At some point she’d lost her shawl, exposing a large expanse of her back to his gaze. He would kiss her curving line from nape to tailbone before taking her from behind, spreading her thighs and entering her with a slow thrust.
He contained a groan at the thought of her nude body beneath him. Lust gnawed at his zipper as his cock swelled and he silently cursed the tight pants. Damn things were in danger of emasculating him if he kept imagining making love to her much longer.
He turned away, his breathing harsh as he struggled to control his desire. He wanted her as he’d never wanted another woman and once would never be enough. If they spent the rest of this weekend in bed, it would be but a start. He would settle for nothing less than eternity this time.
He walked to the stairs, taking them in an easy stride to the main floor. Ignoring the interested glances from women and even a few men, he set his unwanted drink on a tray and advanced across the room to claim his woman.
Her laughter sent a trickle of awareness down his spine as he reached her side. Placing a hand on the small of her back, he caught the tremor that rippled through her as he dropped a small kiss on her bare shoulder just above the painted rabbit.
“Miss me?” he asked.
She smiled and he noted the flush that swept across her skin, her desire as tangible and heady as her perfume. “What do you think?” her voice was low, husky.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” He gave her a small smile.
“I wondered where you’d wandered off to,” Veronique said. “Dinner was over and you escaped like a man released from jail.”
Her tone was questioning, but he ignored it. Veronique was a great friend and a shameless gossip. “I stepped outside for a smoke.”
“Are you still smoking those Greek things?” she asked.
“I have Turkish with me this weekend.” He didn’t miss the gleam of interest in Veronique’s eyes. He withdrew a silver-plated case from his pocket. “Would you care for one?”
“I’d love one.” She accepted his offering, then linked her arm through Dirk’s. “Come, lover, let us slip outside and indulge in an illicit smoke.”
”Take good care of Elaine, she’s very dear to me.”
Alexei looked down at the woman in question, amused to see her accepting another glass of champagne from a waiter. Her gaze was locked on the young man’s toned backside as he turned to offer a glass to someone else. He glanced back at Dirk. “And to me as well.”
The other man gave a solemn nod before allowing Veronique to steer him toward the terrace doors.
“What was Dirk talking about?” Elaine asked, raising her glass to her lips.
“You, my dear. We were talking about you.” Her eyes widened and she took a gulp of her drink. Unsettled was she? Good, he wanted her off balance when it came to him. “Shall we dance?” He reached for her glass. “It’s been over two hours since I’ve held you in my arms.”
She flushed again and he wasn’t sure if it was from the alcohol or his words, but he hoped it was the latter. Wordless, she nodded and gave him the glass, which he abandoned to a table in favor of escorting her to the dance floor.
As she moved into his arms, he released a breath that he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. They were well matched with her head coming to his chin, her soft curves melting into him without urging. She felt natural, familiar in his arms. He rubbed his cheek against her soft hair, wincing as the soft strands caught on his faint beard.
“I fear I shall have to shave,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to mark your tender skin.”
She tipped her head back, her eyes glittering behind her mask. “Aren’t you presuming a bit?”
“I don’t know.” He raised his hand and drew a finger down her jaw, marveling at the softness of her skin as he traced the curve. “Am I?”
“You might be—”
He leaned down and brushed his lips across hers, halting her words as he fought the urge to devour her. A soft sound escaped her as his tongue slipped out for a taste of her, sending a surge of lust to his loins that threatened to curl his toes. He smiled as she turned her head slightly, his offering landing on the corner of her mouth. He nibbled on the fold as a shudder ran through her body. She was still shy, but soon enough she’d feel at ease in his embrace as if she’d been there forever.
He raised his head, taking in her beautiful face—what wasn’t hidden by the mask—and her dazed expression. “So, what do you think so far?”
She blinked, her desire-laden gaze clearing. “What do I think of what?”
“The party, this weekend.”
“Well…” She glanced about the room, then leaned in to whisper. “It isn’t quite what I’d expected.”
“How so?”
“I think I expected…more.”
“More of what?’
“Sex.” She ducked her head, unable to meet his gaze.
“You expected an orgy, you mean?”
She nodded and he bit back a shout of laughter. “And you came anyway? How very brave of you.”
She tipped her head back, her brow raised. “I’m more adventurous than I might seem.”
“I’m sure you are.” He drew his thumb along the curve of her lower lip. “In fact, I’m counting on it.” He dropped his hand to her waist, pulling her snugly against him where she belonged. “Are you disappointed in the lack of an orgy?”
“No.” She laid her hand over his heart. “I just didn’t know what to expect.”
“Well, I can’t say that it’s never happened, but group sex isn’t a regular occurrence. However,” he dipped his head, his lips brushing the delicate curve of her ear. “You might want to knock before opening closed doors. You could very well walk in on more than you bargained for.”
She chuckled. “How many of these parties have you attended?”
“Too many. Veronique invites me every time and I can’t refuse her.”
“You have a problem saying no to a beautiful woman?”
“I make it a policy to never say no.” A soft blush spread under her skin and he wanted to press his mouth to the telltale warmth.
“So why did you attend this weekend?” she asked.
Why did he attend? Could he tell her he’d seen photos of her in Dirk’s office and he’d been obsessed ever since? Pumping Dirk for information had led to nothing fruitful, so he’d decided to stake out all of Dirk’s parties. If they were really close, as close as Veronique had implied, he’d known that sooner or later she would turn up and he’d been right.
“I came to find you.”
She lifted her head, her gaze startled, then she smiled. “You’re teasing me.”
He fought to keep his expression grave. “I would never tease about a matter as important as this.”
“I’m serious.” She shook her head as if she couldn’t figure him out. “Why would you attend something like this? You’re obviously handsome—”
“Thank you.”
“You have an accent that could melt butter on a cool spring day. I can’t imagine you having problems finding female company under normal circumstances.”
Suddenly uncomfortable, he shrugged. “I have many reasons for attending this weekend. But, regardless of what brought me here, I’m delighted to have you in my arms. That’s what counts. Right here, right now, and not what brought us to this moment.”
Her expression turned serious and he caught a glimpse of sorrow in her gaze before it was quickly subdued and she gave him a brilliant smile. “You’re right, nothing else matters now.”
He smiled, absurdly pleased with her words. “Now, my lovely, let us lose ourselves in each other and see where it leads us, yes?”
* * * * *
The rest of the evening passed in a blur to Elaine. She stifled a giggle. He’d been right about one thing; from now on, she would knock before entering rooms. Earlier she’d been looking for the ladies room and, instead, she’d found a man sprawled on a divan with one woman sucking his impressive erection and
another woman seated on his face. Oblivious to her unexpected presence, she’d managed to slip out of the room and close the door without interrupting them.
Sheesh, didn’t anyone think of locking a door?
Numerous glasses of champagne later, Alexei was now escorting her to her room.
Her room.
She swallowed hard, her palms suddenly damp. Throughout the evening, Alexei had remained by her side, never farther than an arm’s length away. Through her lashes, she looked up at her handsome escort as he led her down the hall toward her room. His mask was still in place, hiding half of his face from her gaze. Only the strong line of his jaw, shadowed by dark stubble, and his mouth were visible. She longed to remove the mask and feast her eyes upon him. Was he as handsome as she thought he’d be?
“Which room is yours?” he asked.
Mute, she pointed to the left door at the very end of the hall.
“Ah, so you have access to the balcony as well?”
“Yes, I believe so.”
“It is my great fortune to have the room located next to you.”
“Really?” She glanced at the door next to hers, only a few feet away. “That is, indeed,” she swallowed, her throat suddenly dry, “fortunate.”
He raised her hand to his mouth. “It will be daylight in a few hours, yet I loathe to let you go so soon. Shall we meet on the balcony for a final nightcap?”
She hesitated. Would she be able to resist him in the privacy of her own room? Did she really want to?
“I promise, you can retire alone, if you wish. I have no desire to rush you into anything you aren’t ready for.”
“I’ll meet you on the balcony in five minutes.” She spoke before she could change her mind.
He smiled and opened her bedroom door, allowing her to scurry through the opening. Her breath came in pants as he closed the door and she leaned against it, her knees shaking. Through the wood she heard his door open, then close.
Silence.
What was she doing? She raised a trembling hand to her mouth. Alexei was the most gorgeous man she’d ever met. Handsome, cultured, educated, he was everything she’d ever looked for in a partner and she wanted him. They didn’t have much time, so what was she waiting for?
She pushed away from the door and stalked into the bathroom, throwing on the light as she tugged her mask off. Other than the flush that colored her cheeks, relieving her usual paleness, she looked the same as she had a few hours earlier. The only noticeable difference was the excited sparkle in her dark eyes that hadn’t been there before. The sparkle attained by a woman after she’d received The Kiss.
She made quick use of the facilities, then wasted precious moments contemplating whether or not to keep her panties on. Opting for modesty, she kept them. It wouldn’t do to appear too eager.
With a giggle, she grabbed a drawer and opened it, her eyes widening as she caught sight of the array of sex toys contained in the vanity.
Oh my…
She picked up a large purple vibrator and flicked the switch. A soft hum sounded as the vibrator worked, wiggling gently between her fingers. She flicked it up a notch and the vibrations increased. Then she tried the third setting and almost dropped her new-found toy as it ripped into high gear.
Heavens, this thing could hurt someone.
She turned it off and looked into the drawer. Nestled in the array of toys was a small plastic case of rechargeable batteries. She grinned. At least Dirk was environmentally conscious. She put the purple fiend in the drawer and selected a fat pink dildo. Turning on the switch, she blinked as the top half began to rotate in her hand. Goodness, she’d never seen a real penis perform that trick.
A soft knock startled her and she dropped the dildo in the drawer. Still on, it vibrated against the other plastic toys and made a loud racket before she could turn it off. She shoved the drawer shut, her cheeks inflamed. She grabbed her mask and covered her face as she walked to the balcony doors and the shadow that awaited her.
Opening the door, her heart was pounding wildly as she stared at the man about to become her lover. Alexei had discarded his burgundy jacket and was clad in only his white ruffled shirt, tight black pants and knee boots. All he needed was a parrot and a sword and he’d pass for a pirate.
“I couldn’t wait five minutes.” He gave her a devilish grin and her heart stuttered.
“You’re incorrigible.”
“You don’t even know the half.” He handed her a small glass filled with yellowish liquid.
“What’s this?” She lifted the glass and sniffed the contents.
“It’s an Italian liquor called Strega. It is created from seventy different herbs. The name means witch.”
“Is that so?” She took a small sip, pleasantly surprised at the refreshing herbal flavor that treated her palate. “Mmm, it’s lovely.”
“I’m glad that you like it.”
She took another sip and noticed he wasn’t drinking. “You aren’t having any?”
“Being with you is far more intoxicating than any liquor on earth.”
She laughed and stepped onto the balcony. “You flatter me.” The air was cool and fresh and she took a deep breath. In the gardens, many of the torches had burned out, leaving the blooms shrouded in night. Only the gazebo was still lit with tiny electric lights.
“Tisn’t flattery, merely the truth,” he said.
“Uh huh.”
She took another sip, enjoying the flavor coating her tongue and warming her stomach. She turned and leaned against the railing. Before she could speak, he reached for her. His fingers tangled in her hair and he started removing her hairpins. “I’ve been wanting to do this all night,” he said. He tossed them over his shoulder to land carelessly on the balcony with faint metallic plinks. She couldn’t prevent a groan as his strong fingers dug into her scalp, massaging it as her hair tumbled to her shoulders.
Her eyes closed as he rubbed a particularly sensitive spot that had been jabbed with a pin repeatedly during the evening. “That feels lovely,” she moaned.
“It looks even better.”
She opened her eyes. The mask shadowed his face, but failed to hide the deep glitter of desire in his eyes. Desire unfurled low in her belly and she clenched her thighs together as she grew damp. “Kiss me,” she whispered.
“My pleasure.” He removed the glass from her hand and set it to the side before taking her fully into his arms.
His mouth touched hers; his tongue teased her lips until she opened for him. The taste of warm male sent a shiver over her skin as their tongues tangled. Slipping and sliding, she tentatively took over the kiss by nipping his lower lip with her teeth. Growing bolder as a muted groan burst from his throat, she slipped her hands down his sides to reach around and cup his buttocks. Firm and tight, she gave them a gentle squeeze, pressing his erection against the damp apex of her thighs. She shifted, spreading her legs ever so slightly, a sound of pleasure building as he applied pressure to her damp heat.
His fingers released her hair to venture south, dipping into the low back of her dress. She released his mouth with a soft, wet sound.
“I need to touch you.” His breathing was ragged.
“Please.”
Without a word, he swept her into his arms and carried her into the bedroom. Compared to the moonlight outside, the room was dim and shadowed, a perfect setting for lovers to indulge their senses.
Alexei sat her on the edge of the bed then dropped to his knees. Reaching for her ankle, he placed her foot on his thigh. Nimble fingers unbuckled the tiny straps, allowing her sandals to fall to the floor before moving to her other foot and repeating the process.
Strong hands caressed the back of her calves, tortured by the sexy footwear. She moaned as he massaged his way to the back of her knees, then down again before he rose.
He slipped his hand under her arm and her dress loosened as he released the hidden zipper. Her bodice sagged to reveal her strapless blue lace bra and she heard his brea
th catch.
Alexei sank to his knees once more, pressing forward between her legs. He placed a kiss between her exposed mounds before taking her dress into his hands. Silent, he urged her hips up to allow him to remove the garment. She leaned back, arching her hips to allow him to slide the dress off her body.
“Christ, woman.” His jaw closed with an audible click when he saw the barely-there matching thong. “You’re going to kill me.
Hidden beneath her mask, Elaine felt bold as she reached for him. “You’ll die a happy man,” she murmured.
She tangled her fingers in his hair as he kissed her just above her belly button, curling her toes as his tongue dipped inside. He reached for her hands, twining their fingers as he pushed her back on the bed. Soft kisses trailed heat to her mons where he nuzzled the blue lace and soft curls contained there.
“Alexei?” her voice trembled.
His grip tightened urging her to slide toward him, spreading her thighs to accommodate the width of his shoulders as she bared herself to his touch. He nuzzled the thin material of her panties aside and, with the first swipe of his tongue, sent fire through her blood. As he settled in to suckle her tight bead of sensitive flesh, she bit her lip to prevent herself from crying out at the delicious sensations he was creating. Heat raged through her body as the tension built beneath his mouth.
She made a sound of protest when he stopped and raised his head, their gazes clashing.
“Sing for me,” he said. “I want to hear your pleasure.”
He lowered his head once more and she dropped back to the bed. As he teased her sensitized flesh, soft moans poured from her lips. Vaguely, she was aware of the animal sounds but paid them no mind. He wanted to hear her, to let him experience what his touch did to her.
He released her left hand, sliding down to tease at her nether lips before inserting one thick finger into her tight channel. She arched her hips as he filled her with a second finger, his tongue never losing its persuasive rhythm.
Tension pooled low in her gut as Alexei stroked her needy flesh, her cries increasing in volume. Her breath caught as her world exploded into spasms of delight against his mouth. Deep and convulsive, stars showered against her closed eyelids as release raged through her body. It seemed to go on and on until, finally, their intensity lessened and she sagged against the bed, her breathing ragged.
Last Kiss Page 3
