Fighting the Inevitable (23 page)

She moaned and rolled her
hips slowly and his breath hissed out at the sweet pleasure her
movement caused inside his body. He moved ever so slowly, taking
his sweet time easing from her tight heat before sliding just as
slowly back inside.

Her sexy little moans
stoked his fire but he refused to move faster. He wanted this to
last and he refused to be rushed. He captured her clutching hands
and secured them above her head with one hand. The other hand he
hooked under her right leg, spreading it further apart and raised
it slightly so he could get a better angle into her
body.

Then he truly began to
torture his lover. He took her with long, slow, unhurried strokes
as he held her pinned beneath him. He ignored all her attempts to
make him move faster, ignored all her little moans and pleas for
more. He just moved in and out of her sweet body with a level of
self-control he didn’t know he possessed.

The fire in Rhianna’s
veins was burning her up inside as she pleaded with Caleb to moved
faster, to take her harder. He only laughed huskily and silenced
her pleas with hard kisses as he moved so achingly slowly inside
her. She was ready to beg, plead, promise him the Moon if he’d only
put out the flames deep within her body.

Caleb continued his slow
torture until Rhianna was almost sobbing with her need for
completion. Her pleas turned to curses and he was impressed with
her inventiveness. Some of the things she came up with shocked even
him and he’d heard a lot in his very long life. His woman had a bit
of wild side about her. He’d have to hide the knives when he
finished making love to her. He preferred his cock firmly attached
to his body and he wasn’t so sure she might not seriously be
tempted to carry out some of her more dire threats.

He finally gave in to
their bodies’ demands. His next thrust was shorter and harder and
caught her completely by surprise. She screamed and threw back her
head as he picked up the pace, growling his pleasure.

Hot sweaty skin slapped
against each other as they danced the ancient dance of love. He
kissed her wildly, his body moving hard and fast as her muscles
tightened around his aching cock as she shattered in his arms, a
long howling wail escaping her as her orgasm crashed over
her.

Her release was all he
was waiting for. He took his own pleasure, his release triggering
another orgasm. Caleb was lost in the sensation of utter bliss,
Rhianna’s pleasure increasing his own pleasure tenfold. The room
was filled with the harsh sounds of ragged breathing as Caleb
tensed with his release and then slowly collapsed and lowered his
forehead to hers as he supported his weight on his
elbows.

The scent of sex was
heavy on the air as was the delicious scent of their sweat
slickened bodies slowly starting to cool after the strenuous
workout they’d both just received. Rhianna’s breathing was harsh
and laboured and her little heart was practically thrumming in her
chest.

Caleb smiled his
satisfaction and rolled onto his side, pulling her body flush
against his as he dropped little butterfly kisses on her trembling
lips. He wrapped his arms securely around her and closed his eyes,
basking in this one, perfect moment. He didn’t know how long he’d
have to enjoy this wonderful feeling of peace but he would hold
onto it for as long as he could.

CHAPTER ten

Caleb pulled the heavy,
chocolate brown comforter over Rhianna’s body and half draped his
lower body too. He didn’t feel the cold the way humans did but he
had felt a slight shiver run through her body as she slept against
his chest. She’d been sleeping for over an hour while he simply lay
there basking in the afterglow of their passion. She stirred and he
dropped a kiss on the top of her head and ran a large hand lightly
down her hip until she settled.

Rhianna’s total
acceptance of what he was astounded him and humbled him at the same
time. He knew she would never reveal his true nature to anyone. He
was certain she would never do anything to hurt him. Her capacity
to handle the unusual was quite amazing in one so young. Perhaps
Rafe’s death was the reason she was so accepting. As far as she was
aware she had already lost someone she loved dearly. She wouldn’t
want to open herself up to that kind of heartache again.

Caleb sighed, concerned
about her reaction when she learned the truth. She was going to be
hurt and most probably pissed. At Rafe, at Jared and at him too. He
wasn’t looking forward to it. He didn’t want to be the one who
caused her even a moment’s pain or anger.

Her luscious red curls
spread across his chest and he toyed with a long lock. He was
certain her temper would match the fieriness of her colouring, just
as her passion did. He could almost hear her voice rising sharply
to almost screaming range.

He chuckled softly as he
felt his body twitch the moment he thought of her screaming. She
certainly gave vent to her feelings when in the throes of passion.
God, she made such sexy, erotic sounds when he pleasured her, from
the low moans to the sharper cries and then the loud lusty screams.
It was enough to drive him insane with need for her. She stirred
again, and her small hand stroked his chest lightly and he
swallowed hard as his body reacted more.

“
What are you
laughing at?” Her sleepy voice was low and husky, which only served
to harden his cock further.

“
I was
thinking about how lusty your screams are when you climax,” he
admitted, his voice turning husky too as he tilted her chin up so
he could memorise his first look at her sleep-filled face. His
breath caught in his throat as her sleepy eyes opened to stare up
at him, her lips parted and still swollen from his kisses. A
delicate shade of pink stained her perfect cheeks and he smiled
feeling tenderness well up inside.

“
Don’t ever
be embarrassed about enjoying your pleasures, not with me, Annie. I
love it when you become so uninhibited and lose yourself against
me. It’s the most beautiful, erotic thing ever.” He leaned down and
brushed her lips with his trying to will his body to behave itself
and not react to her closeness. He had worn her out already. She
needed time to recover from their lovemaking.

She laughed against his
lips and reached up to brush his hair from his face. “Is that an
order, sir?” she asked impishly, her lavender eyes sparkling with
amusement.

He chuckled again and
pulled her over him, settling her along the full length of his
body. His hands moved slowly down her back and gently cupped the
soft round flesh of her bottom. He made a show of looking around
the room and then he looked back at her and smiled
wickedly.

“
As far as I
can tell we are still in the bedroom, my lady, which means I am
still in charge, so yes, it is an order. I order you to scream long
and very loudly when I ravish your beautiful body.”

Rhianna burst into peels
of light, tinkling laughter and tapped a finger against his lips.
“I think, perhaps, you’re taking your arrogance a step too far,
sir,” she teased. “I will only scream if you’re up to the job of
making me.”

She shrieked in surprise
when he rolled quickly and pinned her body beneath his. “Are you
casting doubts on my ability as a lover, my lady?” Caleb’s voice
was low and husky, his golden brown eyes glinting with a slight
edge to them. “Do I need to give my lady another example of just
how adept I am at finding every single pleasure point on her
beautiful body?” He pressed his aching cock in the juncture between
her thighs and watched as her eyes darkened and her succulent
nipples tightened hard.

“
Perhaps
later, sir?” Rhianna giggled with a breathy little moan. “I think
you loved me just a little bit too good the last time. I may need
some time to recover.”

Caleb groaned and rolled
off her pulling her back against his side. “I’m sorry, Annie. Was I
too rough?”

“
No, love,
you were prefect,” she sighed snuggling against him, loving the
feel of his hard body against her softness. “I just need to do some
pesky human things like eat for one. You may not have to eat at
regular intervals but I do.”

He was instantly
contrite, sitting up and pulling her onto his lap. “Sorry Annie, I
didn’t stop to think. It’s been hours since lunch time. You must be
ravenous.” It had been so long since he had been human. He could
only imagine how awful it must be for her to need to eat and not
have any food. Was it like the hunger he felt when he waited too
long between feedings? He hoped not because that kind of hunger was
crippling for him.

“
I’m not
quite that bad, Caleb,” Rhianna laughed seeing his worried
expression. “I’m just hungry. It’s not as if I’m going to die
because I haven’t had dinner yet.”

His expression cleared
and he hugged her tightly against him. She was so precious to him.
He just wanted to make her happy and see to her needs. He saw her
eyes slowly take in his bedroom and wondered what she was
thinking.

“
You like the
colour brown,” she remarked with a slight smile as she took in the
deep chocolate accent wall, the dark wood furniture and the brown
and black bedding on the dark wood four-poster bed.

“
As you like
purple,” he countered with a chuckle. “Every time I’ve seen you,
you’ve been wearing something purple. The colour suits you but then
I honestly think you could dress in filthy rags and still look
stunningly beautiful.”

Rhianna smiled, oddly
pleased he’d noticed her favourite colour. It was such a little
thing but it made her insides feel warm and mushy. She sighed and
rested her head against his shoulder. “I suppose this room must
have seen its fair share of women.” She bit her lip, wondering
where the hell that thought had come from and cringing because she
had actually said it out loud.

Caleb tilted her chin up
and captured her gaze with his amber eyes, his expression very
serious. “This room has known only one woman within its walls,
Rhianna. You are the first woman I have ever let into my private
room and you will be the only woman ever to lie with me in this
bed.”

His words were spoken
with such sincerity she believed him instantly. “So where did you
take all your other women?” She was curious and surprised when he
frowned and moved to settle her back onto the bed. She instantly
missed the closeness of his body heat and shivered.

He stared at her for a
moment and then pulled the comforter around her to enclose her
body. Caleb felt uncomfortable about Rhianna’s questions. He didn’t
want to think of any other woman when he was with her; it was like
he was being unfaithful in some way. He knew it was irrational but
he couldn’t help the way he felt.

“
Caleb?”

An expression of
uncertainty crossed Rhianna’s face and he instantly felt bad and
reached for her, wrapping his arms around her body swallowed up
inside the thick comforter. He pulled her wrapped body back into
his lap and bent his head to kiss her softly on the lips. “I don’t
want to think about them. They no longer exist as far as I’m
concerned. There is only you in my head and in my heart,
Annie.”

Rhianna stifled down the
smile that threatened to burst across her face. He was so strong
and arrogant, so tender and loving, and so incredibly naïve if he
thought he could simply dismiss a part of his life because he
willed it so. It was quite endearing to see this naivety about him.
It made him seem less intimidating, less out of her
league.

Because he felt as if he
was way out of her league sometimes. She had no idea how old he
was, how long he had lived for. She knew he was obscenely rich
because he’d told her so. His mansion screamed his wealth, as did
his choice in motorcars and his clothing. She felt so young, so
insignificant compared to how ancient he must be.

“
How old are
you, Caleb?” she asked, her voice coming out sounding hesitant. She
felt and heard him suck in a deep breath before he slowly released
it and kissed the top of her head.

“
I was twenty
eight when I was turned to the life of a vampire,” he answered
slowly. “That was over two millennia ago, Annie.”

Two thousand years! She
had expected maybe two centuries or a little longer but over two
thousand years old? That was totally mind blowing. “Wow, that’s
pretty old,” she managed to get out and was pleased to hear only a
light trace of shock in her voice. “I must seem like a child to
you.”

His chest rumbled as he
chuckled into her hair and dropped another quick kiss on the top of
her head. “Oh no, you feel like all woman to me, my precious one,”
he laughed throatily, his large hand slipping inside the comforter
to cup her right breast firmly and give it a rough
caress.

She let out a little moan
of appreciation and then a deep sigh of disappointment when he
removed his hand and tucked the comforter securely around her
again. She could feel his hardness pressing against her bottom and
she knew he wanted her again. She wished he would just take her and
ravish her until she screamed his name in ecstasy. Her stomach
rumbled and she groaned with embarrassment when he
laughed.

“
I know what
you want,” he whispered against her ear, “and I know what you need.
Go and have a shower while I fix you some food. I’ll satisfy your
other hunger after you have eaten.” He nipped her earlobe lightly
and pushed her from his lap so he could slide his jeans and shirt
on. He really wanted to join her on the bed and satisfy both of
their needs, but she required food and he was determined that he
was going to provide for her.