by Jeya Jenson
Adrien eased her legs apart, slipping an exploring hand between her thighs. He ran his palm up her inner leg, stopping when he found the tender slit between her legs. He slid his fingers along her hairless nether-lips, stroking. She writhed in sweet agony as the pressures mounted within. Her pussy seemed to arch toward his fingertips. He dipped one finger inside her, swirling it. She was taut and warm, already dripping with the juices of her arousal.
She moaned like a bitch in heat when he found the tender nubbin of her clit. He moved his index finger in a stroking motion, beginning a sensual tease, taking his time to discover all the hidden places that made her whimper.
“God,” she gasped. “I want you inside me…”
“Whatever the lady asks,” he whispered, sliding two fingers inside her honeyed depths. Her inner muscles clenched, drawing them even deeper, her juices soaking her thighs. Grasping one of her legs, he draped it over his shoulder to gain full access to her weeping slit. In a long slow motion, he lapped his tongue along those tender pink petals, awakening something in her never before touched by another man.
Her hands tangled in his hair and she began to move her hips in a rhythmic motion. She met the thrusts of his fingers with increasing fervor, her wild needs increasing the rippling motions deep within her vagina. The tension was building inside her. He could feel it. Inside, his hungers rose; unbidden and unwelcome. He longed to drink of her both spiritually and physically, take her energies into his body, joining with her in the perfect union. Barely able to control his own desires, he focused only on the thought of pleasing Cassie.
He was soon rewarded for his efforts. Trembling with pent up pressure, she cried out, coarse language spilling over her lips. Her expression was cloudy with passion, alight with the delights his touch unleashed.
“Oh, heavens,” she gasped. “I’m going to come!” Wanton fierceness made her voice quaver. She lifted one hand to her left breast, twisting the bead-hard tip of her nipple and adding to her own pleasure. The expression in her eyes was naked. She vibrated with tension, clearly on the edge of a mind-blowing orgasm.
To help her out, his fingers delved deeper as he nibbled her tender clit.
Cassie’s words became little more than lustful moans. Her hands scrabbled at the trellis composing the gazebo’s walls, finding then clenching the slats with eager hands. She quivered violently, peaking, her vagina throbbing greedily around his fingers. Her body arched when orgasm ripped through her. Her exposed breasts heaved as she gasped for air.
Adrien wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her as she regained her composure—and he regained his. Her skin was slick with perspiration. He planted a kiss beside her belly button, enjoying the salty taste of her skin.
Hands covering her eyes, she giggled and sagged weakly against him. “Wow,” she said, peeking through her fingers. “That was, mmmm, fabulous.” She grinned down at him. “Can I return the favor?”
He climbed to his feet, offering her a kiss flavored with her own musky spices. “Not tonight.”
She looked at him, her expression quizzical. “Why?” she wanted to know.
“Give me time, Cassie,” he whispered in her ear.
“What if there is no time?” she asked, disappointment clouding her voice.
“I can only give you the nights,” he murmured, more to himself than to her. The days are not mine. He glanced down at her, confident in her willingness to trust him, accept him as he was. Would it be fair to offer her only shadows? It’s all I have.
She uncannily answered his unspoken concern.
“I’ll take the nights,” she whispered. “Anything to be with you.”
His throat caught. He traced a fingertip over her lips. This is something new for me, he thought. Something amazing. She rested her forehead against his shoulder as if she wanted to stay beside him for a while longer. Forever would suit him.
Gathering her in his arms, he kissed the top of her head. She willingly nestled into his embrace, a soft sigh escaping her lips as she closed her eyes. In the midst of holding her, something in his heart expanded. What was most important right this minute was enveloped in his arms. At that moment he knew he was serious about including her in his life and wanted to see just where their relationship would go. He’d once believed that he had definite plans, but now he was not so sure.
Chapter Twelve
Adrien lay awake in the motel room. Outside, the moonlight created eerie shadows as he listened to the sounds of the city, the distant roar of a passing car’s engine the only sound disturbing the night. He blinked as if it might make the last vestiges of the earlier hours vanish, but it didn’t. He wondered what time it was. The blinking digital clock on the bed table just blinked; someone had unplugged it and then not taken the time to reset it when electricity was restored. Oh, well. No matter. He needed to leave soon.
He didn’t know the name of the woman sleeping beside him. He didn’t particularly care to, either. As far as he was concerned, she was just another victim. They’d shared their bodies, each taking what the other had to offer, but there would be no further exchange of information. After they parted company, she would go back to the husband she was cheating on and he would ride off, another notch on her bedpost.
He rolled over, contemplating his companion for the evening. He tilted his head down slightly, looking at her through narrow eyes. A fall of dark brown hair covered her pillow. She was an attractive woman, not a beautiful one. After four beers and as many shots, a 'three' had turned into a 'ten'. He’d needed someone tonight. Any warm female body would feed his hunger. Reaching out, he traced her mouth with his fingertips, then skimmed them along her jaw, down her throat and over her breast, outlining one nipple under the white sheet. That familiar warmth began to spread through his groin. She murmured something unintelligible but did not awaken.
He closed his eyes, remembering their coming together. He’d laid her on the bed and began to undress her slowly, unbuttoning her blouse, smoothing it off her shoulders, saying nothing as he unclasped her lacy red bra, then paused to gaze at her full breasts. She’d moaned softly when he traced one pink bud with his lips. She didn’t protest when he’d moved his palm down over her stomach, sliding down the zipper of her tight leather skirt. The anticipation of taking her had shortened his breath
Adrien usually kept his hunt to prostitutes. Tonight, though, he’d chosen the lounge of a higher end hotel. Something urged him to get away from the low no-class women. Nor did he usually undress and get into bed with a woman. He preferred to keep fleshly contact to a minimum. But he needed to feel a woman’s body under his. As he’d taken her, he’d imagined that it was Cassie’s breasts he was teasing with his tongue, that it was Cassie’s warm depths he was penetrating.
A sliver of guilt stabbed his conscience. Not because he’d fed, but because having sex with this woman felt like he was cheating on Cassie. Suddenly it felt wrong to be sharing a bed with someone else. It felt obscene. His arousal died with a weak whimper.
Drawing away from his nameless companion, he sat up and scrubbed the edges of his mouth with his fingers, licking dry lips. Her taste lingered, her rich coppery blood leaving an enduring aftertaste. He’d fed well. She wouldn’t remember the small cuts he’d inflicted on her flesh as he’d taken her. The scars would be a question mark in her mind. His face would be only a shadow, his memory a strange but pleasant one.
“Damn.” Swearing under his breath, he slipped out from under the covers. He didn’t bother to move with any stealth. Lost in fuzzy alcohol-fueled dreams, the woman snored softly. Tomorrow she’d believe the strange weakness afflicting her was a bad hangover. She’d had as much to drink as he had. Neither one of them were sober when they tottered off to her hotel room. They’d had sex twice. He had a feeling that she did this sort of thing a lot.
Ignoring his queasy stomach and spinning thoughts, he quickly reached for his discarded jeans, standing up and pulling them on. That woman’s worked her way into my mind, he thought.
He sat down on the end of the bed, snagging up a stray sock to put on.
Since that first date with Cassie, he’d spent every moment he could with her. Everything about her fascinated him. He loved her open simplicity and lack of airs. She may have had money, but she didn’t act the snob. She took pleasure in the simplest activities, from seeing a late movie to simply walking through the mall holding hands. Embracing life with both arms wide open, she tried to have fun no matter how mundane other people would find the pastime.
He wriggled his foot into his boot and then put on the other. They’d dated almost three weeks. That was the longest amount of time he’d spend with any woman since Lilith. He liked calling Cassie, hearing the sound of her voice. Sending her flowers, and giving her long kisses. He remembered with a jolt how she’d shivered when he’d run his hand across her flat belly, heard her sharp intake of breath when he’d gone lower, parting her thighs. He could feel her even now, remember how her skin had felt under his caress, how her lips had tasted, hear the echoes of her soft moans as he’d brought her to climax. There was no hesitancy in her. Her passion, her openness rocked him to the core. His boldness in taking her like that in the sunken garden had surprised him, yet everything they’d done that night seemed right. He felt a tremor of desire, the memory of what he’d done to her clear as crystal—along with the anticipation of touching her again very soon. It was as if a bond already existed between them, one that went beyond sex, at least in his mind.
Shaking his head, he groped for his shirt in the semi-dark, unfamiliar room. He’d definitely gotten too involved with her, letting his infatuation move him along way too fast. He hadn’t been in his right mind that night. He should have seen that more clearly. In the back of his mind he knew that he should cut things off with her as soon as possible. That idea, however, sent a slice of pain right through his heart. He didn’t want to dump her, didn’t want to hurt her. He wanted to hold her, caress her, make love to her. Most of all he wanted to tell her the truth. He wanted her so badly that he could feel it like a poison in his veins. Cutting the ties and walking away would be the right thing to do, the smart thing to do.
And he couldn’t bring himself to do either. He played the scenarios over in his head. Vanish and never see her again, or tell her the truth of what he was. The first was his usual mode of operation, the rule he’d always operated by. Don’t get attached and don’t get involved.
But he was attached and, damn it, he wanted to get involved. So, tell her the truth? She’d think him a raving idiot. Most people would. He could prove his words. Easy enough to do.
He finished dressing, tucking his shirt into his jeans and sliding into his jacket. Locking the door behind him, he took the back exit down to the parking lot. Too bad there isn’t some kind of Vampires Anonymous group.
In the cold light of the coming dawn, he shuddered at his romantic longings. I must be half-delusional. Falling for Cassie, Cassie falling for him. Impossible. He’d had his guard down—the loneliness, the empty futility of his life. Surely all were contributing to his odd attachment to the delightful Miss Wilson. It made him feel vulnerable, shaken, this need mixed with desire, this heart-stopping yearning not to just have sex with her, but to possess and protect and give himself entirely to her scared the hell out of him. A brief affair with Cassie was not what he wanted. He wanted a lifetime.
Adrien could feel his chest compressing as he mounted his Harley and started the engine. He shut his eyes for a moment, fatigue clawing at him. He’d had less than eight hours sleep through this week. He needed a long shower, a dark room and cool sheets. Meeting Cassie had only managed to stir up new demons. Trouble was, he hadn’t laid any of the old ones to rest yet. He tried to tell himself that he didn’t need her, that she was a complication. A mistake. Continuing to see her was surely a stupid thing to do, even if he couldn’t bring himself to regret it—not for one second, no matter how hard he tried.
Love? Could that thing as thin and fragile as a butterfly’s wing really exist for one such as himself?
Of course it doesn’t, he warned himself. He needed to end things with Cassie and go about his business. No use in leading the poor woman on. It wasn’t like he had any kind of a future to offer her.
Chapter Thirteen
Except for a call that Cassie made to her maid, the ride to her house was all a buzz in her ears. Highway whizzing by, all she heard was the whispering wind in her ears. She shivered a little in the stimulating night air, wrapping her arms tighter around Adrien’s waist and hugging him tighter. She could feel his body stiffen, then relax, as if he’d not had a woman put her arms around in him in a long time. She was halfway tempted to ease a hand down toward his crotch and rub. No reason to cause a wreck, though. She’d have plenty of time to get to know this man. Already she was caught, hook, line and sinker.
She’d ridden motorcycles before. But she’d never felt safe on them. The thought of crashing and burning, scattered in pieces across the asphalt was definitely not a vision she wanted to entertain. She still owned the motorcycles, but hadn’t ridden them in years. Perhaps she’d roll one out of the garage and ask Adrien to give her some lessons to brush up on her very rusty skills. She’d never been a strong rider—certainly not the confident rider he was. He handled that great machine the way a lion tamer handled the great feline beast; with confidence, assurance and an absolute lack of fear.
Arriving at her place, Cassie was pleased to see that Marta had followed her instructions to the letter. A cheery fire burned in the hearth and a bottle of wine and two glasses sat nearby.
She wrinkled her nose, sniffing the air. Where in the world had Marta gotten that clove incense? Oh, well, it did smell nice, evoking memories of holiday baking. With November at its end and Christmas just around the corner, she was looking forward to taking Adrien on some fun shopping sprees. Maybe she could even talk him into going away for the New Year.
Plans, she warned herself. You’re spinning fantasies in your head. Don’t go too fast… Her mistake in past times was that she’d always been too generous—giving too much too soon. Part of that was rooted in her desire to please.
Tonight she was being cautious about pulling out all the romantic stops. After all, she didn’t want to scare the man off. It had taken quite a bit of talking to get him off the front porch and into her house. The fact that he was not just dumping her off and running after tonight’s date was a big plus. She was ready to take things to the next level.
She dropped her purse on the small buffet table in the foyer and led him into the living room. “Make yourself comfortable,” she tossed over her shoulder. She ran her hair through her tangled curls, mussing them further. It was nice to feel so free, so liberated.
Adrien shook his head as he walked further into her luxurious living room. His eyebrows rose at the objects d’ art, obviously originals and apparently expensive. He fiddled with his jacket, touched a chair, looked at everything except her. The expression on his face seemed to speak volumes. He was out of his league and knew it.
“Nice place,” he mumbled, recovering some of his own confidence. Good deal. A man who refused to be intimidated because she had money and he didn’t. He took off his jacket and tossed it across the back of a chair as if the worn leather material belonged against the fine Italian fabric. He shoved his hands into his pockets and shrugged, as if to say ‘screw this stuff, it ain’t for me.’
Nerves on edge, she cleared her throat. “Would you like something to drink?”
Adrien stopped her as she was reaching for the bottle of white wine. His arm curled around her waist and he pulled her close. “No, Cassie,” he murmured. “There’s something I want a lot more than a drink.”
She licked dry lips, turning her head away from him a bit. “What?” she asked, voice coming out a little shakier than she would have liked.
Lifting his hand, he trailed his fingers across her neck, tips of his fingers lightly touching her jugular. “A taste,” he whispered. His head l
owered. His tongue snaked out, a moist trail of warmth tracing her jugular. Then he nipped, not hard enough to break skin, but enough to send a shiver of delight straight down her spine.
Entranced, Cassie’s head dropped back. “Oh, God,” she moaned. “That feels so wonderful.”
Just as she believed he was going to kiss her, Adrien drew back and took a deep steadying breath. She could literally see the tremor go through his body, hear the strain in his voice when he stepped away.
“Sorry,” he mumbled. “Almost got carried away.”
She smiled. “I wouldn’t mind it you did.” He inhaled quickly when she took a step toward him. “Don’t scare you, do I?” she teased.
“You’re a hard woman for a man to keep his hands off of,” he blurted honestly.
“Who says you have to?” She boldly placed her hands on his hips and pulled him closer. He stiffened a bit, then relaxed and let her reel him in. “Having second thoughts about coming in?”
“No. I wanted to.” He paused, frustration apparent in his features. “It’s not you. It’s me.”
She tipped back her head, still amazed by how tall he was. Beside her five-foot-three frame, he was a towering oak. “Now that you’re here, you’re uncomfortable?”
He shook his head. “Not uncomfortable. I’m just trying to be a gentleman.”
Cassie couldn’t help laughing. “And I’m definitely not trying to be a lady. The way you touched me a minute ago has me thinking all kinds of naughty thoughts.” She worked herself back into his embrace, letting the moment ease his tension.
“Feel better?”
“I could hold you all night,” he murmured, stroking her hair.
