“You must miss her terribly. I know if I had a sibling, I’d want to be near them always.”
“Would you?”
I nodded emphatically. “Of course. I find that people with large families take those people for granted. I don’t have any family to speak of except my s-…” I stopped instantly, realizing my mistake.
“Except your what?”
“Um, my roommate, Jin.”
“Tell me about this roommate Jin. What does he do?” Nate’s shoulders tightened and chest seemed to broaden.
“Jin is a she, and she’s my best friend.” Nate visibly relaxed. “She does this and that. Anyway, tell me about why you came to the states.”
Nate slowly took a bite of a pear and leaned back. His suit coat flared out, his dress shirt stretched across his body. I could just barely see the ridges of taut muscles through the fine fabric, but it was enough to spark my libido. With great effort, I bit back a groan that bubbled up. I wished I could see more of his body. His gaze shot to mine catching me looking my fill. Immediately, I looked down and away.
“Eyes.” His demand had me lifting my gaze instantly. “Don’t ever be embarrassed about looking at me, Camille. I enjoy your eyes on me. Especially if you like what you see,” he grinned. “Do you Camille?” His voice was low, gravely, as if he gargled with a box of rocks. “Do you like what you see?” He asked boldly.
I was transfixed. His gaze, the way he looked at me literally held me captive. Taking what he wanted, he owned my vision. I nodded then whispered. “Yes. What I can see of it.”
His hand held mine over the table. He turned it over and brushed his thumb across the silky skin at my wrist sending shivers of excitement in every direction. “Would you like to see more of it?”
I closed my eyes and imagined him naked, hovering over me, so close to entering me…the loneliness in my life disappearing. A moist sensation tickled my palm. When I opened my eyes again his lips pressed into the center of my hand. He kissed along the soft patch of skin where my thumb and hand met and bit down. A hot poker of lust speared though my arm down my chest to settle hotly between my legs.
With no concern for who was around or what we were doing in the middle of a busy restaurant, he licked my wrist. I couldn’t help the moan that slipped out. He looked up, eyelids at half-mast. Clearly he was as taken with me as I him. Slowly, without a care in the world he trailed his warm tongue along the sensitive skin from my wrist to the inside of my elbow where he paid extra attention, kissing me there in small baby-sized pecks of skin.
A daze. There was no other word to describe the floating, pleasurable place he put me in. And as quickly as the feeling of lust and deep desire entered my consciousness, it was gone the moment his lips left my skin.
“What’s wrong?” Confused, I sat up more fully.
“Nothing, Precious. I just don’t want to share your desire with anyone else. That look on your face.” He groaned and adjusted his pants. “I plan to be the only man to see you let go.” His long fingers twirled around, making a gesture at the busy restaurant. As I looked a few patrons’ eyes quickly shifted away. Apparently we’d given quite the show.
“Oh, my God, what am I doing?” My hands flew to my face as the realization hit me at how easily he put me into a sensually induced coma, right in the middle of a packed eatery.
***
Christ! Cami was so responsive. Not Cami…Camille. The name rolled off my tongue like a purr. When I put my lips and tongue to her skin, her entire body relaxed. The rigidity left her shoulders, her back arched as she flowed towards my touch. It was unexpected bliss, knowing the effect I had on the lovely brunette. Those cat-like eyes of hers shone bright green with the deepest flecks of yellow-gold when desire overtook her. I wanted to see that look in her eyes all the time; caress the need prickling in the air around her body and sate it.
Women never had a strong effect on my senses. Usually, I saw an attractive bird, went after her, and bedded her. Simple as that. Standard laws of attraction. Man sees pretty girl, man’s body reacts to pretty girl, man wants to shag pretty girl.
With Camille, I wanted more. Much more. A primal urge to own every piece of her was strong. So strong that my cock was at full mast just having tasted the satiny skin of her inner arm. That fruity smell, along with hints of baby lotion, was strongest at the sensitive crook of her elbow. A carnivorous hunger came over me when I reached that spot and took in her lovely fragrance. Every fiber of my being wanted to mark her. Sink my teeth and suck that delicate skin until a purple bruise bloomed in all its glory indicating my ownership. The need to have any man within a twenty-mile radius know this woman was unavailable grew stronger the more I stared at my precious Camille.
I pulled her pale hands away from her face. “Camille, relax. You’re with me. Don’t worry what others think. I could give a rat’s arse what any stranger thinks.” She peeked those cat-like eyes through her fingers before she released them in her lap. “Eat my dear. Food’s getting cold.”
Her eyebrows narrowed. “It’s already cold,” she said.
I laughed out loud. “Bollocks, we waited too long!” She bestowed one of those heart melting smiles on me. The woman was a knockout but paid no mind to it, swaying the odds of making her mine to tip positively in my favor. “So, how was it growing up in the foster system?”
The smile left her lips. She wiped her mouth with her napkin, and set down the bite of fruit she’d been nibbling on. Her face turned pensive, and her posture slumped. “That bad?”
“You really want to know?” The way she asked the question, her voice inflecting uncertainty, jangled my nerves. What had been done to her?
“I wouldn’t have asked, love, if I didn’t want to know.” She took a deep breath and sipped her water. Her lips pinched tight, and one hand locked into a fist, the knuckles turning bright white. I put my hand over hers to soothe it until she released the lock. I laced our fingers together and pressed our palms against one another. Electricity. The moment our palms touched, electricity zipped through every nerve ending.
“I’d been in the system as long as I could remember. There’s no information about where I came from, who my parents were, or what happened to them. Though, I’ve never been in the financial position to take much time or effort to look.” Something about the way she said ‘financial situation’ spoke to me. A receptionist working in New York City couldn’t make enough to live on, even with a roommate. It was a base position, entry level. I’m sure Hank paid her appropriately, but, in a city this large, she had to be struggling.
“Continue,” I urged. Her green eyes swirled with sadness as she sighed.
“Well, some of the places were okay, especially when I was little. I learned really quickly to do as I was told, when I was told to do it, and move as quietly as possible.” I didn’t like where she was going. “I had one home that was really good to me, but my foster mother lost her Dad and ended up having to move her mother in to take care of her. The room she got was mine, so I was sent away. I really miss them. I was nine. That was the best year of my life.” She looked out the window a beat, lost in her memories.
The best year of her life was when she was nine years old? She had to be in her early twenties which meant her best year was over a decade ago. Sadness for her pooled in my heart making me want to pull her into a tight hug, protect her from all the negative things that could harm her.
I took a deep breath to cage my declining mood. “What about your teen years?”
She pulled her hand away and crossed her arms over her chest. Those beautiful green eyes turned dark, smoky with anger.
“I was in a few homes during those years. I went to three different high schools. I had to keep moving around.”
“Why so often?” When she looked at me, I was floored by the heartache I saw in her features. A huge wall lifted in front of her. I clasped both of her hands across the table. “Camille, tell me. Let me in.”
Her eyebrow rose in defiance. “Once the
schools figured out I was being mistreated by the foster parent, social services would come in and pull me from the home. I’d get evaluated for abuse, and moved to the next home. This happened three times in a row.”
“Christ, Camille. What type of abuse? They didn’t…” I couldn’t even stomach saying it. Thinking it alone was like a poison to my soul bringing a violent emotion I wasn’t prepared for. A hatred so thick and strong it ran through my veins and filled them with the need to fight. A powerful sense to maim and harm anyone at the mere suggestion that someone could hurt this woman consumed my current thoughts.
“No. I wasn’t sexually abused. Not really. One of the teenage boys tried to get at me once, but one of the other foster kids pulled him off me. I got a really bad beating that night by the foster Mom for ‘lying’ about her son touching me. She pulled down my pants and whooped me with a belt in front of her son. She didn’t realize he was stroking himself while she did it.”
“Fucking cock sucking wankers…”
She smiled and squeezed my hands. “Let’s not talk about this. My childhood wasn’t the best, but I survived. I’m alive, and I’d rather spend my time enjoying lunch with you than talking about the past. There’s no sense in hashing out something that won’t ever change.” For such a young woman, she was incredibly wise. “How about you tell me something about yourself. What do you love?”
“Aside from my work and my family?”
“Of course, silly. Work is something you do for a living. Family is something you’re born loving. What else are you passionate about?”
I steepled my fingers and watched her eat. Camille was incredible. She just shared something unbelievably private and painful, yet she was not dwelling on it. “I love to swim. I try to swim just about every night.”
The harshness in her features loosened up with the change in conversation. “Really? Where? Like at a gym?”
Damn she was sweet. So sweet I wanted to take a bite out of her. “No, there’s a pool in my building.”
“What do you like about it?”
“The freedom, the sense of balance I get after I’ve pushed my body to the limit doing laps. Floating on the surface after is a very calming experience. You? What do you do when you’re not at work?”
Her eyes went wide, and she lost the grip of her water glass. It crashed down to the table. She barely caught it after spilling water across her lap. She jumped back, but a salad plate-sized wet circle bloomed across her skirt. I threw my napkin on her lap and helped to pat it dry. Once I’d sopped up most the water, I looked up into her eyes.
“Thank you,” she whispered, her lips a breath away from mine. I knew in that moment I could kiss her, and she’d allow it. Welcome it even. Instead I backed away and took the gentleman’s route. There’s was plenty of time for that. Now was for wooing.
“So, you were going to tell me what you do outside of work.” My voice was husky and deep when I reiterated my question. Again her body stiffened. She didn’t like sharing information about her daily life. Somehow, I think she shared the information about her past to avoid speaking about her present.
She swept that errant lock of deep brown hair back around her ear. “I’m taking online classes.”
That surprised me. “Really, like Uni classes?”
“Uni?” she asked.
I laughed. “University. Sorry, love.”
“No it’s fine. I like your accent. It’s…” She looked down and away.
“Eyes, Camille.” She lifted those beautiful greens back up and they were now a mossy green, darker around the edges. “It’s what?”
“It’s sexy,” she whispered so quietly I almost didn’t hear her.
“You think so?” I cocked a brow for effect, loving that she found something about me attractive.
“Yeah.” She nodded, and that pretty pale skin of hers turned a rosy pink.
“I’m glad.” I grinned, she blushed. So lovely. “What are you studying?”
She shook her head as if clearing her thoughts. I so had the bird in the palm of my hand. I preferred to have her arse in my hand, though. She reacted to me. Responded beautifully. I could tell she tried not to, but it was useless. There was a connection between us, and I’d be damned if I was going to let her deny it.
“I’m taking courses to get my bachelor’s degree so I can teach.”
That was it. She was too good to be true. A sodding teacher? Perfection and innocence wrapped in a gorgeous package. Everything I should never be allowed to have but desperately wanted. “Such a noble profession. Teaching our youth. What grade level?”
It was enchanting, seeing her eyes light up. “Grammar school. Anything between first and sixth grade would be ideal. I think I do really well with the little ones.”
“I’ll bet you do.” I clasped her other hand and noticed the multi-colored beaded bracelet. “What little love made this adornment?” I touched a few of the colored beads. She didn’t say anything. When I looked up she seemed frightened. Her face was devoid of color. I looked around the restaurant. Nothing seemed out of order. “What’s the matter? Did something scare you?”
“Uh, no, I think we need to go. I need to get back to work.” She pulled her hands from mine and stood. “I’m going to use the restroom if you don’t mind.”
“Certainly.”
Camille rushed to the loo as if there were angry dogs nipping at her heels. What happened? We’d certainly gone over some rather unsavory parts of her past, but she seemed fine after that. It wasn’t until I mentioned the bracelet that she became skittish. For Heaven’s sake, why?
After paying the bill, I met her in the foyer. I clasped her around the hip and led her through the door. Instead of letting go I kept my hand there. It was refreshing walking with a woman who was so tall. In her heels, she was close to six foot, nearing my six foot three height. Our strides synced, and there wasn’t any awkward fumbling or bumping into each other. It just worked.
When we reached the lift at the AIR Bright building, I could tell whatever bothered her had dissipated. Her steps had been lighter on the latter half of our walk. I thanked God and the Queen Mum for the fact that the lift was empty as we stepped on. The second the doors closed, I backed her against the wall. She gasped and clung to my shoulders.
“What are you doing?” Her eyes were wild; her breath instantly labored.
“This,” I said as I slanted my lips over hers. The kiss was soft yet hard at the same time. Her mouth molded to mine. The fingers at my shoulders tightened as I put my hand on her waist tugging her closer. I brought my other hand to her neck and tilted her head exactly where I wanted it. I teased the seam of her lips with my tongue. She opened, and I dove in. Soft and gentle was no longer an option. Once I tasted the crisp perfection of her mouth, I wanted to drown in it and smother her goodness over my entire body. I pushed against her sealing her to my form as I plunged into the heaven of her kiss. For a timid thing, she kissed like a vixen, gripping my back holding me firm.
One of her hands plunged into my hair, making me wild for her. I thrust my erection against her softness, and she moaned loudly. I pulled away, needing air but not wanting to leave the perfection of her mouth. We breathed in each other’s air as our foreheads rested against the other. Thoughts, feelings, needs filled the air in the tiny space.
Ding!
The sliding doors opened, signaling our arrival. Camille straightened immediately and pushed on my chest. Instead of backing up, I brought her with me.
“You’re not getting away so quickly. Have dinner with me?”
“I can’t.” She pushed around me. “I have to go to work. Thank you for lunch.”
“This isn’t over,” I said, holding the doors of the lift open.
“No?” Her hand was over her lips where my mouth had just been.
“This was only the beginning, Precious. I’ll be in touch.” With that promise, I let the doors close and pressed the button to the lobby. Looks like I’d be chasing sweet Camille a b
it more. It had been a long time since I had been given a solid challenge. Camille was worth it.
Chapter 4
The apartment was quiet while I prepared for work. It wasn’t easy working on a Thursday night when you had to work for Jensen Construction bright and early Friday morning. Regardless of how little sleep I got, it’s what I had to do to pay my portion of the bills. I wasn’t eligible for medical coverage or a raise until I’d been at Jensen Construction for six months. At least I only had to work at Gems two nights a week unless I was called for special bookings.
Hadn’t had one of those in a while. Which was heaven and hell wrapped into one solid yin and yang ball of frustration. Hell because I didn’t like to be stuck in one private room dancing for only a small group men. Something about it felt more tawdry and elicit. Dirty even. The men’s attention focused solely on me, my nakedness. What they imagined doing to me made me more uncomfortable than dancing on stage in front of a large crowd. Unfortunately, those private room bookings came with a much larger payout. The girls that worked the private rooms received thirty percent of the fee and anything you earned by way of tips. Plus, there was a bodyguard available at the ready to take care of any overzealous patrons--which was needed. Often. I guess Heaven wasn’t perfect, either but the payout sure did help pay the rent.
I slid up the thigh highs and clipped the emerald green garters to the black nylons. Jin’s entrance couldn’t have been timed better.
“Can you tighten the corset?” I asked as she set down her book. Gone With the Wind. I rolled my eyes. “Hopeless romantic,” I said then lost the words as she squeezed the corset, cutting off all breath. “Jesus, that’s tight.”
“But looks amazing.” Her eyes were as dark as night when they skimmed over my form. “Why the green and black?”
“St. Patrick’s day. Apparently it’s ‘Luck of the Irish’ night.” I grinned and propped the tiny little Leprechaun hat onto my head and pinned it to the hair I piled at the crown, allowing perfect curlicues to slip out strategically.
Justice Falling Page 4
