by TJ Michaels
Shifting her feet she hoped he didn’t notice her widened stance. Where was the promised breeze the weather people claimed on TV this morning? It would come in handy right now if a bit more air would circulate between the naked thighs beneath her robe.
Turned out to be a bad idea. The breeze arrived through the open door and swirled around her thighs. But all it did was fill the space between her and Faison with the scent of her arousal. Even to herself, she was ripe and sweet. Ready to be fucked. It was ridiculous.
Dee waited for the mortification to set in, for embarrassment to make her bristle with anger so she could tell him to get lost. So, uh, where was mortification when she needed it? Obviously it had better things to do. Damn it. She’d just have to drum some up on her own.
“And why should I listen to any of this? I’m well aware of your reputation, Faison. Followed you closely while I lived in Japan,” Dee said.
“Well, I did a little checking up on you too.”
Now that did it!
“What? How dare you, you son of a…”
“And it simply confirmed that you’re a solid, smart, beautiful and no-nonsense woman.” Who was getting hornier and hotter by the moment. God, the unmentionable but certainly doable things that popped into her head when Faison was near had her blushing to the roots of her neatly twisted hair. And her crystal buzzed off the charts while She expressed interest in a threesome, spirit entity or not. It was simply too much. Dee backed up, more than ready to close the door.
Faison stepped closer and his scent wafted up and into her nostrils. No cologne. Just clean, potent man. And the reaction of her body sent her head reeling.
“So may I come in? At least give me a chance to try to talk you into coming to my concert?” Oooh, and there went the smile that had broken many a woman’s heart and it was all for her just now. That smile was almost as luminous as her crystal of pure lemon quartz and as brilliant as the sun itself.
Speech was impossible so she waved him inside with no idea why she hadn’t just shook her head “no”. The crystal secured at her neck scorched the valley between her breasts and her imagination took off on a journey trying to figure out how to get Faison out of his clothes.
Oh joy.
A couple of steps toward the den and Dee stopped short. What the hell was the deal with her crystal now? The thing quaked like… Oh, wait. That was her cellphone vibrating in the breast pocket of her bathrobe.
“Just a moment.” She motioned Faison toward the den as she dug out her phone. A few quick steps took her in the opposite direction and through the living room into the kitchen.
“Hello?”
“Dee? Dee, what’s going on? You okay?”
“Memory? Yeah, I’m fine. What’s the matter?”
“That’s what I wanted to know. I just got a sensation through my piece of the Heart and the energy was distinctly yours.”
Damn rock was always telling on her.
“I’m fine. I just…”
“Met someone!”
“Charlotte? How the hell are both of you on the phone?” Dee demanded.
“Actually, Charlotte felt you first. She called me and I dialed you. It’s called a three-way, thank you very much.”
Three way? Hell even a one way was beginning to sound really good to Dee right about now. With Faison. Her flushed skin and budding nipples thought so too.
“Tell us about him, Dee.”
“I can’t, Memory. I just met him and don’t know much myself. At least what I do know is less than flattering but I’m getting the feeling that it’s just a front. And I don’t see a pendant around his neck.”
“What? You’re not making any sense,” Charlotte said. Quiet concern laced each word. “Do you think he’s Asmodeus?”
“This guy?” Dee whispered a laugh and hoped Faison wasn’t hearing this. She turned slightly and spotted him out on the balcony out of earshot, thank goodness. “I don’t think so. But I’ll figure it out and you know I’ll fill you in.”
“Yes, we know. It’s just that we wanna know…”
“Wait, wait, wait, you two. He just showed up at my door and is waiting out on my balcony. I’ll call you back. I need to talk to you both. Something is going on here in Seattle. Something…strange. And I’m talking both strange good and strange not-so-good.”
“Asmodeus?” Memory guessed.
“Yeah. She senses him but I haven’t been able to. You both know I have no empathic or psychic powers whatsoever, unlike Charlotte who just oozes all kinds of witchy goodness.” Dee liked making her sisters laugh, especially in the face of possible trouble. They didn’t disappoint and she instantly felt better. “You know,” she began, wondering if she’d picked up old Asmo’s trail after all. “I’m thinking back on a man I jogged with recently. Well, I jogged while he ate sand. He tossed out a strange vibe, one I’ve never experienced before but I’m not sure about him being our bad guy.”
“What if he is?” Charlotte asked, just as Memory asked, “What are you going to do?” They didn’t sound frightened, simply determined.
“Mem, if demon dude is here, I’m going to kick Asmo-what’s-his-butt in the butt.”
“You’ll need your match, your mate, to do that, Dee,” her sisters reminded her.
“Yeah, I know. I wish it wasn’t this particular guy. Still not sure it is.”
“But,” Memory interjected, “I bet your body and your crystal are sure.”
How the hell did she know that? It was a stupid question. After all, Memory had already been down this road when she met her mate, Marco. And now that Dee thought about it, Marco had abilities of his own that complimented Memory’s. She wondered if Faison had any. Hmmm.
Also, all the symptoms Memory had described when she’[d met her man pretty much duplicated themselves right now—the crystal’s heat threaded like tendrils of lust just beneath the skin. An ache thrum, thrum, thrummed deep within her womb from the moment she’d opened the door to Faison. The need to fuck the man where he stood, the sense of “right”, of perfection clear down to her soul. The urge to throw all common sense out the window and dive into the deep.
Still, there was one problem.
“But what if my crystal is off or something? Faison doesn’t seem to have one. And if he’s the one, he’s got to have a sister stone,” Dee said to her sisters.
“Maybe it’s somewhere that you can’t see it.”
Perhaps Charlotte was right. After all, She had mentioned sensing a sister stone. And Dee didn’t wear her own stone in a way that the world could see it. It was on its chain and never left her neck, but she’d had little pouches made for it in various shades to match just about every outfit she owned. When Dee put the cover over the pendant anyone looking at her would think she sported a small coin purse instead of an ancient crystal that could save the world.
“Perhaps,” Dee replied. “But what if…?”
“Dee, stop it.” Memory had obviously reached the end of her tolerance for Dee’s protests. “If She and your stone react to this man, why are you the only one who has any doubts?”
“Look, Mem, I just haven’t seen a crystal on him, is all. I don’t want to get my hopes up. And to be honest, I’m a bit on the terrified side of knowing that if I’ve met my mate then my run-in with Asmo-what’s-his-butt is coming sooner than I’d like. Actually, I’d like to not have to do this at all.”
“We know, Dee. But you’ve been training for it, readying for it for years. Just like the rest of us. And when the time comes you’ll win. And you know we’ll be sending you our strength. We’ll be there to help you just like we’ve always been there to help each other since we were kids.”
Dee knew Memory was right. Her sisters had always been there for one another. From the moment they decided to become joined at the hip in the orphanage to this very day. And it wouldn’t change now, or ever.
“Get back to your friend, Dee. Memory and I will check on you later. If we can, we’ll get Kenna on the line too.”<
br />
“Oh no, not Kenna. She’ll want to fly here and kill everybody. And as goofy as I’ve been feeling lately, I’d encourage her!”
They shared a laugh and words of love as Dee began to make her way toward the delicious six-foot crème brulee named Faison waiting on her balcony.
“Love you, Dee. Talk soon?”
“Love you too, you guys. And yes, talk soon.” Dee snapped her cell phone closed and tucked it back into her robe pocket just as she stepped over the threshold out into the midmorning sun and into the arms of her future.
Regardless of the fact that he’d been taught to expect the stone to react to its match, Faison had still been caught off guard. After all, ever since he’d received it from his great uncle on his eighteenth birthday he’d waited to get some kind of reaction out of the brilliant yellow stone embedded beneath the silver cuff he always wore. And after all these years, Faison just hadn’t expected to go down so fast. Wasn’t he supposed to fight it, resist it? Maybe even take off at a dead run from it? Perhaps, but the urge to flee from an attachment with Dee refused to surface. Her presence brought something he hadn’t realized he’d longed for—a warmth and comfort that enveloped him spirit, soul and body. Well, that and a fierce erection that resonated clear down to his skeleton. God, it gave the word “boner” a whole new meaning.
Faison was careful not to flinch when the stone in his bracelet lit up his wrist again. Though he’d expected it this time, he didn’t want to draw Dee’s attention to it. Instead he had a more-than-unusual need to have her discover that he was the one for her all by herself, rather than give her clues based on what the crystal had to say about things. It didn’t really make any sense considering that the stone is what clued him in that this woman had a real place in his life. Huh. Faison was surprised that he’d already come to terms with the fact that since he’d met De’alla Isaacs his life was no longer his own.
Speaking of “not his own”, how the hell could he have a whole-body hard-on that was completely out of his control? Even the fine little hairs on his skin hummed with an awareness of Dee. It was crazy, yet strangely welcome, as if he’d tapped into her in some small way since the day they met and being in her presence now amplified the feeling until it damn near engulfed him.
At the front door Faison had been so focused on getting her to agree to a date—though he hadn’t called it that—he hadn’t noticed what she was wearing. He watched her approach and fully appreciated the view. She was covered from neck to knees in a pale blue summer yukata with sakura blossoms all over it. A matching belt was tied off to the side allowing the robe to part slightly as she walked. The silk swished quietly as she moved, her steps solid and sure.
De’alla was no stick figure. This woman sported curves in abundance and wore her self-confidence like a second skin. God, it was sexy.
Her breasts pressed against the fabric of her robe and a pair of budding nipples announced the arrival of a feast for the senses.
All of his senses.
Sight. Faison’s eyes took off on a journey without his permission and he couldn’t even be upset considering the terrain. She was beautiful. Soft brown, thickly coarse curls hung to her shoulders in little twists all over her head. The deep auburn of the tresses complemented the cinnamon hue of her skin. High cheekbones, a squared jaw, large feline shaped eyes and flawless skin made her look like a mix between a goddess and an African lioness. Gorgeous. Regal. Strong.
No bullshit.
Sound. While she’d been in the kitchen her words, though faint from that distance, reached for him. Dee’s voice flowed bold with a hint of naughty in there somewhere. Even words whispered into her phone carried to him and sent a jolt to his gut.
Smell. Whatever she’d lavished on her smooth-looking skin wafted up through the fabric of her robe like spiced fruity shisha, both cool and smoky at the same time. Man, he would love to be the hookah and make her go up in smoke. Surely she’d be sweet, yet fresh and wholly addictive.
The heat of the crystal beneath the cuff of his sweatshirt transformed into an electrically charged buzz that surged through his brain and fried all logical processes. Thought was out of the question. All he wanted was to feel. Correction—taste, touch and feel. And if he didn’t remedy that soon enough he’d…hell, he didn’t know what.
Bottom line—he had to have De’alla Isaacs at whatever cost.
She’d come out onto the balcony and stood before him, arms crossed as if she still wanted to challenge him. Fine. Bring on the battle. But it was a fight he did not intend to lose.
“Dee, you are beautiful, plain and simple. Just gorgeous.”
The pretty blush underneath her dark skin was endearing. But when she dipped her chin and eased her gaze up at him, as if she dared him to guess a delicious secret, Faison couldn’t resist a second longer.
“Dee, my god, there’s just something about you. Something deep.” Elemental. Hmm, perhaps he should be careful when thinking that word? It was enough trying to wrap his skull around this crystal craziness, though already convinced Dee had a stone like his, there was no way in hell Faison could deal with his heritage as an elemental too. Yet at the same time he wanted to reveal everything about himself, which was certainly a first since he’d come into his gifts at age twelve. In fact, Dee brought about all kinds of “firsts” with him.
With that he stepped close and slowly lowered his head, giving her a chance to move away or smack him silly. His heart thumped loudly in his ears as if he were training for a 5K race, yet when she lifted her chin for his kiss time slowed like thick maple sap running down a fat trunk just ripe for tapping.
He paused, his lips a hair’s breadth from hers. He’d never kissed a woman he’d just met. Wasn’t sure what to expect, so he simply waited as she raised up on her tiptoes.
A moment slipped past, then two. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as Dee danced impatiently from one foot to the other though he remained perfectly still, barely breathed and primed on the balls of his feet.
She whispered, “Kiss me, Faison.”
Finally! He unclenched his thighs and allowed himself to relax as his lips pressed against hers. The woman’s mouth was plush and warm, inviting and wholly addictive. And the more he took the more she gave without hesitation.
He teased the seam of her lips and moaned when she opened. The taste of vanilla mint melt-aways lay thick on her tongue. And that tongue tangled around, sucked and demanded. Mmmm, she tasted so damn good.
Relief and lust warred in his mind and Faison couldn’t decide which path to pursue—settle for being thrilled that Dee wanted him too or push his luck to see if he could have more, just a tad, a taste, anything more.
Bottom line—he needed her. Wanted her with a desire and hunger that blew his mind along with every whit of common sense he thought he’d ever possessed. And he would have this woman at any cost.
And with that determination his crystal, along with his flesh, blazed like a roman candle then settled to surge just beneath the skin. Wow, was that smoke floating up out of his ears as she reached up to twine her arms around his neck? The smooth, sinewy line of her body writhed against him with no shame, no reserve. Shoulders, breasts, stomach, hips rolled like the current of a lazy river. No, more like butterscotch syrup drizzled in wavy ribbons over warm skin. His skin.
And where his touch started out as soft and easy, he found his fingers sinking into her yukata to gather her in. Then his arms wrapped firmly around her and pulled her as close as he could short of burying her within himself.
And boy could she kiss. The thought flashed briefly in his head that he hadn’t truly been kissed good in years. And now that he had a taste, it wasn’t enough. He needed to feast. But if he was going to gorge on her, then he would make sure Dee invited him to this particular banquet. Not satisfied with her soft intakes of breath, Faison sought to push her higher. He began with a light nip placed along the tendons of her neck. He smiled devilishly at the needy moan that bubbled up out of D
ee’s throat. And just like that a simple kiss spun out of control, escalated as Dee’s head lolled to the side to rest in the crook of her shoulder. Eyes closed, lips parted, the woman said the words that would be her, and his, undoing.
“Gods, that feels so good. It’s been so long since I’ve felt anything so good.”
“Where?” Faison asked, knowing instinctively she understood just what he meant.
With a single finger she answered the question. “Here.” She tapped a spot just at the base of her neck that sent her flying when he set his lips to work there. A lick turned sighs into moans. A nibble caused her hips to seek his. And a full lick followed by a suck brought a full-out gasp.
Gods, the sound did something to the base of his gut, brought out the dark need buried deep inside, one that had always gone truly unfulfilled…until now. Hell, this wasn’t kissing. This was devastation. Flat-out destruction and demolition of the sturdy resistance he’d spent years strengthening since receiving his crystal. It had kept out anyone and anything that could possibly dictate his fate or future for him. Had locked out any chance of his giving in to anyone that claimed he had no choice in who he loved.
And now he couldn’t think of anything more pleasurable than being torn down, wrecked until he was nothing more than a single mass of naked, open and exposed male, feeling everything.
With Dee’s face lifted toward the bright sunshine she looked like a goddess. A woman who bathed in the elements as well as her sexuality. Comfortable in her own skin with a bit of a playful child tucked away for naughty days.
“Touch me, Faison. Please.”
Lips continued to explore the hotspot on her neck as Faison’s hands wandered where they willed. Hmmm. The middle of her balcony floor wasn’t ideal for where his mind had wandered. He spotted a sturdy garden table backed up against the balcony wall. Perfect height. He wasted no time moving toward a more solid surface.
