Love at Stake (8 page)

She lifted a hand to his face, cupping his strong jaw. He held still under her touch and let her make what decision she would. Go or stay.

Safety or a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

“No biting,” she said before she could call the words back.

Fire leaped into his eyes. “Not tonight,” he agreed. “Not until you wish it.”

Which would be never. But she knew Lucian well enough to know he’d be able to control himself. After all, the man was old as the hills. He wouldn’t bite her accidentally.

He pulled the black clip from her hair and freed it to tumble around her shoulders. She looked up at him, waiting for the verdict.

“Perfect,” he purred, sinking his fingers into the curls.

“Not really,” she said. “But perfect for a night.”

One night. One chance.

She’d let him go in the morning. Really she would.

But not right now. For the next few hours, he was hers.

Wrapping a hand around the back of his neck, she pulled his head down to hers. Their lips clashed as lust pounded through her. Lucian wasted no time taking control. Holding her waist, he bent her backward as his tongue traced her lips, demanding entrance. Abbey was helpless to do anything but hold him and let him take the lead. He dominated her with a kiss, his tongue invading her mouth. Lucian held her as if she were featherlight.

He grabbed her hips and twirled her around toward the bedroom. A laugh escaped her before his mouth found hers once more. Excitement raced through her, and an odd sense of joy she hadn’t expected. She’d never thought her vampire lover would be playful. As he waltzed her backward, she twined her arms around his shoulders. With his lips on hers, it was easy to ignore the way she fit so perfectly in his arms, easy to push aside the insidious voice that wanted more than Lucian was capable of giving.

His hands slid lower, blasting the thoughts from her head. Her back hit the hard wood of his bedroom door as he stepped forward to mold his body to hers. She caught her breath as every hard inch of him pressed against her. The heat from his skin permeated her dress, making her fingers itch to strip her lover bare and run her hands over naked flesh. Her pulse thundered in her throat as she searched blindly for the doorknob. They needed a bed. Fast. Or she wouldn’t be responsible for her actions.

Cool metal met her fingers and she jerked the door open, tumbling backward into his bedroom.

She had a brief view of a large room, dominated by a king bed in the center, before Lucian pulled her back to him.

Hooking a finger around his tie, she let the silk play over her fingers as she tugged him forward. Seeing the lust in his eyes brought a grin to her lips. She’d once thought of him as a predator, and tonight he lived up to her assessment. Hunger shone plainly from his face as he looked at her like a man ready to devour her whole. Not that she’d object. Had anyone ever looked at her with such need?

Then again, no one had ever made her feel like her body was on fire. Like her skin was too sensitive to stand the soft material of her dress. The offending fabric needed to be cast off. Immediately.

As if reading her mind, Lucian undid the top button of her dress. His fingers caressed the curve of her throat, sending a shiver racing down her spine.

“Be sure, Abbey.” His words were gruff.

Stepping forward, she brushed her lips over his in a gossamer touch. “It’s not in your best interest to talk me out of this, vamp.”

“True enough.” Two more buttons snapped open.

Grinning, she tugged the tie from his neck before turning her fingers to his own buttons. He shrugged out of his jacket as she worked on his shirt. She made it halfway through the long row before losing her patience. Gripping the material with both hands, she ripped it open.

No protest left his lips as he stripped the ruined clothing from his chest.

“Oh, yes,” she purred, pressing her palms to his chest.

His skin was smooth beneath her touch. She drew her fingers down and felt his muscles clench at the movement. He was like a Greek statue. Perfect down to the last detail. Centuries of warring had created contours no mortal man could emulate.

“Your turn,” he said, undoing enough buttons to expose the top of her bra.

For a moment desire receded and the mindless need rolled back to leave her mind clear. She was touching the world’s most perfect man and in a moment, he’d see how less-than-perfect she was. Nerves clawed at her confidence. The last time she’d been in his arms he hadn’t hesitated when he’d touched her, but she’d been fully clothed. Naked there would be no bra to help her breasts defy gravity, no pantyhose to suck in her stomach. She’d be…exposed.

“Abbey.”

She looked up into his bright eyes. There was no mockery there. No judgment. He waited, as if knowing the thoughts running through her mind, and gave her time to make her decision.

One of his hands rested at the curve of her hip, the other on the buttons above her breast. Her next words would decide how the night ended. Taking a breath, she rolled her shoulders back. Like hell a few extra pounds were going to ruin her chances with Lucian.

“I’m fine,” she replied, going on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. “Just wearing too many clothes.”

“I can help with that.”

She kept her gaze on his face as his fingers ran down the row of buttons. The cotton parted around her body, loosening until a roll of her shoulders sent it floating to the ground.

He stepped back to get a good look at her and Abbey tilted her chin up, refusing to feel nervous to stand before him in nothing but a bra and panties.

Every second he stared at her sent her pulse racing faster. But the look on his face was far from disappointed.

“Nine hundred years,” he murmured, his gaze rising to her face. “And you are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

Her knees shook at the words. Logically she knew it was just perfect pillow talk, but right now, looking into his eyes, she believed him. And even better, she felt just as beautiful as he’d said.

“Well then,” she said, swallowing hard. “Don’t keep me waiting.”

She was in his arms in a heartbeat.

Abbey laughed as he tumbled her backward onto the bed. Together they bounced as she rolled over him, staring down at the most gorgeous smile she’d ever seen on his face.

Tilting her face down, she silently asked for a kiss. He didn’t disappoint.

As their lips touched, he rolled his hips against hers. A gasp escaped her. The scrape of his pants against her bare legs raised goose bumps on her arms. Her nipples tightened to painful points, making her bra feel tight and constricting.

Closing her eyes, she offered herself up to his addicting touch. Every kiss, every caress, branded her. Her fears of the future disappeared until all she cared about was right now.

“Hot,” she whispered.

“I know, angel.”

And she wanted him to burn just as much as she was. Breaking away from his mouth, she shimmied down his body to press her lips to his chest.

He hissed as she teased her tongue along his hot skin. When she drew her lips over a taut nipple, his fingers burrowed into her hair.

Abbey drew her hands down his side, enjoying his heated skin beneath her palms.

“More,” she whispered as her fingers trailed along his waistline.

“You’ll push me too far,” he groaned.

“Good.” She wanted him wild and uncontrolled. She wanted to leave some mark on him to mirror the one she knew he’d leave on her.

Raising her eyes to meet his, she trailed her fingers over his erection.

Lucian hissed, throwing his head back.

A smile curved her lips as her fingers danced across the material preventing her from touching him skin to skin. She stroked him, cupping the hard cock beneath her fingers.

“Perfect,” she purred, raining a trail of kisses down his abdomen.

Lucian rocked against her hand. His fists were clenched in the bedsheets around him. Seeing his body tight with pleasure boosted her confidence. She gripped him through the material, squeezing gently. He groaned in response.

“Satisfied?” she asked, and then lapped at his navel.

“Not since I first met you.” His hands shot out to catch her arms. She allowed him to pull her back up his body so she straddled him once more.

“That makes two of us.” Her hands twisted behind her as she searched for her bra clasp. Her lover waited with hunger clear in his gaze.

The scrap of black fabric slid down her arms to leave her bared to his view. Lucian groaned before reaching out to cup her breasts.

Pleasure spiked through her as his palms grazed her nipples. She clenched her teeth at the sensations, which were far more intense than anything she’d felt before. When his thumbs flicked her nipples, she thought she’d fly from the bed.

“Easy,” he murmured. Grabbing her waist, he flipped her over onto her back.

Abbey gasped when he caught one nipple in his mouth. The heat of his tongue playing over her skin was almost too much to bear. She writhed under him, rocking her pelvis against his. With a last lick he turned his attention to her other breast, teasing the sensitive flesh as she threw her head back. Her own harsh pant filled her ears along with the wordless pleas falling from her lips.

Lucian rolled his hips against hers, pressing his erection into the intimate vee between her thighs. A cry escaped her throat. She looked up at the dark ceiling but couldn’t register anything she saw. The pleasure riding her body blinded her to everything but his touch. And she needed more. Much more.

“Lucian, please,” she begged. “I need…”

“I know.” His fingers pressed against her panties.

Abbey almost rocketed from the bed.

“Again?” he whispered wickedly against her ear.

“Again,” she agreed. “And again, and again.”

His finger trailed along the fabric of her panties before stripping them from her legs. This time when he touched her, there was nothing to separate them.

She looked up into his blue eyes and saw the telltale red rim around his irises. When a vampire’s true nature came to the surface, his eyes bled red. That Lucian’s eyes were changing told her as nothing else could that she affected him as much as he did her. For a man who prided himself on his control, there was no greater compliment than to be the one who made him lose it.

A clever finger teased along her slit and coherent thought fled. He traced along her slick folds with maddening gentleness.

“More,” she demanded.

“As you wish.”

His finger delved into her and she cried out against his lips. Lucian swallowed the desperate sound and continued his sensual torture.

The steady thrust of one finger was joined by another. When his thumb ran over her clit, there was no stopping the animalistic moans bursting from her body. He made love to her with his fingers the way she wanted him to do with his cock. Helpless, she rocked against his hand, grinding herself onto him.

“Lucian,” she cried. Close, she was so bloody close.

“Not so fast.” His fingers slowed to an easy rhythm.

She moaned in protest, wiggling to try to get him to increase his pace. She needed more. She needed fulfillment.

“You promised no complaints,” she said.

“Humans.” He chuckled. “So impatient.”

“Finish this or I’ll never forgive you.”

His lips brushed against hers. “As you wish.”

She watched her lover stand so he could strip the slacks from his body and fought the urge to lick her lips. When his cock jutted free, her breath caught in her chest. Lucian was a big man in
all
ways, and for a moment she feared she wouldn’t be able to take him all.

But when he turned his gaze back to her, a slow smile curved her lips. No man had ever gotten her as hot as he did. They would fit.

“We need a condom,” she said, trying to think logically when everything in her urged to jump and damn the consequences.

“No need. Vampire-human couplings can’t get you pregnant,” he said, climbing back into the bed with her. “And my kind can’t catch or carry any mortal disease.”

Handy. “Okay,” she said as his hands ran up her legs. The small circles his thumbs traced along her inner thighs nearly had her going cross-eyed.

“Ready?” he asked her.

She paraphrased his words back to him. “Since the moment I met you.”

His grin was her reward before his hands pushed her thighs apart.

His hard cock jutted up against her sex and despite her eagerness, she hesitated.

“You can take me,” he assured her, his thumb teasing her inner lips. “You were born to take me.”

Abbey met his scorching gaze as he began easing into her body. A small cry escaped her. Lucian was big and it had been a while since her last lover.

Kisses rained down on her face as his fingers worked to ease his entrance. Within moments he was seated fully within her. Abbey drew a deep breath, trying to reconcile the strange feeling of completeness.

“Abbey?” The strain in his voice was clear.

She wiggled a bit, trying to get used to the feel of him, and heard his swift inhale. Glancing up at her lover, she smiled. He’d been very good, trying to give her the time she needed to adjust.

“I’m fine,” she assured him, cupping his face between her palms. “Please, Lucian. Move.”

He needed no more urging.

Abbey groaned as he withdrew to the tip and thrust back into her. Holding her hips, he surged into her. Again and again, he drove deeper. Abbey fisted one hand in the sheets around them while the other wrapped around his shoulder. Breath escaped her in gasps as she rocked against her lover. Throwing her head back she writhed beneath him, trying to handle the pleasure spiraling through her at each thrust.

Abandoning the sheet, she clutched Lucian with both hands, holding him close as their bodies slammed together. Her teeth scraped his shoulder but she knew he wouldn’t mind. There was nothing beyond this moment, this sensation. She held on and matched his rhythm. Every time he withdrew from her, she surged back up to meet his thrust.

Fangs grazed her neck and she gasped.

“No,” she whispered, knowing she wouldn’t be able to fight him if he pushed the issue.