Bronwyn wandered in a minute later, wearing only the shirt I’d given her the night before, her long, toned legs on display. My mouth watered, and I squeezed my eyes shut as I mentally listed out the acronyms for every company I owned stock in. When I felt stable enough to open my eyes, I avoided looking at her as I turned to shut off the water.
After taking a deep, cleansing breath, I faced her and quickly unbuttoned the shirt, letting it fall to the ground when I pushed it off her shoulders. I took her hand and helped her into the bathtub. As I turned to leave, she grabbed my arm, and I halted. When I pivoted to face her, I was surprised to see her beautiful eyes swimming with doubt.
“Aren’t you coming in?”
My face softened as I dropped to my knees and cupped her face. “I would love nothing more than to have your wet naked body pressed against mine, angel.”
“Then—”
I shook my head and interrupted her before she could convince me to change my mind. “I plan on spending the next few days with my fingers, tongue, and cock in your delectable pussy, Bronwyn. But I refuse to hurt you any more than I had to when I popped your cherry. So, relax and let the tenderness abate.” I ran a finger down her cheek and stared into her gorgeous face, awed that this incredible creature was fated to be mine. “We have forever together, angel.”
I gave her a light kiss and forced myself to leave the bathroom. There were many ways in which I preferred to live as humans did. Bathing was one of them; I found I could handle the stresses in my life a lot better after spending time in a hot shower. But in this case, I wouldn't have the strength to resist my consort if I went back in there, and I was anxious to get the errand to the boarding house over with as soon as possible. With barely a flick of my hand, I was clean and dressed in fresh clothes.
My vampiric gifts only went so far, and though I’d changed by magic, it was into clothes I already owned. Not that I couldn’t summon something from a store, but with my wealth, it seemed ridiculous to shoplift. It left me in a bit of a conundrum when figuring out what Bronwyn could wear. It was hot as hell to see her wearing my clothes, but they dwarfed her and weren’t practical for our little trip.
Noting the time, I hoped Kieran wasn’t in too deep a sleep to hear my mental call. I didn’t want to bother Athan since Selene was about to pop with their twins. Kieran responded after a few minutes, grumbling about interrupting adult time. However, about five minutes later, there was a knock on the bedroom door. I swiftly crossed the room and opened it to find Thana standing in the hall with a tote bag and Kieran brooding behind her.
Thana looked like a cat that ate a canary. “I knew she was special the moment I met her,” she sang as she brushed passed me into the bedroom.
“Do come in,” I muttered, earning a warning glance from my brother. That was fair. They were doing me a favor.
“We kept her at the ball as long as we could, but as usual, you were late,” she frowned at me over her shoulder as she made a beeline for the bathroom. “I guess fate will always find a way!” Her laughter was drowned out as she entered and closed the door behind her.
“You owe me, brother,” Kieran stated as he threw himself down in one of the chairs that was situated in a little nook with a big bay window. “Do you have any idea how rare it is to find awesome alone time with a five-year-old and a two-year-old?”
“Stop being such a martyr,” I said with a roll of my eyes. “Mom and Dad are with the kids, aren’t they?” Ronan and Elspeth had both been under the weather the night before—just minor sniffles, but enough to keep Kieran home with them. So the fact that he’d brought Thana here meant someone was with them, which also meant their “adult time” hadn’t been as stolen as Kieran would have me believe.
“Yes,” Kieran admitted, slumping in his seat and pouting like a kid who’s had his favorite toy taken away. Although, I supposed the analogy wasn’t that far off.
The bathroom door opened, drawing my attention and Thana exited and went straight to Kieran who pulled her into his lap.
Bronwyn followed after her with hesitant steps, her head down and pulling at the cream, cashmere sweater she was wearing as though it was uncomfortable. I scanned down her body, noting the designer jeans and boots, but everything looked like it fit. I closed the distance between us and took her chin between my thumb and forefinger, raising her eyes to meet mine. “Are the clothes ill-fitting?”
Her eyes darted to the side and she shifted again, looking awkward. “No, um, they are...I’ve never owned anything this expensive,” she whispered. “What if I spill something on it and ruin it?”
I laughed, loving how she could be so sexy and adorable all at once. But I quickly squashed it when I realized she was completely serious. “Angel, you don’t have to worry about that. If something happens to these clothes, I’ll buy you more. And I promise, Thana won’t miss them.”
Thana piped up with an agreement, but it faded out when a second later, they were gone.
“Come on, angel,” I urged as I curled my arm around her waist. Then I gave her a wicked smile when I added, “Let’s get this over with so I can get back to making you come.”
9
Bronwyn
The last thing I wanted was for Stephan to see where I was living, but there had been no talking him out of coming with me. Sexual promises hadn’t even worked. All I’d accomplished was getting myself hot and bothered, which had been awkward considering I was wearing borrowed clothes. I was already uncomfortable enough in Thana’s stuff since this one outfit cost more than all of the clothes I owned combined.
As we walked hand-in-hand down the sidewalk leading from where Stephan lived, tension started to build in my body. He’d offered to teleport us to the house where I was renting a room, but I’d wanted to stall for as much time as I possibly could. From the curb, the place didn’t look too awful, but it wasn’t anywhere close to the kind of homes Stephan was used to. That wasn’t what I was so worried about, though. I had a hunch that keeping him outside the house was going to be nearly impossible, and I was freaking out over the possibility of him seeing what a dump the place was. I hadn’t trusted the gleam in his bright blue eyes when I’d said he could wait while I gathered my things.
I hadn’t missed the fact that he’d kissed me instead of agreeing, but I didn’t bring the subject up again until we were walking up the sidewalk toward the boarding house. “It shouldn’t take me long to grab my stuff. I don’t have much to pack, so I should be able to toss everything into my suitcases super quickly.”
“Is your room on the first floor?” he asked as he looked up at the rambling three-story home in front of us. The paint was peeling, the steps were cracked, and the yard hadn’t been mowed in several weeks.
The house was an eyesore, but the rent was cheap. I couldn’t afford much, and I hadn’t cared that the place could use a lot of work when I’d moved in. But I hadn’t expected to have any guests who would see the sad state of where I was living. Let alone someone whose opinion mattered to me. “Nope. I’m all the way on top.”
“Then I’m sorry, angel.” He stopped at the bottom of the steps and tugged on my hand until I crashed against him. “Your plan doesn’t work for me.”
I narrowed my eyes at the smug expression he was trying hard to hide as I pressed my palms against his chest. “Why not?”
“Because my consort isn’t going to haul suitcases down two flights of stairs while I sit out here cooling my heels.” A muscle in his jaw bunched, and I had a feeling that he had more to say about the idea of not helping me but was holding back for my benefit.
I couldn’t let his consideration get to me, though. Not if I wanted to keep my dignity. “I’ve been taking care of myself for years. How do you think those suitcases made it up to my room in the first place?”
“Don’t remind me,” he growled with a murderous gleam in his bright blue eyes. “I hate how alone you’ve been all this time. You have no idea how much I wish that I’d found you sooner. I feel as tho
ugh I’ve failed you so much already. Please let me help you now.”
My heart melted at his sincerity. “How am I supposed to stand firm when you’re being so darn sweet?”
“You’re not, angel.” He flashed me a sexy grin that would have gotten my panties damp if I’d been wearing any. When I’d complained about how mine had been destroyed, Thana had just mumbled something about how I should stock up on them in the future because they wouldn’t last long if Stephan was anything like his brother.
My cheeks heated as I glanced over my shoulder at the boarding house, weighing his needs against mine. “Does it really mean so much to you?”
“It does.” He cupped my face with his palms and brushed his lips against mine in a gentle kiss. “But you don’t need to be worried. There isn’t a single damn thing in there that could ever change how I feel about you, Bronwyn.”
Standing on a cracked sidewalk in front of a run-down house wasn’t the best place to have a serious discussion about feelings, but Stephan had just given me an opening I couldn’t ignore. “And how exactly do you feel about me?”
“It’s only been a day, but I’m already falling in love with you.” His hands slid down my neck and around to my lower back. With his palm directly above the curve above my butt, he pressed my body against his. “I know that might sound scary since this is all new to you, but you’re utterly perfect for me. Fate hit the nail on the head by pairing us together.”
His certainty in us as a couple gave my confidence a major boost. “You’re perfect for me, too.”
“And?” he prodded, giving me a squeeze.
“And I maybe sorta might possibly be falling in love with you, too,” I quickly blurted out.
He flashed me a blinding smile before claiming my mouth in a passionate kiss that left me breathless. I was stuck in a sensual fog when he lifted his head and tugged on my hand to lead me into the house. “Now that we both know where we stand, there’s no reason to keep me out of your former home.”
I dragged my heels a bit, but there was no slowing him down as we headed up the steps. When he held his hand out for my key, I shook my head and reached for the knob. “It isn’t locked. The owner doesn’t like to be bothered if anyone forgets their key. He’s a little”—I searched for the right word—“different.”
“He needs to be taught a lesson for leaving the damn door unlocked when you’re under his roof,” Stephan grumbled.
The upside to his anger over the lack of security at the boarding house was that he barely paid attention to our surroundings as I led him upstairs to my room. He was still muttering under his breath when we reached my room but let up a little when he saw me pull a set of keys out of my purse to undo the lock on the knob and the deadbolt I’d installed a few days after moving in. “At least I had two locks on the door for my room.”
“That makes me feel marginally better,” he muttered, following me inside the two hundred square foot space that I called home.
I’d been telling the truth when I’d said there wasn’t much for me to pack. It didn’t take me long to toss the things I didn’t want to leave behind into my suitcases. After I zipped up the second bag, I rolled it over to Stephan. “All done.”
He scanned the room, his gaze lingering on the twin-sized bed. “You don’t want to take your bedding?”
“Nope.” I thought about the things we’d done in his much larger bed and blushed. “We don’t really need them, do we? I don’t think they’d fit on any of your mattresses.”
“Good point.” He wrapped his hand around the handle of the suitcase and jerked his chin toward the door. “After you.”
“I can’t believe you won’t let me take the smaller bag,” I complained as I followed him into the hallway.
“Take your bag?” a familiar male voice echoed from behind us. “Are you going somewhere, Bronwyn?”
I glanced over my shoulder and spotted my landlord barreling toward us from the other end of the hall. Stephan stepped in front of me, swiveling my suitcases to line them up against the wall. “What business is it of yours where my Bronwyn goes?”
“Your Bronwyn? What do you mean by that?” My landlord puffed out his chest in a misguided attempt to look tougher than he was as he tried to get past Stephan to get to me. “I don’t know who this guy thinks he is, but you don’t need to leave with him. You belong here, Bronwyn.”
Quicker than I could react, Stephan had his fists in the guy’s shirt, lifting him off his feet and pressing him against the wall. “Bronwyn most definitely does not belong here. The only place my woman will ever be is by my side. Do you understand me?”
My landlord’s face was turning red as he sputtered, “I-I-”
I hurried over and tugged on Stephan’s arm. “I don’t think he can breathe.”
“I don’t think I care.” He raised his arm another inch, and my landlord’s feet started to kick.
“But I do,” I insisted.
“Fine.” He released the material in his fist and let the guy drop to the floor. Bending low, he growled, “You’re going to forget Bronwyn exists, or I’m going to be forced to come back here and finish what I started.”
“Yes, whatever you want. Please don’t come back,” the guy cried, curled up in a ball.
Stephan nodded and got to his feet, holding an arm out to me. “C’mon.”
I placed my hand in the crook of his elbow and let him lead me over to my bags and then down the stairs. When we left the house and the door shut behind us, I whispered, “For a minute there, I thought you might kill him.”
“He’s lucky I didn’t do worse. I already wanted to wring his neck because of his lack of concern for your safety.” His grip on the handles of my bags tightened to the point that his knuckles turned white. “His attempt at laying claim to you only worsened my urge to see him dead.”
Stephan’s display of jealousy didn’t scare me. It did the opposite instead. “Can you teleport with my bags and me? The faster we get home, the sooner you can finish claiming me as your consort.”
10
Stephan
Adrenaline pumped through my veins, feeding my driving need to claim Bronwyn. I held on to her bags with one hand and slipped my other arm around her waist before teleporting home.
After tossing the luggage into the closet, I guided my consort back to our bed. With a single thought, the sheets were replaced with black silk and our clothes had disappeared. Clouds covered the moon again, making it the blackest night. So lit candles appeared spread throughout the room, their flames flickering and illuminating the space with a soft glow. I positioned her to stand in front of me, and my eyes raked over her naked body. “You are so incredibly beautiful,” I rasped, my throat suddenly dry.
Soft pink tinged her cheeks, and she licked her lips, making my groin tighten painfully. “You make me feel that way,” she informed me sweetly.
I threaded the fingers of one hand through hers and gently tugged her closer until she was flush against me. “Are you ready?” I wouldn’t proceed until she was one hundred percent sure, even if it killed me. And it just might.
“I want to be yours, Stephan. More than anything.”
Cupping her cheek, I stared deep into her eyes and asked, “Bronwyn O’Brien, do you accept my claim on you?”
“Yes, I accept your claim on me with all of my heart and soul, Stephan Bancroft.” She smiled up into my face, her brown eyes shining with happiness. “Without a single doubt.”
The sincerity in her expression and tone caused my heart to stutter for a second, and though it wasn’t tradition at this stage, I bent my head and captured her lips in a deep, possessive kiss. I was anxious to complete the ritual and cement our ties to each other, so I pulled back quicker than I wanted. Her little mewl of protest had me smirking, and I winked at her, causing her to grin and shake her head.
“You’re prepared to be mine from now until the end of time?” I asked.
Bronwyn’s hands slid up my chest to my face, and she pla
ced one on each cheek before whispering, “And beyond.”
I hadn’t thought it was possible to want her more but hearing her say those words was like throwing gasoline on the fire raging inside me. My cock was pulsing with every thumping beat of my heart.
“I need you, now,” I grunted as I grasped her waist and lifted her onto the bed.
“Make me yours,” Bronwyn demanded softly.
“Only mine. Your heart, your body, your soul, they are mine,” I responded as I climbed between her legs, pushing them out as far as they would go. “So fucking gorgeous,” I groaned. Pearls of come leaked from my slit and fell onto her already glistening folds. “You’re pink and swollen. Your pussy is soaked, angel. The idea of me owning it gets you hot, doesn’t it?”
She mewled and squirmed, her breaths coming out in pants, making her breasts jiggle enticingly. My mouth and cock were at war, both wanting a taste of our delicious consort. My mouth watered at the thought of all that nectar in her juicy pussy. Lowering myself to my stomach, I licked up her slit, and my mind snapped. I ate her voraciously, drinking down every drop of her arousal. “Tilt your pussy, angel. Give me more of your sweet pussy,” I commanded, and when she lifted her hips, I grunted in approval. “Good girl.” With two fingers in her channel, I pushed her over the edge quickly, knowing I wasn’t going to last much longer.
Her hands clenched my shoulders as she pressed her head back into the pillow and screamed my name. I finally retreated and rose onto all fours, wiping my face with my hand before licking it clean.
Slowly, I crawled up her body, my eyes glued to her bouncing breasts and their hard little peaks. Once I was in the right position, I sucked a nipple into my mouth as I carefully sank my cock into her tight hole. Her walls clamped down on me, and I tore my mouth away, shouting, “Fuck, yes!” It was taking some effort to push my way in, so I kissed my way up her chest and neck to nibble on her earlobe. “You’re doing amazing, angel. Relax and take me all the way. Fuck, yeah. Just like that! Fuck!” I latched onto her other nipple and she seemed to open up a little, just enough for me to bottom out. Leaning back again, I watched my cock sink into her drenched pussy.
The Love Bitten Series: Volume 1 Page 18
