“Absolutely not,” she said and took a long drink of her champagne to drown some of her schoolgirl butterflies.
His eyes softened as he looked at her. “Can we start again? I think you were wondering what I do in my retirement when I’m not working in private security.”
She found the warm lilt in his voice soothing. She smiled back. “I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable.”
He gently shook his head. “No, really, it’s okay. I’ve just been spending too much time with a bunch of hombres groseros.” Paco lifted his beer bottle to a large biker with his same caramel-colored skin. “Like my friend, Angel, here.” Angel looked down at them and chuckled as he shuffled past. Impolite men, indeed, she thought.
No doubt Paco was charming, and getting more irresistible by the minute as she got drunker and bolder. She batted her eyelashes back at him. “You have my undivided attention.”
“Angel and I, we own a few dance clubs in southern California. It allows me to spend my time however I like, so I consider myself retired.”
“No family?”
Paco’s jaw tightened and he looked away.
Her heart jumped to her throat. “Oh, God. I’m so sorry. I keep sticking my foot in my mouth, don’t I?”
He reached for her arm and shook his head. “No, you’re asking normal questions. To answer your question, there is no one, no señorita in my life right now.”
She didn’t press further. It was bad enough that she’d been this nosy.
“So what other languages do you speak?” he asked, steering the discussion away from him.
Plunging in with both feet, she recounted to him how she’d grown up traveling the world and living in different countries as the daughter of a diplomat. They spoke about his childhood in Spain, and then his relocation to France and finally to California. He was pretty vague in his descriptions, but she got the sense that he’d lived a lot in what looked like maybe thirty-five years. He couldn’t be more than that… Regardless of the fact that he was probably eight years her senior, he was downright sexy, and who was she to stand on ceremony? Her father was older than her mother and it never mattered to them. Funny, the fact that Paco could be under suspicion based on his association with Simon didn’t bother her in the least.
PACO
Angel sidled up to Paco at the bar. “Amigo, you smell worse than Brett. You got it bad for that little redheaded señorita?”
Paco all but growled in response.
“I mean no disrespect, my friend.” Angel threw up his hands in surrender. “You deserve some happiness. It’s just been a long time, that’s all I’m saying to you.”
Paco rubbed his face, glad his back was turned to Irene. “She’s a very good woman. That’s all I’m saying back.”
Angel touched his friend’s arm. “We’ve known each a long time and I love you like a brother. Enjoy yourself, you deserve it. Isabella… she’s been gone for a—”
Paco snapped his head around to look at Angel. “Benedictine, don’t say her name!” His jaw was set in a hard line. True, he and Angel had known each other for over four centuries, but some topics were unwelcome, even among friends. To be reminded of his Isabella was like a stab in the heart. He’d lost her to cancer in 1976 at the age of fifty-five after an agonizing eighteen-month battle. Every drop of life sucked from her bones as he watched… helpless to do anything but outlive her and drag the pain like an albatross around his neck.
Angel’s eyes grew hard and the line of his mouth nearly disappeared. He dug his fingers into Paco’s biceps and whispered harshly into his ear, “You listen to me right now. Isabella wanted you to move on, and she made me promise that I would make you. You’ve had almost forty years to grieve for her. End it. Even if she had lived, you would’ve eventually watched her die. She loved you too much to see you suffer this long.”
He grabbed Paco’s head and physically turned it toward Irene who sat with her back to them. “That woman over there, she’s the first woman you’ve reacted to since Isabella. If you have a chance to live out your life with a human then don’t fuck it up! You hear me? Do you know how lucky you’d be to have that?”
Paco looked into Benedictine’s eyes and saw the naked pain he wore like a battle scar across his heart. He understood. He knew the source of Benedictine’s pain, and it exceeded even his own. It was also the reason behind his friend’s exile.
Paco closed his eyes and spoke softly. “I only just met her. I don’t even know her.”
Angel glared at him. “But I know you, and I’m telling you if you could see the life in your own eyes tonight like I’ve seen, you would do anything…” Angel turned away and wiped his hand across his face. “Do what you want,” he said and walked away.
Irene was an outsider and didn’t even know he was Nephilim. How could he go any further? Was Angel crazy? It was true that Paco was attracted to her. She was smart, bubbly like his Isabella, and pretty like a little pixie. The thought of Irene warming his bed excited him.
He wanted to throw his hands up and scream in frustration. The last thing he needed was to be reminded of his steamer trunk full of personal luggage just as he was having a good and carefree time.
He rested his head in his hands, the drinks on the bar in front of him. A light tap on his shoulder caused him to turn around. Irene stood there with her hands on her hips.
“A girl could die of thirst over here,” Irene said in a sweet and playful voice.
He chuckled. She really was the cutest thing he’d laid eyes on in quite some time. He rewarded her with his biggest, broadest smile.
“Here you go, pretty one,” he said and handed her another glass of champagne.
She looked at him with concern and reached up to tenderly touch his cheek. “Are you okay, Paco? You look sad. That smile didn’t quite reach your eyes.”
The smile faded from his lips and he covered her hand on his cheek with his own as he closed his eyes. A sad smile turned up the corners of his lips. “You are way too observant, señorita. It’s late. Can I walk you down to the car?” He opened his eyes and kissed the palm of her hand.
“No, not if you keep doing that,” she said, amused and breathless. Grabbing the drink off the bar, she drank it down in two gulps.
“What are you doing?” Paco chuckled, “Are you loca, Pelirroja?” He surprised himself when the word passed through his lips. He’d spontaneously come up with an affectionate nickname for her: “Red,” because of her hair.
“No. If I didn’t just do that, I wouldn’t have been able to do this.” She stood on her tiptoes and threw her arms around his neck, pressing her lips to his. It took him only a second for the shock to wash off before he wrapped his arms around her back and fully met her kiss with his own. Melting her small body into his, he hungrily searched her mouth with his tongue, exploring her with a more than gentle insistence. His body reacted immediately. He swept her up into his strong arms and carried her through the thinning crowd, down the stairs, and into the guest room where he was staying.
He kicked the door shut behind him. When he reached the bed, she went limp in his arms becoming one hundred pounds of dead weight.
She had passed out.
He laughed deep in his throat and shook his head. Laying her down, he thought, Saved by the bell. In truth, he preferred making love with her when he could be sure she wouldn’t have any drunken regrets.
It was three in the morning and the party was breaking up. He had a decision to make. Either he could load her into the waiting SUV headed back to the penthouse, or he could let her sleep it off with him in the guest room.
No contest. She would stay with him.
Angel was right, although he hated to admit it. He thought long and hard about whether he should change her into one of his T-shirts, but decided to keep her in the dress she wore. That way, when she woke up, she couldn’t accuse him of taking advantage of her. He expected her to have a crippling headache in the morning.
He stripped down to
his boxers and threw on a clean T-shirt. Gently removing her glasses, he put them on the nightstand, and then folded her into the covers and lay down next to her. Usually, he slept naked, surrounded by his wings, but that was out of the question. Since temperature wasn’t a factor for him, he didn’t need a blanket.
Propping himself up on his elbow, he watched her sleep. Staring down at her, he took his finger and pushed back a short lock of red hair from her face. He smiled and dipped down to give her a gentle kiss on the lips before he pulled her back, spooning her into his huge body.
“Good night, Pelirroja,” he whispered and turned out the light.
Chapter 37
MICHAEL
New York City. Mercer Hotel. Sunday, May 26, 4:00 AM ET
IT WAS 4:00 AM by the time they finished their game. They were tied at fifteen points apiece.
Michael had enjoyed playing cards with Sienna. They’d had fun making each other laugh with their poker faces and their reactions to losing a hand or two. He looked over at her as she put away the cards. His desire returned, coursing through him in a wild rush.
What is it about this woman? He had never met someone before that could keep him in a constant state of arousal like she could.
While she was looking down, he slipped his hand into her robe and fondled her breast, playing with a nipple ring.
“That’s one point, right there,” she said with a wicked glint in her eye.
“Oh, I forgot. I can’t help it, you’re like a magnet. I can’t keep my hands off you.” He gave her a look of mock innocence.
“I now have more points, so I get to go first.”
“Huh? Not fair,” he whined.
“Way fair; now sit back while I have my way with you.” She planted her hand on his chest and pushed him back onto the pillow.
“So, what are you going to do for your fifteen points?” He asked with mild trepidation.
She smiled. “Oh, you’ll find out. In the meantime, here are the ground rules. You can’t touch me unless I ask. Since I’m using all my points tonight on what I’m going to do to you, I won’t be asking. That’s the only rule,” she said.
“Okay,” he whispered. Discomfort gripped him, catching him somewhere between fear and desire. The fact that he couldn’t participate as she touched him raised goose bumps on his skin.
She crawled up his body. “Don’t be afraid,” she whispered and kissed him on the lips. Retreating, she gently opened his robe, fully exposing him. She started at his collarbone, and worked her way down his body with her tongue, stopping to tease each of his nipples until they hardened under her touch, before journeying lower.
He moaned, his groin growing hotter in response.
Her hot trail led to his navel, down over his rippled abs, and then she disappeared between his legs. Her warm tongue drew each of his balls into her mouth one at a time, tightening them. Desire overcame his fear and he let out another moan. Then she engulfed his shaft in wet bliss, working him until he was rock hard and ready before slipping on another condom.
Parting her robe, she straddled him and guided his length in up to the hilt. He let out a hiss of pleasure as her tight heat welcomed him. After a few strokes on his shaft, she stopped.
He opened his eyes. “Why did you stop?”
She gazed down at him, all wide-eyed innocence. “I ran out of points.”
He sighed. Relieved to be back in the driver’s seat, he grabbed her hips and flipped her over.
She let out a delighted squeal. Wearing a seductive smile, he rocked inside of her, faster and deeper. Converting his points to minutes, he gave her a good five or six points worth before he pulled out to take a short break to taste her again, his tongue relentless.
She screamed out, “Michael…” grasping the covers in her hands, and arching her hips off the bed. As she recovered, he positioned her in his lap facing him. He wanted to look into her eyes and kiss her as they made love this time.
His gaze caught hers as he gently reentered her, moving slowly inside of her, savoring each stroke as he deliberately brought them both to orgasm. “Sienna,” he screamed as he exploded inside her, connecting with her in a way that both frightened and exhilarated him. Exhausted, they collapsed in each other’s arms.
Her head rested on his chest. “This has been an unbelievable night.”
Smiling, he kissed her hair. “I think so, too.”
“I’m exhausted…” She yawned and crawled under the covers while he disposed of the condom. He crawled in next to her and drew her to his body, spooning behind her. His heart beat in a contented rhythm with her warmth next to him.
“Sweet dreams, my beauty,” he said and turned off the lights. Sated, Michael dropped off to sleep with Sienna in his arms. But not before recognizing the feeling of happiness from his last dream.
SIENNA
Sienna lay awake as Michael drifted off to sleep next to her, his breathing even. Fulfillment enveloped her from the feel of his warm body snuggled around her. She reflected on the night they’d just spent together and couldn’t imagine how it could’ve been more perfect… and it terrified her.
For the first time in her life, she’d found someone she could really be herself with. What terrified her was that it could all disappear in an instant. One great night didn’t guarantee a future. Yet, she couldn’t deny something about him satisfied a deep, unexplainable need within her. Like a moth to a flame, she was drawn to Michael—as much as he seemed to be drawn to her.
Behind his wanton desire, she sensed a strong core of integrity and kindness. He was the only man who had ever cared if she came to orgasm, much less held back his own until she’d experienced hers. He’d done it both times they made love, and in her eyes, that alone made him a keeper. Not to mention, he was smart, funny, and incredibly sexy.
In hindsight, she felt terrible having ever teased him about being an underwear model. Not only did he have the goods, he was more than another pretty face… much more. But her sixth sense told her there was something else, something dark hiding under the surface and holding him captive.
She recognized the subtle shame he carried, similar to her own. Her heart unexpectedly ached. She, herself, was no stranger to darkness.
Gently, she kissed the arm he’d wrapped around her as he slept and drifted off into her own satisfied sleep.
MICHAEL
The phone rang at 10:00 AM, startling Michael and Sienna awake. He fumbled to pick it up, listening for a second before returning it to the cradle.
Sienna groaned. “Who was that at this hour?”
“Wake-up call,” he mumbled, and pulled her back over to him to snuggle, dragging the covers up higher.
“When did you… ?”
“I wrote it on the hotel slip when we checked in. I wanted to make sure we had time before we had to check out,” he whispered, kissing the back of her neck.
“Don’t get any ideas. I’m still recovering from last night.”
He suddenly panicked. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?” Was I too rough?
She turned to him with a smile and said softly, “You didn’t hurt me. But I’ll be thinking of you all day, and only in the best way.”
He smiled, relieved. “I’ll be thinking about you, too.” He brushed a piece of hair away from her face. “Call me optimistic, but I figured we’d need the wake-up call. I have an appointment at the dojo with Deva, the instructor who’s covering for me while I’m away.” He arched a brow at her. “And don’t you have a brunch appointment with Cara’s parents and the wedding party later?”
She let out a groan. “Shit, I almost forgot.”
He pulled her closer, enjoying the warmth of her delicate frame, neither of them making any move to get out of bed. Although disappointed they had to leave shortly, he knew it was unavoidable. His schedule was packed for today. Kai was due to arrive later and join them at Simon’s for the meeting this evening. Michael had to brief Isaac on Trinity business. Plus, the situation was heating up. They’d be
lucky to make it another day without an attack.
He kissed her on the forehead. “Hey, let’s take a quick shower, okay?”
“If we must,” she replied, sounding not really happy about it.
Remembering her hypoglycemia from their trip to Connecticut, he rolled over and picked up the phone to dial room service.
“What are you doing?” she asked, puzzled.
“Ordering breakfast to avoid accidentally experiencing your dark side,” he said.
She poked him. “Thanks.”
An hour later, they were in a cab heading for Sienna’s West Village apartment.
“Can we go on a real date next time?” she teased before they arrived.
“Absolutely,” he said and kissed her hand.
The cab stopped to let her out. Michael gave Sienna a kiss. “I’ll call you later.”
She eyed him warily. “Later, later? Or later, three months from now?”
He chuckled. “Later, in a couple of hours.”
“Okay.” She turned and waved as the cab pulled away before disappearing through the glass doors of her building.
As the cab sped away, he thought of his meeting with Deva and groaned, hoping he wouldn’t show any unconscious signs of his hot night with Sienna. Given their history, Deva knew him too well. Even though she agreed to his nonfraternization policy, he knew she’d break the rule if given the chance.
He let out a breath. If he hadn’t needed her help and she hadn’t needed the job so badly, he wouldn’t have been foolish enough to put either of them in this situation.
Chapter 38
CARA
New York City. Greene Street Loft. Sunday, May 26, 10:00 AM ET
CARA GLANCED AT THE clock on the nightstand, it was almost ten o’clock. Simon was still asleep, spooned behind her. She relaxed back into him, feeling his skin on hers. Before she met Simon, she’d never slept naked. Now she couldn’t imagine sleeping any other way with him next to her.
The party was a raving success. It was close to four in the morning before everyone who wasn’t staying the night left. Cara cringed when she thought about the state of the roof deck and the kitchen. They’d have their work cut out for them this morning.
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