Run the Gantlet (12 page)

“How do you know?” Eloise asked as she tuned her head to the side to see him.

Arrow chuckled at her words. “Wel , I don’t.” Eloise had the most interesting outlook on life. She faced questions with more questions.

“Ever been touched there?”

“Nope.”

“So how do you know I’l enjoy it?”

He leaned in, and whispered in her ear, “I’ve never had a complaint.” If she asked him to stop he would. What Eloise wanted was the most important thing to him. “Trust me.” He pushed a second finger in to join the first. He smiled as Eloise bent forward to accommodate him. A third finger soon fol owed and al three mimicked what his cock would soon be doing.

“O-oh Arrow,” she sighed as she pushed back against his hand.

“Is that good?”

“Uh-huh.” Eloise moved her hips in time with his pumping fingers.

“Do you want more?” When she nodded, he pul ed his fingers from her anus. Her sigh of disappointment made him so hot that Arrow recited the alphabet backward to keep control. “Turn around, shorty.” The look of love and outright need in her eyes made him swal ow hard. Never had he imagined anyone would love him back like this. Arrow handed her a bar of sweet-smel ing soap. “Lather me up.”

Eloise did not need to be asked twice or told what needed to be slippery with soap. She massaged the soap into a foam balm and then reached for his cock.

Arrow’s hands massaged her shoulders, his mouth teasing hers with light, feathery kisses as he held her. Eloise played with his cock until it was so slippery she had trouble holding on to it.

“Ready?” He certainly was. He needed to be in now.

She looked up at him. “If I said ‘yes’ would that make me look cheap and easy?” Eloise licked her lips in anticipation.

He roared with laughter at her words. She was part temptress, part innocent and she was al his. “It would make you a beautiful y giving lover.”

“Says he who wants to shove his cock up my ass.”

Arrow kissed her hard and turned her to face the wal . “I love it when you talk dirty.”

“Fuck me then.” Eloise shoved her ass back and bent forward, al owing him the access he needed.

It was more than he could stand. Arrow pul ed her ass cheeks apart and placed the head of his cock against the tight muscle of her ass.

Eloise pushed against him. Never in a mil ion years would she have thought she’d invite anyone to touch her ass let alone fuck it. But more than anything she wanted his hot length inside her. As Arrow’s cock pushed through the virgin passage, she reached for the faucets and held on tightly, snapping the water off as she did. Even with the promise of sex, water conservation due to the drought was an inbuilt behavior. It was the oddest sensation—not unpleasant, more tight and ful with a burning heat that she wanted al the way inside her.

“Are you okay?” Arrow stopped halfway.

“Is that it? If so I’m disappointed.” His laughter against her ear made her smile. To make him happy made her happy. It was not a notion she would have contemplated before as being more than a tacky slogan on a greeting card. But now Eloise knew. This was about making someone happy. It was about love. “Is that the best you’ve got, fang face?” In answer to that, Arrow grabbed her around the waist and surged forward into her. Eloise shook at the tight, hot feeling inside her.

“Better?”

“Oh God, yeah.” As he began to move within, she moaned at the slow, pulsing rhythm. It was as if Arrow was trying to make the moment last.

“This is forever, Eloise.”

“Could be hard to get dressed in the morning with you attached to me like this.” She jumped as he slapped her ass. It sent a tremor through her body that made her squeal with delight. “Do it again.” He did. Twice more.

“I don’t think I wil ever get enough of you.” Arrow nuzzled her lovingly.

Her heart pounded at his words.
He really loves me. This is forever.
“Arrow?”

“Yes, shorty?”

“Does this ride go faster?” She wanted the fierce pounding heat of his bal s slapping against her ass as he slammed into her.

“Can you handle that?”

“Fang face, I can take anything you give me.” In answer to her request, Arrow pul ed out slowly and rammed back in fast. Another squeal of excitement shot from her lips.

“I love you,” he growled against her ear as he sucked the lobe into his mouth.

“And I love you back.” Eloise was on fire as she choked out the words. Her back arched as she took al he could give. She wanted everything from him.

Every mad minute of lust, of passion and of love. Never did she want to regret not sharing her body with him. Her legs shook as an intense thril of pleasure radiated through her pelvis and up her spine, leaving her gasping. “Bloody hel .” If Arrow had not been holding her she would have fal en to the tiles below in a soggy yet satisfied heap. The triumphant laugh that came from Arrow’s lips was so male and hot that she wanted him never to leave her body. She was as much apart of him as he was her. As the heat of his essence shot through her Eloise panted softly, trying to keep up with the last of his thrusts.

“Thank you.” Arrow turned her head and kissed her lips as he pul ed from within her. He then dropped to his knees before her.

Eloise looked at him in puzzlement, yet whatever he wanted to do she was up for it. Arrow pushed her thighs apart and kissed the inside of one. She ran her fingers through his hair at the sweet touch of his mouth on her flesh. When his teeth grazed the skin, Eloise stiffened slightly and looked down at him.

“May I?”

There was only one answer. “Yes.” As his fangs pierced her flesh in one swift bite, Eloise closed her eyes as the familiar heat rushed through her veins. It was almost better than sex. Almost. She stroked his hair and let him feed from her as he needed.

“You never did that before,” Eloise murmured when he final y lifted his head, his mouth red from her blood. Her inner thigh tingled from his bite.

“I thought it might freak you out.”

She held her hands out to Arrow. “It was kind of sexy.”

He stood up and wrapped her in his embrace. “How I adore you.”

When his lips met hers, Eloise thanked God for her pissed-off kinswoman.

“So had the last test yet?” Mesopia looked up from the skul she was marking with the pricing gun.

“Nope.” Eloise dropped her bag behind the counter. She didn’t want to be at work. She was too restless for dealing with sel ing spit or skul s. She stil burned from Arrow’s touch and she needed so much more from him. It was strange to go from nothing to everything, running not only the gantlet but the gamut of emotions from intense dislike to deep love.

“What’s up?”

“Nothing.” Eloise picked up a skul and wondered who would pay twelve dol ars and ninety-five cents for a plastic novelty item. Thinking about that was better than worrying about what was going on between herself and Arrow. The blonde interloper was once more on her mind. Why was this stranger suddenly in their lives? The amazing moment of making love had come after he’d been with her.
Am I being paranoid?
Thoughts of another coming between them had shaken her and that was odd in itself. Eloise was not someone who ever felt inferior yet the fact that another woman was after Arrow made her feel that way. That and as jealous as hel . It was not an emotion she knew how to deal with. Jealousy indicated that a level of possession was assumed. Part of her was stil fighting her feelings for Arrow. If this had happened without the interference of the Scottish woman, then maybe it would have been easier to handle. The whole preordained thing put her on the spot, and despite her words to Arrow, in this moment of insecurity Eloise wasn’t sure if what she was feeling was love or lust. The man had her body. Her heart was harder to give. “Everything is fine.”

Mesopia snorted in disbelief. “Bul shit.”

Eloise knew her friend was not someone she could easily fob off. “Okay there was this woman, Arrow noticed her and—”

“You’re cal ing him Arrow now?” Mesopia looked pleased. “That’s so nice.”

“Honestly I don’t now how I feel at the moment.” She had told him she loved him, which was true, but then the whole thing with the blonde was stil in the back of her mind.

“Yeah, you do but let’s talk about the woman.”

Talking about it to another woman would help. Eloise needed to know if what she was feeling was rational of not. “This trashy tart was at the supermarket and—”

“You shopped together? How sweet.” Mesopia’s smile was soft and teasing. She stopped when she saw the look if frustration on Eloise’s face. “Sorry, tel me about the tart.”

Was it sweet? Is that how it looked? Eloise sighed. “Wel , she was blonde and in his face. Her boobs were hanging out in that common, overrated way men like, and Arrow could not stop looking at her.” That was what annoyed Eloise most. Yes, he was a man and yes he would look at a pretty woman. That was nature. But to continue to do so or go and help her change her tire was not. Chivalry was admirable but not when it came to busty blondes with an agenda. Eloise had been al for cal ing a tow truck to take both the car and the blonde away.

Mesopia sighed in disappointment. “Oh and I liked him.”

“Then she appears outside my house with a flat tire.” The more she thought about it, the more Eloise knew it was no coincidence. What sort of a woman homes in on another man?

“That’s weird.” Mesopia continued marking the skul s once more. “So did Arrow help her with the tire, or did you scratch her eyes out like any rational woman would have?”

“I wanted to but I did not want it to look like—”

“You care?” The other woman guessed accurately.

“I told Arrow I loved him.” That was more than just caring.

Mesopia’s eyes opened wide. “Wow!”

“Exactly. I know it’s crazy but it’s true. I love him.” It made Eloise feel very vulnerable. Just thinking about that blonde woman had proved that. “What is it with women like that? They always want someone’s else man and—” Eloise looked out the window and stiffened. “Holy hel , speak of the slut, it’s the trashy tart.” The woman in question was heading straight for the door of Voodoo You.

“Here? Where?” Mesopia peered out the window. “I hope she comes in.”

Eloise turned on her. “Why?”

“Hey, I need customers and I want to have a look at her.” The bel above the door chimed. Both women behind the counter stared. “Can I help you?”

Mesopia asked in her best shopkeeper’s voice.

The blonde walked with confidence to the counter, as if she had found the competition wanting. “Yes, I am looking for a gift for a male friend.”

“A lover?” Eloise asked, trying to keep control. She knew this woman wanted Arrow and she was letting Eloise know it in a less-than-subtle way.

“Someone who wil be,” the blonde responded with a knowing look.

“Steady,” Mesopia murmured to Eloise under her breath as her eyes were thoughtful as she looked into her customer’s eyes. “A gift like a charm to make him look past the outer façade and into the real woman?”

The woman laughed. “Oh he is mine, honey. This is just a thank-you gift.”

Eloise reached for the yak spit. “This is a lover’s balm that sets a man’s pulse racing.” Or barfing. Either one was possible.

“Yes, he’l make love al night long.” Mesopia was happy to go along with what her friend was saying.

“He has no trouble in that department.” The blonde looked specifical y at Eloise. “But you know that already.”

Good. The gloves were off. “Stay away from him.”

“Or what? You cannot possibly compete with me.”

That was the one thought that betrayed her. How could plain-Jane keep the attention of the hot vampire when other over-obvious charms abounded. Love was one thing but lust was another, and Eloise was yet to be total y convinced that men were not control ed by their cocks.

“Back off.” Mesopia grabbed Eloise’s arm, pul ing her back, to avoid a catfight. “There is nothing we can help you with in here,” she told the blonde woman.

“I know that.” She smiled in satisfaction before leaving the store.

That she had only come into the store to taunt her maddened Eloise. “Oh I hate her.” She pul ed free from Mesopia and bolted around counter.

“What are you going to do? Wrestle her to the ground?” Mesopia did not move. She merely watched as Eloise halted at the door.

“Maybe.”
What am I doing?
This was not rational. Just because the blonde had inferred something between her and Arrow did not mean it was a fact, and why was she winding her up? What did she want Eloise to do?

“There is something not quite right about her.”

Eloise turned to her friend. “She’s trash and smel s like a brothel.” But yes, Mesopia was right. Most women who she knew of did not carry on in such a blatant manner. The blonde was virtual y slapping her with a gauntlet and waiting to see how she reacted.

“True but there’s something else, something deeper. It’s like she’s there but not there.”

“Huh?” Eloise needed fact not riddles.

Mesopia shrugged. “I don’t know. I’l have to think about it. And no, Arrow would never cheat on you.”

That was exactly what Eloise needed to hear. “You think?”

“I know and so do you so stop being a ninny.”

Eloise opened her mouth to contradict her statement but Mesopia was right. She was acting like a ninny, spinning from one erratic emotion to the other.

“Do you think it’s a test?”

“Do you have to be together for that to happen?”

Hmm, where was Arrow?

* * * * *

Arrow stood outside Voodoo You, watching the blonde woman walk away. Her hips swinging, her perfect ass and superb breasts jiggling just enough to attract male attention. Outwardly, the woman looked hot despite the cold waves he felt coming from her. Unlike Eloise, she was not a true natural beauty.