Cherished (27 page)

Watched and fell under her spell.

“I meant to ask you last week when I ran into you. Whose artwork is that?”

“Did you like it?” She nudged some chili sauce in his direction.

“I did. I take it you work for the gallery next door? I’d like to speak with the artist. See if he’d be willing to donate something to a charity auction I’m working on.”

One of her brows rose. “I do work at the gallery next door, yes. It’s only open a few hours a week. And I’m sure she’d be willing to donate something for a good cause. What’s the cause?”

“Ah, sorry. I assumed and that was silly. I figured ‘Ramona’ was the name of the art, not the artist.”

She laughed and paused to hum in delight after she popped something into her mouth. “You need to try that pickled thing there.” She pointed. “Ramona is my first name.”

He sucked in a breath. “It’s yours then?”

She nodded. “It is, yes. What’s the charity?”

He took her hand and kissed her knuckles before turning it, unfurling her fingers and kissing her palm. “You’ve got a lot of talent.”

When he looked at her face again she was blushing. “Thank you. Oh!” She jumped up and headed to the fridge. “Tortillas. I knew I had something I was forgetting. Hang on, I’m going to warm them.”

“Did your friend make those too?”

“No. My mom made them. Though she learned from my grandfather. He was the cook in the family.”

“And what do they do? Your family, I mean.”

“My father and sister run a dental practice. My mother teaches at a private elementary school. My grandmother is a painter.”

“Ah, that must be where you got it then. Does the gallery sell other art or just your stuff?”

“The gallery is my grandmother’s place. She and I work there a few days a week. My grandfather opened it when he got back from World War Two. We have some local artists we feature, as well as my work and my grandmother’s. This is their land. My parents live in the big house. My grandmother now with them. This used to be her studio and living space.” She waved a hand as she continued heating the tortillas.

He liked it. The house wasn’t big. But it was vibrant and sensual. Her bed was in a far corner. Unmade. He loved the burst of rich color, the blankets and sheets a tangle of purple and orange. She had a huge collection of music and movies. Her electronics were all very good. He’d apparently been too busy looking at her butt in those pants to have noticed the art on the walls.

The space smelled good. Like her. Sexy. Spicy. Probably forbidden but he had no plans to get up and leave anytime soon. She wasn’t a fluffy-headed young woman. Not at all from what he could see.

“And you? What do you do? Other than paint and give dance lessons?”

“I do lots of things.”

“Is that so?” Goddamn, he hoped so.

She looked at him over her shoulder as she stood at the stove. Her mouth quirked up on one side. “Oh, that too. If you’re lucky.”

“Tell me about your art, then.”

She returned to the table and he didn’t try to resist the tortillas. Once he rolled it around the pork and took a bite he was glad. “Christ, that’s good.”

“I know. My mom is a really good cook. I could live on tortillas and butter. Mainly I work in mixed media. Paint, pen and ink, some photography. I’ve been working with paper a lot lately. Some sculpture and glass. Anyway, I’m always interested in helping when I can. What’s this charity?”

“Foster family support. It’s a private agency that works with public services. Parenting classes, legal support for those who formally adopt, therapeutic support if needed for the parents and other siblings.”

She nodded and then topped his glass off, distracting him a little.

“Sounds like a wonderful organization.”

“It is, actually. We have an auction, it’s coming up in two months. I’m one of the procurers.”

She laughed. “I bet.”

“What do you mean?”

She laughed some more and spooned up some pickled vegetables. “You’re good at talking people into things, I wager. That’s why they make you the procurement person.”

“When you believe in the cause it’s a lot easier.”

“Tell me about yourself, Levi.”

“Not much to tell.”

“I have a confession,” she said before swiping her tongue over her bottom lip and making it hard for him to breathe.

“That so?”

“You like saying that. I’m not surprised you’re an attorney.”

That surprised a laugh from him. “Do a lot of attorneys you know say that?”

“No. I don’t know a lot anyway. Just Cal.”

Cal?

“Cal Whaley?” The guy was handsome and Levi wondered just how she knew Cal.

She brightened at the mention of Cal’s name and his suspicion grew.

“Yes, that’s the one. He never says stuff like ‘that so’ either. But he’s got this way of saying as little as possible while he’s gathering all sorts of info from other people and they never even notice.”

“How do you know Cal?”

She raised her brow again. “How do
you
know Cal? I mentioned you when I stopped by my friend’s house earlier and he said he knew you. Also said you weren’t a serial killer. He didn’t think.”

Torn between amusement and agitation he took her in. “Good to know he doesn’t think I’m going to hack you up and put you in the freezer.”

“Ew. I bet you never say things like that in front of your family.”

She had this way of blurting things out that were startlingly true and intimate. But she didn’t even know him.

“My family isn’t prone to talking about serial killing.” He shrugged.

“God, mine either.
Boring.
We talk about art and teeth. Oh and teaching. So you’re a lawyer too and so I assume that’s how you know Cal.”

He nodded. “It’s a small island. We do business from time to time. I use some space in his building when I have a large meeting and I’m not in Seattle. And you?” He was pretty sure Whaley was gay. But come to think of it, Levi had seen him with a woman a time or two and it was obvious it was a date.

“I’ve known the Whaleys most of my life. They only live just up the road a little. Ryan, that’s Cal’s brother, used to babysit me and my sister when we were kids. Mary, that’s Cal’s sister and one of my best friends, she’s the one who made the food we’re eating.
She takes pity on me and feeds me. That’s her thing. She does it to everyone.” Daisy smiled and it shot straight to his cock. “Would you like more food?”

“I think I’m full. For now anyway.” He pushed back from the table. “You do the food since I don’t know where anything is. And I’ll clear the dishes.” He stood.

“No.” She placed a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll take care of it. Go and sit. I’ll be done in a minute or two.”

First she put an apron on and god help him, his cock actually throbbed, it was so hard. So pretty and feminine, she put lids back on containers and bustled around, opening and closing the fridge and cabinets as she cleaned up. The couch he sat on was comfortable, set back in a bay window. A copy of Stephen King’s
The Shining
lay open on the arm.

“All right then.” She moved toward him. “Are you all right for beer? Would you like a top up or something else? I’ve got cider.”

“I’m good.” And he was. Utterly relaxed for the first time in a week. “Sit with me.” He patted the couch and she dropped next to him, tucking her feet beneath her.

“What sort of law do you practice?”

“Land-use stuff mainly.”

“Let’s pretend I’m dumb and I don’t know what ‘land use’ means.” She fluttered her lashes and he found himself laughing again.

“Say you’re a communications company and you need cell towers to provide your customers service. I help with permits and any sort of contract they might enter into to lease private and municipal property for that use. Sometimes I handle land reclamation issues. Say if a new company buys land and it’s contaminated or being cleaned up. I help them get through the regulations and permitting process so they can get to work. It’s not always fascinating, but I like making things happen.”

“Making things happen takes a certain kind of talent.” She took his hand and began to knead it before she turned and examined his palm.

“Are you going to read my lifeline?”

She leaned in and brushed a kiss over his lips. Just a breath of a touch and his entire body went hard. “No. I just like touching you.”

He wasn’t sure what to do with someone so straightforward.

“Right now you’re thinking. What is it you’re thinking, Levi?”

“I’m thinking you’re very young.”

She nodded. “I am.”

“I’m trying to find a way around that.”

“How about I explain to you that I’m twenty-four, not fifteen. And that I’m perfectly capable of making my own decisions and choices.”

He took a deep breath and exhaled hard. “And I’m thinking I’m too old.”

“Too old for what? Do you have trapeze fantasies or something? And how old are you? Sixty? Eighty-four?” Her mouth trembled as she held a smile back.

The pressure in his chest lessened.

“Eighty-
three
. Don’t age me before I’m ready.”

“You’re not too old. I’m not too young.”

She stayed where she was, his hand in both of hers. Those big brown eyes watching him carefully. Waiting for him. Christ. She had no idea what that did to him.

“I’m forty. I’m nearly twice your age.”

“So what?”

“Yeah. So what?” He took his hand from hers and touched her chin, tipping it. “I want your mouth.”

Her eyelids slid down a little and she took a deep breath. “Take it, then.”

Chapter 4

She tasted like honey.

Odd and yet, not entirely unexpected.

Her lips were soft, opening on a sigh. He took her invitation and took the kiss deeper, his tongue sliding into her mouth.

His hand remained in hers, though he wanted to haul her close and take her to the couch. He hadn’t wanted to get horizontal on a woman with this much intensity in a very long time.

The more he tasted, the more he wanted until need beat in his head like a pulse.

The depth and intensity of his desire shook him. Hit him so hard he had to fist the hand she wasn’t holding to keep it from shaking.

He kissed like a master. Daisy knew she was in way over her head and all he’d done was kiss her. They weren’t even touching except for lips and tongues and his hand in hers, but it was enough. Enough that it was a full-body caress when he groaned as she sucked his tongue.

So very controlled, this man. But it was there, just under the
surface. Levi Warner was a very dominant male and she wondered if that extended to his sexuality.

Hoped so
. It wasn’t that she’d had many dominant lovers or anything. But he’d awakened something inside her. Curiosity, yes, but a sense of satisfaction in letting him lead. Something she’d never experienced before.

The weight of his focus on her was tangible. It made her a little drunk, needing more even as she barely managed to process what he gave her through a simple kiss.

It was enough to let him lead the kiss, enough to step back and wait for whatever he had in mind next.

Her body ached, her nipples throbbed and her pussy was wet and swollen. She shivered, imagining what he’d be like naked. In her bed. In his bed with her in it. Whatever, it didn’t matter where, the naked part was important.

He was patient. So very patient as he continued to kiss her. A nip of her bottom lip that had her gasping for air. His beard stubble gave her just the right amount of friction. Nearly painful. Enough to make her imagine what it’d feel like against the skin of her inner thighs as he went down on her. And she bet he did it well. If his kissing was any indicator, he’d be a marvelous pussy eater.

With a sharp intake of breath he broke the kiss and stared at her. His pupils were huge again and it gave her yet another shiver of delight.

“I should go.”

“You should?” She grabbed the front of his shirt without meaning to and released it quickly. If he left, she’d never speak to him again.

“Christ.” He scrubbed a hand through his hair and she let the other one go. Whatever it was he was fighting with himself over, he had to deal with it. He was a big boy and she sure as hell wasn’t his mother. Nor did she plan to beg him to stay.

She knew her worth as a woman. She’d been raised by not only a kick-ass mother, but her grandmother and sister were also strong, smart women. Whatever her concerns about her talent and art, she’d never beg a man for his attention.

He wanted her or he didn’t. So she sat back a little and let him work through it.

“You’re too young. I shouldn’t even be thinking about sex.”

She sighed. “You keep saying that. I’m far over the age of consent. Also, you’re assuming a lot. I don’t fuck on the first date.”

Then he laughed and she felt better for it.

“You’d leave me with blue balls?” he teased.

“
I’m
too young? You give me that line and talk about my age? I’m sure I heard that one back in the day. Do you think I’ll give you a pity hand job?” She grinned. He was adorable and damn, she might have broken her no fucking on the first date rule earlier, so it was probably good that they both stepped back for a moment. He made her feel…unfettered. And as lovely as it was, no man had ever made her want to jump so foolishly into something.

He grinned back. “Well, all right, it’s been some time since I’ve used that line.”

“What’s next? Will you tell me you’ll only put the tip in?”

He laughed and brought her to him, plopping her into his lap and squeezing her tight. And then he paused, as if he were surprised. But she liked it and wouldn’t let him second-guess himself, so she gave him a squirm to remind him she was there, her ass against his cock, and his eyes lost focus a moment until they honed in on her mouth.

“When I put it in, it won’t be just the tip.”

She gulped. She knew it. It couldn’t be avoided. ’Cause hell yeah.

“You’re very sure of yourself.”

“And you’re very breathless when you say that.”

“I’m not afraid of your age. I want to fuck you. I also want to
eat four cupcakes at once but I restrain myself to two. I have self-control.” She looked at him again. “
Sometimes
. Anyway, I like it when men are sure of themselves. Well, when they deserve to be.”