WARNING: This excerpt contains explicit adult content!
Torrid Hearts
Drago had no idea what he was still doing there. His Phoenix had fulfilled her duties for the evening. The bartender told him she only danced twice and the second time, adorned with the sheerest wings of gold, she'd once again managed to freeze his brain and leave him a witless moron. Once again, he watched her work the crowd, picking small, insignificant men to lavish her attentions on.
For the most part the men were inconsequential, but at one point Drago watched one man circle her in his arms and a surge of testosterone had him storming to rip the man's arms from his sockets. Fortunately, one of the bouncers got to him first, efficiently removing his arms from The Phoenix without bloodshed, thus saving the man from a lengthy hospital stay and -- he had to admit -- saving himself from a lengthy prison stay.
He had no illusions about her by evening's end. She was an actress, a seductress, and more than able to handle herself. He watched her walk the edge, enticing the men just far enough, never more. She was a master at deception and though he knew that, he still wanted her. He found himself intensely curious to know who she really was beneath the wig, without the costumes, or the sweet fake smile and pleasant laughter.
Thoughts of her body open to his exploration, his hands touching her, burying his nose against her skin, in her hair, in her pussy, kept him in a constant state of arousal.
He wanted to breathe her into his soul so she'd always be there. He wanted to know everything about her, wanted to claim her in the most primal way a man could claim a woman. He wanted her so sated by his hand, his mouth, his body, that she wouldn't be able to move. Wouldn't leave him. Ever.
Unfortunately, by this time, she was probably long gone, while he still nursed his latest bourbon like a pathetic lovesick schoolboy.
"I'm curious."
The soft voice moved over him like an ocean breeze, feminine, carrying a scent of renewal and promise. He'd either had way more to drink than he thought, or she had crept up to stand directly behind him. Slowly, he turned the chair to find out which.
When he saw her, she was still dressed -- or undressed, as the case may be -- for work. A soft fall of platinum hair brushed her bare shoulders, she wore a shawl made from a loose weave of iridescent blues and greens, with only a pair of silk panties beneath it.
Christ, he wanted to touch her again. Thought he could honestly die from the wanting of it. He bit the inside of his cheek, hoping to render her spell a little less potent.
"What would someone as lovely as you, obviously the queen of her court, be so curious about that she deigned to walk among the mortals?"
He couldn't believe how even his voice had come out. His hand was shaking. He fisted it at his side and watched as she seemed to be having similar troubles. She slowly, deliberately took in several deep breaths. Her fingers twitched. He saw her eyes dilate and caught a hint of her scent. She was as wet for him as he was hard for her and that knowledge brought him precariously close to the edge of coming right on the spot.
She slowly came up beside him and leaned against the bar. He caught the softest scent of rose, vanilla and musk as it wafted past him. The club was just this side of closing and the crowd had dwindled to only a handful, making it easy to hear her breath as it escaped her lungs.
"I walk among the mortals all the time." She tipped her chin up, playing into the image he'd given her. "However, normally I'm long gone by this hour. Beauty sleep and all."
She gave him a miniscule smile, and he obliged her with a slight nod. Her smile widened. "Not the flatterer?"
"Did you need me to be?"
Her eyes narrowed for a second, one side of her mouth hitched. Drago could only imagine how incredibly beautiful she'd be if she truly smiled.
"No. Honestly I'm grateful you're not." She released a breath, her shoulders relaxing some. Drago responded by turning towards her in his chair. He didn't dare touch her. He knew she'd be like a rabbit, if he reached she'd run and he had no intention of losing her now. Sitting this close, he could see her skin was lightly dusted in gold powder that made all of her glow faintly.
"Surely you must hear all night how beautiful you are, but I'm still waiting to find out what has you so curious. I have the terrible feeling it has something to do with me, but I can assure you the rumors about me and one of your bouncers were greatly exaggerated." He gave her a wicked smile. "We only dated casually. It was never serious."
Laughter shot from her mouth, her hand going quickly to cover it so Drago could no longer see it, but her eyes... ah, her eyes sparkled. Just like he'd imagined. He raised one brow at her and angled his head marginally closer.
"Now you're curious and amused."
"True. And because you've so amused me, and no one ever does, I'll drop the silly act and just tell you straight out. There's a pool going on backstage and I wasn't allowed to leave before I had my shot at you. But seeing as you're hung up on one of the bouncers, I don't suppose you'll accept my offer, either. Well, I think that news will make all the girls sleep better tonight, anyway."
Drago's sharp bark of laughter surprised even himself. Up until moments ago, he would have sworn he didn't have any laughter in him. He reached out and brushed bangs from her brows and gave her a knowing look.
"So what color is it really?"
Her mouth opened softly.
"This is my best wig. How'd you know?"
He captured a few strands between his thumb and finger and rolled them, capturing her pale gaze with his.
"This hair is harsh. Yours isn't."
She leaned back infinitesimally.
"How would you know?"
Drago leaned on the bar, his face so close to hers now that it would take only a fraction of movement to claim her mouth in a scorching kiss.
"Because I've dreamt it."
He felt her breath against his lips, making his cock stiffen further. He was so close to reaching for her that he bit the inside of his cheek again.
"Do you find that helps?"
He said nothing so she pointed at his face. "Biting your jaw like that. Is it to keep you from saying something you shouldn't?"
"No." He stared at her a long minute wondering if she'd always be able to see through him where others never had. "I do it to distract my body from feeling things I wish it weren't."
Her eyes got large and round, and her lush mouth formed a small 'o'.
"Feelings for the bouncer. Is it Gregory? Because I always suspected him of that lifestyle."
For the second time in minutes Drago found himself laughing heartily. Damn, but it felt good. He leaned on the bar again, whispering conspiratorially, "What's the pool about?"
She shrugged, the movement managing to shift her breasts under the delicate shawl so he had a most excellent view of two flawless nipples. Hard and erect, they begged for his touch.
Soon.
Not sure if he was assuring her nipples, or himself, but soon he would roll his tongue over those beautiful tight nubs, suck and bite on them until they glistened from the moisture of his mouth. Then he'd run his thumb over one while he worked the other with his tongue, switching when she began to writhe beneath him, begging for his touch elsewhere, begging for his cock deep inside her. Then he'd...
"Who you'd let give you a dance."
Her matter-of-fact reply both stunned and intrigued him. "Really?" As she was the only woman in the club not to offer, he gathered she hadn't been part of the pool, but then, hadn't she just admitted to it being her turn? Or had that simply been a manifestation of his wishful thinking?
"So is that why you're here now? To offer me a dance?"
She crossed her arms over her chest, obscuring the all-too-brief view and leaned away from him.
"No." Her tongue ran over the underside of her top lip. Head cocked to one side, she seemed to be sizing him up, much like the way the owner had earlier. "I just came to find out why you said 'no' to everyone else."
He smiled. "Hence, curious."
She smiled. "Exactly."
Her hand was splayed on the bar, so Drago ran one finger along the top of her soft skin and reveled when he saw the breath freeze in her lungs.
"Why didn't you ask?"
She slid her hand away from his.
"I wasn't interested."
She pulled the shawl that much tighter around her, as if the fragile woven piece had some mysterious protective force or as if it wasn't entirely see-through. Drago gave her a wicked, knowing smile, brought his face within a breath of hers, and uttered two simple words.
"You lie."
The Seduction of Cassidy Flint
Aiden ran his hand slowly over the softest skin he could ever recall touching. His hand literally shook with the need to touch her. He watched a very similar shiver take her body, and he delighted in it. He came beside her, brushing his nose along hers, just relishing in the closeness of their bodies. Another shiver took her.
"You shivered. Is it because you're cold?"
His mouth slowly covered hers. Her tongue came to meet his in an open-mouthed invasion of all his senses.
When she looked up at him, her eyes said everything, "I shiver because I ache and I burn."
Their tongues caressed one another. Aiden couldn't hold back his groan, and he pulled her lower body in closer contact. His own aching need was raging out of control. His cock was rock hard and weeping from the tip, but he wouldn't rush her, not this time.
"I've never wanted anyone as much as I want you, Cassidy. I can't explain it. It just is."
An excruciatingly slow dance of tongues and teeth and lips occurred. Aiden wasn't sure he'd ever gotten so aroused just by kissing before, half naked or not. He ran his hand along her spine, her breasts pressed close against him, her silky skin a perfect contrast to the coarse hairs on his chest.
He nuzzled her with his mouth, his nose. His entire face caressed hers. He drew her scent into his body until he prayed it would live there forever. His mouth moved lower, lapping at her breasts. He ignored the wild call from below telling him to hurry. This was simply one of those moments in time that was too good to rush, and he didn't care how much agony it caused him. He intended to enjoy every inch of his Cassidy for as long as his body would hold up.
Slowly circling each nipple, he blew on the fevered skin until they stood so erect he imagined she ached as much as he did. Only then did he give her what she sought and sucked in one rosy-tipped peak, holding back his own smile when she cried out to him and practically skyrocketed off the bed.
As he languidly caressed the nipple between his tongue and the roof of his mouth, she arched into him, her body begging for completion he had no intention of giving her yet.
He waited until she went completely lax in his arms and sighed, a delicious sound of contentment. She dug her fingers into his hair, running the pads of those fingers along his scalp. It was intensely and surprisingly erotic.
He watched his fingers run up and over the other nipple, pleased when she arched again, obviously hoping he'd take it into his hand, but he resisted. He brushed it first with his finger, watching her shiver, then cupping the side of her breast. His thumb ran over the peak, back and forth.
"You hate me...for some reason...don't you?"
He smiled at the tightness her voice revealed.
"No, this isn't hate. Torture, maybe, but not hate."
He licked her again, and she writhed. He pushed his erection into her thigh.
"If it makes you feel any better, I'm tortured as well."
Moving back to the other nipple, he left the one he had been lathering with attention wet and cooling in the air swirling down from the ceiling fan.
He touched the side of her head, caressing her hair, kissing her temple, her throat, his hand caressing one perfect breast. He knew it was perfect because of how perfectly it fit his hand. He'd never felt as if his hand had been made to hold a particular breast before. All of a sudden, he did.
He reached around her, unfastening the skirt and then sliding it over her hips and down her long sexy legs, placing kisses on her knees and leaving her in only her panties. Ironically the only article of clothing she hadn't been wearing the last time they were together At a leisurely pace, he removed the rest of his own clothes, marveling at the amount of control he had over himself. But Cassidy watched him closely, so he took his time. First sliding down his zipper, then pushing both his pants and briefs over his hips, kicking them off when they reached his ankles. A sense of satisfaction flowed through him at Cassidy's small smile and large blush.
"Touch me."
He wasn't surprised by the need in his tone, or at the desperation he felt, though he was a little appalled by it. If she refused him, he wasn't sure what he'd do He took a step closer, one knee placed on the bed.
Cassidy stared, first at his powerful erection, then at him. He wasn't sure how many naked men she'd seen, but something in her eyes assured him she'd never seen one that pleased her as much as he did.
Crazy though it was, that thrilled him.
"Touch me, please, Cass."
She came up on one elbow, reaching her beautiful fingers toward him. A bead of moisture formed on the tip in anticipation, and he dearly prayed he'd be able to control himself if she actually did touch him.
The first sensation that flooded him when her gentle touch registered was relief. He ached, his blood was flooded with need for her, but he'd held firm at her touch. He wanted to be inside her so badly, half his brain cells had shut down because of it. He'd never felt this need, this much desire, such urgent longing. He needed her to make him whole as much as he needed the blood to continue to cycle through his heart.
Her fingers circled him, and he groaned and wondered at the wisdom of his request.
She squeezed and whispered, "Velvet."
He knew he had to pull back.
He lay down beside her again. This time his finger began tracing the top edge of her panties, just beneath it and across the edge of her feminine curls. Her hand touched his face. He turned his head, placing a kiss in her palm.
"I've never met anyone like you."
He met her gaze, troubled that she'd sounded so surprised. He wondered what type of idiots she'd been dating that couldn't see how amazing she was. Desire raced through his blood so strongly and so swiftly. He circled his hand around his own cock, stroking it to relieve some of the pressure. Her eyes widened as she watched his hand run the length of him and back.
He wondered about just making himself come and letting her watch. It would give him the chance to pleasure her. He groaned, the feelings so intense they were nearly crippling.
"Can I?"
He swallowed and removed his hand.
"Please do."
She pushed against his shoulder, and he went willingly until he laid flat on his back. She moved down the bed and straddled his thighs, the sight of her sending frissons directly into his cock. He watched intently as she reached out with one hand. One finger ran the length of his cock and gently over the tip. It was a brush so light he barely felt it, but fucking hell, it turned him on.
Her open curiosity as she brushed that one finger over the base and tip of his shaft was both endearing and infectious.
"Is it terribly sensitive?"
He choked on a laugh.
"Uh, yes." He drew a tense breath through clenched teeth. "Do you ever touch yourself, Cassidy?"
Her gaze flickered away, and her finger kept brushing over his cock. He reached out and closed his hands over her fingers, wrapping them around him.
"Squeeze me. Like this."
He pressed his hand over hers. Her eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open.
"That doesn't hurt?"
He laughed again.
"Not hardly. Tight is gooood. Trust me." He licked parched lips. "Squeeze and move your hand to the tip, then back."
She did, hesitantly at first. He delighted in the sweet torture she applied, needing a release desperately.
"Do you want to take me in your mouth, Cass?"