipped my bottom lip with a fang, not breaking the skin, but stinging all the same. “Isadora.” He licked the sting, rocking his hard body into mine, dragging a whimper from my throat. “Trust me.”
I was breathing heavily, panic running amok. “I can’t do this.”
“You can.”
“I might wreck your car.”
“It’s insured.”
“I’m scared.”
“I’m here for you.”
I half-laughed, half-whined at that. “You’re insane.”
“I want you to trust me. I’d never let any harm come to you. You’ll be safe.”
His crooning words vibrated straight through my ribcage and encircled my heart. I did trust him. I did feel safe with him. I knew he’d never let harm come to me. All of these things sung in my soul like magic, pulsing with his sweet promises. As sweet as the ones he’d made with his body, his hands, his mouth, his tongue.
Why did this feel so monumental? Trusting him enough to teach me to drive? It was a trivial, minor thing. To most people. To me, it was an irrational fear that had morphed into my way of life, settling me into a world where I avoided cars and preferred to shop as far as my bicycle would take me. And he was asking me to just, what, jump off the cliff with him and drive his freaking Lamborghini?
“Trust me,” he cooed against my lips, sipping softly now, tracing my jawline with his thumbs in soothing sweeps. “You can do this, Isadora.”
My heart tried to pound through its cage of flesh and bones. I squeezed my eyes shut and said, “I can do this,” just trying the words on for size. My pulse immediately slowed.
“You can do this,” he repeated with supreme confidence. And affection.
I opened my eyes and inhaled a deep breath. “Okay. I’ll try.”
The smile he gave me was galactic in its brilliance. “Good girl.”
One more soft kiss then he ushered me into the driver’s seat. I sat there stiffly, trapping my hands between my thighs, staring at the insanely complex console. When he lowered into the passenger’s seat, he reached over and buckled my seatbelt. Probably because I hadn’t moved yet, stiff as a robot.
“Alright, first step,” he said, obvious amusement in his voice, “put your hands on the steering wheel.”
I whipped my head toward him and warned, “No. Laughing.”
His expression sobered with wide eyes. “Never.”
But there was still a twinkle in his eye. I arched a brow at him before returning my focus on the car, gently placing my hands on the wheel. “I’m not driving outside this parking lot.”
“Absolutely not. Baby steps. Today, we’re practicing right here, nowhere else.”
Blowing out a heavy breath, I nodded. “Okay. Now what?”
“Press your left foot down on the clutch, your right on the brake.”
I did. “Okay.”
“Now, start the engine. And put your hand on the stick.”
I arched a brow at him. “Is that code for something?”
“My, oh my, Miss Savoie. What a dirty mind you have. Get your head out of the gutter and focus. And wrap your hand around my stick.”
He taunted me with a hot look and a waggle of his eyebrows. I couldn’t keep myself from laughing. And just like that, some of the tension eased from my shoulders.
“We should be starting with an automatic,” I said, grabbing hold of the gear shift.
“Where’s the fun in that?” He leaned an arm along my headrest but kept some distance so I didn’t feel crowded. Just close enough to feel comforted. “So, because this is a rather luxurious, high-performance car and expensive, as you’ve reminded me on a number of occasions, it has a very smooth transition from gear to gear. All you need to do is ease up slowly on the clutch as you press the acceleration pedal at the same time. Go as slow as you need and take your time.”
I faced forward and did as he said, eased up with the clutch and pressed down on the gas pedal. When I felt the car moving, I pressed too hard and the car jerked then stalled out.
“Oh, hell!” I had the clutch and the brake down to the floor. “I can’t do this.”
“Yes, you can.”
“Stop laughing at me, Devraj!”
“I’m not laughing.”
He was so laughing. Hard.
“Okay, okay. Let’s do this first. Take your feet off the pedals.”
“Are you crazy?” I shrieked.
“The car is off, so we’re in no danger. Take your feet off.”
“Alright.”
“And close your eyes.”
I snapped my head to him. “What are you planning?”
“Nothing nefarious,” he crooned, edging closer, one hand on my thigh. “I want you to relax.”
“Your glamour doesn’t work on me. I’ve told you that.”
“Just a little guided imagery to help you relax.”
I pressed the back of my head to the headrest with a huff of frustration. “It won’t work.”
&
nbsp; “Let me be the judge of that.” He tugged a lock of my hair. “Close your eyes, love.”
“This isn’t going to work.” I closed my eyes anyway.
“So little faith.” His hand on my thigh tightened, but didn’t move up, thank goodness, because then my mind would’ve been somewhere else for sure. Already, his proximity and body heat and electric energy filled up the space with a heady concoction of sexy vampire.
“Imagine you’re walking through the courtyard to your greenhouse.” His voice was close to my ear, rumbling low and deep with a hypnotic tempo. “But instead of the door you normally see leading into the greenhouse, there is a door made entirely of golden light. When you open the door, you step through into a wilderness made of vibrant color. A field of purple wildflowers wave in a summer wind to your right, a brook with crystal-blue water rushes into the woods to your left. The trees on the leaves rustle as you walk barefoot on the plush grass.”
He went on, detailing the beauty of a fairy forest where magic lived and thrived. My body eased at the cadence of his sensual voice.
Finally, he pressed a soft kiss to my cheek. “Now open your eyes, beautiful.”
I did, heart skipping at his endearment.
“How do you feel now?” he asked.
“Good.” What an understatement.
Damn, this man. If someone had told me I’d let a guy teach me to drive after he’d once hit me with his car, I’d have told them they’d lost their damn mind. My sisters had begged to teach me in the past to my constant, resounding no. But here I was with little more than a nudge from him, slipping into a relaxed state with nothing more than a few words. I could barely believe it.
But Devraj. He was the unbelievable. The man I never expected but wanted more than anything. More than anyone.
“Good.” He squeezed my thigh then eased away from me back into his seat, giving me space. “Now, let’s try it again.”
I did, only to stall the car again. But this time, I laughed rather than got nervous. I’d actually made it more than two feet.
“Again,” he said calmly, his gentle demeanor seeping into me.
By my fourth try, I actually managed to shift into second gear.
“I’m doing it. I’m driving!”
He laughed. “You are. Now, as you come to the corner of this row, just ease down on the brakes, no need to downshift here, then speed up a little, that’s it. Now in this straightaway, let’s go for third.”
“You sure? That’s so fast.” I cut him a sharp look. “No laughing, Devraj!”
But he couldn’t help himself. “You’re right. It’s so fast. Let’s see what you can do.”
I cut the corner a little sharp, but not on purpose, pulling Devraj over to my side. He just laughed again, but I managed to right us and gently speed up, shifting into third gear as he’d instructed.
“I can’t believe I’m doing it!” I couldn’t take my eyes off the road. Well, the parking lot. But the crazy feelings of elation pumping through my veins had me giddy and grinning like a loon. “I can’t believe this.”
Someone pulled into the parking lot a hundred yards away, so I screeched to a halt, jerking us both forward, the seatbelts locking and pulling us back.
“I got it,” I told him, pressing the clutch and brake to the floor and restarting the car before easing in the opposite direction of the other car.
“Yeah, you got it. I knew you would.”
That’s when I finally chanced a glance at him, and my insides melted at the blazing look of pride and adoration on his handsome face.
After my third lap around the parking lot, I was so high, feeling beyond confident at this. Chuckling at myself, my fear. I mean, yeah, we hadn’t left the parking lot and the thought of cruising on an actual road made me want to vomit, but I was really driving a car. I did a fourth lap then pulled into a parking spot at the end of the lot. I put it into park and turned it off before leaping over the console to straddle Devraj’s lap.
My skyrocketing excitement didn’t seem to phase him. He grabbed my hip with one hand and cupped my nape with the other, diving into my mouth with a soft groan. I rocked my hips on his quickly hardening erection, the denim between us giving the perfect friction between my legs.
“Devraj,” I nearly cried, dipping my mouth to his neck and giving him a suckling kiss below his ear.
He hissed in a breath, thrusting his hips up and grabbing hold of my hair, but not pulling me away.
“I can’t believe I did that,” I said, still licking and sucking his neck, the salty taste of him driving me mad.
“I can.” He nuzzled into my hair and nipped my earlobe. “You’re incredible.” His hand on my hip slipped under my T-shirt and mounded my breast over my bra, pinching my nipple lightly. “Amazing.”
“It was just the parking lot.” I scooped both my hands under his shirt, lifting so I could see his gorgeous chest while my hands roved frantically.
“You overcame a lifelong fear in minutes, Isadora. You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for.” His eyes glowed silver, his voice deep and growly. Then his gaze dropped where he unsnapped my jeans and unzipped me. “Why did you wear jeans today?” He slid his hand beneath my panties, skating his middle finger through my wetness.
My eyes slipped closed when he glided to my entrance and pumped a finger inside me. I’d worn jeans because I’d planned on not having sex with him today. I needed a break after last night’s earth-shaking experience where I’d felt him capture my heart at the same time he’d conquered my body.
He gripped my chin and whispered, “Open your eyes.”
I did, but I wanted to look away again.
“You never wear jeans.” He slid out of me, circling my clit with my own slickness.
I didn’t say anything, mouth falling open on a sigh. It was true.
“You wanted some space from me after last night?”
I bit my lip as he pumped two fingers inside me, nice and slow. I should’ve known this Stygorn would’ve seen through my sad attempt at creating boundaries. All it did was make it more difficult to get him inside me, and I was regretting my ridiculous outfit choices with every pump of his long fingers.
“No space between us, love.” His voice was soft, melodic, but his expression was fierce. Determined. Dominant. “Do you understand?”
I nodded, riding his hand with little pumps, gripping his shoulders tight.
“Now, get your fucking jeans off so I can come inside you.”
I shifted off him onto the other seat. I’d barely wiggled them over my bum before he’d grabbed hold of my panties and jeans together and ripped them off my legs. He had his jeans unzipped and pulled down below his hips, his cock out, before I’d made a move to straddle him.
He gripped my waist to pull me across but I shoved away his hands. From the moment we met, he’d been a giver. From baking, to his kindness, to teaching me to drive, to his lovemaking, he was constantly giving. Always giving. I wanted to give something to him.
Maneuvering till I leaned over the console, I wrapped my hand around his cock.
“Isadora,” he growled, thrusting up into my hand.
I ignored his warning, stroking once before I slid my mouth over the head and down his shaft till it bumped the back of my throat. He hissed in a breath.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck.” His hand cradled my skull, pressing gently as I bobbed and sucked him deep.
I moaned at the pleasure of giving to this man, slowing my tempo so I could take him deeper each time.
“Christ, you’re going to kill me.”
When I came back up and sucked the tip hard before letting it pop free, he made a feral sound deep in his chest.
“I can’t take it.”
He moved me up, grabbed me around the waist, and hauled me onto his lap. I went easily, straddling his lap. He gripped my hip with one hand, his cock with the other, then pushed me down as he thrust up.
We both groaned in unison at the drugging sensation of his h
ardness plunging inside me. He reclined the seat to give us room.
“Ride me,” he ordered, his hands on my bare hips, moving me up and down.
I skated my hands back underneath his shirt, hiking it up so I could watch his abdomen tighten with each thrust inside me. The man’s body was a marvel, but the man himself—his warm eyes, his deep compassion, his lethal power—was breathtaking. Bone-melting. Soul-stirring. Heart-stealing.
He captured my gaze and held me with him as he rocked up, our bodies riding a frantic rhythm, both of us climbing faster and faster. I came with such lightning speed it shocked me. I cried out. Devraj wrapped my nape and pulled me down, devouring my moans as he ground into me with punishing thrusts. After he came on a deep groan, he sucked on my tongue. A devouring, marking kiss. When he finally let my mouth go, he kept me close, tightly held in his arms.
“Don’t tell me we don’t match,” he ground out against my lips, squeezing my nape. “Don’t tell me this is just sex.”
I almost laughed because his cock was still throbbing inside me. But he was right. Whatever this was—this connection, this craving, this obsession—it went beyond the physical. I knew that, which was why I was trying to build a little distance. But Devraj would have none of it. He wanted all of me for the time we were together. And I honestly couldn’t deny him. Not anymore.
My heart pounded hard against his chest where I could feel his own. I pressed a palm there, willing to surrender all to him. He was more than sex. But I still couldn’t say it aloud. Somehow, I knew that would make it that much harder when this assignment was over and he was off to the next.
His gaze softened. “Come here.” He tucked my head in the crook of his shoulder and brushed a hand over my hair, his other arm anchored around my waist, our bodies still joined.
Anyone could’ve walked up and seen us, especially my bare ass on full display. It was only late afternoon. But I didn’t care. His strong arms and gentle hands, his mouth pressing into my temple was the comfort I needed. I decided I’d enjoy today and worry about the pain of tomorrow when tomorrow came.
After he soothed me for what felt like a half an hour but probably wasn’t quite so long, he whispered, “You really know how to use my stick.”
Don't Hex and Drive Page 27
