Sexual Shift (16 page)

“I ask because I don’t understand why you’d waste your time with young girls when you could have a woman instead.” She ran her tongue over her lips and was pleased to see him follow the movement. If she looked at his crotch, would she see a bulge
?

Tanner laughed, even as the girls around him went on the defensive. Several of them called her names, but she ignored them and kept her attention on him. At last, he quieted the girls.

“Can I hope the woman you’re referring to is you?” He closed the distance between them, leaving the angry clique.

Hilly’s heart pounded in her ears, but she managed to keep her hand from shaking as she opened her compact and checked her lip gloss. “Maybe.” She snapped the compact closed. “If you’re man enough to handle a woman like me.”

Interest mixed with surprise on his face.

“Why don’t we find out? I’m Tanner Cage.”

“I’m Serena.”

“Do you have a last name, Serena?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, so you’re using just one name tonight. To keep things simple, I guess?”

Her only answer was to give him a Mona Lisa smile.

Instead of questioning her further, he slid his arm around her, said a quick goodbye to the girls, then led her toward the exit. Leaning closer, he whispered, “Thanks for saving me. A man can only stand so much giggling.”

Hilly’s legs threatened to buckle as he brought her to his Lamborghini and opened the passenger’s door for her. “I’d say ‘my pleasure’ but we’ll have to see, won’t we?”

Tanner grinned at her, then hurried around to the driver’s side. He slid into his seat and started the motor. “Is my place good for you?”

“Do you have champagne?”

“The very best.”

“Then your place will be fine.” Hilly turned to look out the window, then closed her eyes and said a silent prayer.

Tanner acted like he wanted Serena, going into his usual charming banter. He could, if he wanted, have any woman in the club with or without using his powers. But since meeting Hilly, the thrill of the game was gone. He didn’t want anyone else in his bed, but he wouldn’t risk Hilly’s life. Even if he had to spend the rest of his life in meaningless encounters, proving to his mother that he’d returned to his playboy ways. Hopefully, one day the memory of Hilly would fade.

Neither of them said anything on the way to his home and Serena remained silent as he led her into the great room and offered her a drink. She took it, sipping the drink as she surveyed the room.

She was different, he’d give her that. But not the wonderful kind of different that was Hilly. Serena was too businesslike, seeming more like a woman on the prowl, a woman with an agenda. No one would ever look at him the way Hilly had.

“How about we skip the usual getting-to-know-you part and get right to the sex?” Tanner lifted one eyebrow and waited for her reaction. If she refused or wanted to leave, he wouldn’t care.

“Yes, let’s do.” She placed her drink on a nearby table, then draped her arms around his neck.

Her perfume reminded him of Hilly’s, but he shoved the image of her luscious lips away. Damn it. He had to get over her. He had to keep up the pretense of the playboy so his mother wouldn’t do anything to harm her. He leaned in and feathered a kiss across the ruby lips. She moaned, her breasts pushing against his chest.

Taking her hand, he led her to his bedroom, past the sex room where the threesome had happened. Opening the massive French doors, he ushered Serena inside and started taking off his shirt. He kicked away his slacks, eager to get the sex over with and have her leave.

She pivoted, a beautiful seductress, and undid the straps of her dress. The dress fell to the floor in a cascade of green.

Naked, Serena stood before him, her luscious curves tempting him to approach.

“You’re incredible. But you already know that, don’t you?”

She tilted her head to the right slightly, then opened her arms wide. “What are you waiting for?”

“Not a damn thing.” He took her hand and brought her to the bed.

Sitting on the edge, she flattened her hands against the comforter. Her breasts, perfect and firm, beckoned to him and he took them, noting how soft they were against his palms.

Not as soft as Hilly’s.

He groaned, not in pleasure, but in angst. Would he ever get over Hilly?

Serena leaned her head back, letting the golden hair dance behind her shoulders. He knelt, sliding between her legs, and opened her to him. Shooting her the grin women loved, he dipped his head.

She jolted at the first touch of his tongue against her folds, again reminding him of Hilly. Growling, he thumbed her lips apart and swept his tongue over her clit. She made a mewling sound and clutched his hair, holding him to her.

Keeping all thoughts from his mind, he concentrated on giving her pleasure. She tasted sweet, and he sucked, drinking from her, but his actions were just actions with no real emotion behind them. He slipped his hand to her breast and fondled it as he buried his face in the smell of her.

God, she reminds me of Hilly in so many ways.
And yet, the feel of her, the rise and fall of her curves, was different.

Angry at himself for thinking of her again, he roughly shoved the woman onto the bed. He crawled on top of her, straddling her, and gave his cock to her. “Suck me dry.”

She paused, and a brief flicker of panic flashed across her face. Nonetheless, she wrapped her hand around his shaft and dragged him inside her mouth. Her tongue whipped around him, teasing him, then lashing at the tip. He moaned and closed his eyes, finally giving in to the incessant memories of Hilly.

In his mind’s fantasy, Hilly’s blue eyes compelled him as she became the woman underneath him. He imagined her tongue sliding along his length, her mouth puckered around him, her hands cupping his balls. He moaned and, for the first time since Hilly had left, lust filled him.

Opening his eyes, he found Serena’s green eyes locked onto him. At once, the desire lessened and he feared his cock would fail him. He slid off her. Maybe if he couldn’t see her face, he could continue the fantasy.

“Turn over.”

“What?”

“Get on your knees. I’m going to fuck you from behind.”

She blinked, a slight frowning marring the perfect face, but she got on her hands and knees. Her tight, round bottom was a man’s dream come true. Any man’s but his. Still, he had to try. If he failed, he’d have a harder time convincing his mother to leave Hilly alone.

Lubricant appeared in his hand at his will, and he smeared the gel along her crack, then into her anus. She was tight. Tight and offering herself up for his pleasure.

What more could he ask for? The cruel answer came swiftly enough.
Hilly.

He didn’t care about Serena’s wishes. All he wanted was to do what he had to do. If she liked it, great. If not, he’d make it up to her another way. Perhaps with a bauble or some other gift.

Tanner thrust into her, knocking her to her elbows. But she didn’t cry out. Instead, she moaned and pushed back. His balls flopped against her and he grabbed her ass, keeping his target in place.

Slamming into her time and again, he closed his eyes and tried to imagine Hilly in her place. The image came and he smiled. If he couldn’t have Hilly, he’d have the next best thing.

Holy hell, she felt good.

Hilly’s smile called to him as she craned her neck around to look at him pushing into her. He could almost hear her voice, lilting and yet commanding at the same time. He moaned as her anal muscles tightened around him.

Running his hand along her spine, he opened his eyes and found Serena staring at him. Shock ripped through him, and he pulled out of her.

“What’s wrong?” She rolled to her back and frowned at him. “Didn’t you like it?”

“Yeah,” he answered even as he shook his head.

A strange glint sparkled in her eyes as she opened her legs for him. “Take me the other way.”

He gritted his teeth and closed his eyes.
Don’t think. Just fuck.

“Look at me, Tanner. I like it when you look at me.”

Without thinking, he opened his eyes. Almost in the same instant, his hard-on faded, and he stumbled away from the bed.

“Will you please tell me what’s wrong?”

He kept his back to her. If she saw, she’d know there was no way he could continue. He’d done as much as he could, but he couldn’t force himself to do any more. “Nothing. I’m not, um, feeling very well. I’ll have my driver take you back to the club. Or anywhere you want.”

Her hand on his shoulder made him jerk, but he didn’t move away. He could feel her gaze on his wilted shaft. If he could’ve sunk through the floor, he would have.

“It’s okay, Tanner. Really. I understand.”

He was amazed to see understanding instead of pity or anger in Serena’s eyes. “How can you?”

“Every man has a problem once or twice. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

He lurched away from her. “I’ve never had a problem.” When she glanced at his flaccid shaft again, he added, “Until Hilly.”

“Hilly?”

Was that joy on her face? Would she make fun of him? Yet, he wanted to tell her, needed to tell her. “She’s the woman I love. Since I met her, I can’t have sex with anyone else. Not without fantasizing that the woman I’m with is really her.”

“Oh, my word.” Her hands flew to her chest as her smile grew.

Oh, my word. Just like Hilly says
. He stopped, studied her. Could it be? But no, Hilly wouldn’t want anything to do with him after what he’d said. He groaned and ran a hand over his face. “Look, I’m sorry, but I’m going to ask you to leave. In some ways, you remind me of her and it’s just too painful to bear.”

“No way. I’m not going anywhere.”

He opened his mouth to demand she leave, to use his power to make her leave if necessary, when Serena’s image grew blurry. Yellow hair darkened, growing from dirty blonde to brown and then changing into glowing black locks. Her green eyes transformed into mesmerizing blue ones, ones that held the love he’d dreamed of. He held his breath as Serena transformed into Hilly.

Chapter Eleven

Hilly threw herself into Tanner’s arms. “God, I’ve missed you!” For one awful moment, when he didn’t respond, didn’t wrap his arms around her, she thought she’d misunderstood everything he’d said. Then he ensnared her and hugged her so tightly she had to push against him to make him turn her loose so she could suck in a breath. He still hung on to her arms as he scanned her from top to bottom.

“I can’t believe it’s you.”

“Why not? You know I’m a shape-shifter.” She couldn’t help but grin at his wonder.

“Why didn’t you tell me it was you?” He let go and stepped back, a suspicious expression clouding his features. “Why the disguise?”

“Are you kidding me? You called me after we…you know what…and then nothing. I even tried to call you—against the advice of my sisters, by the way—but you never took my calls. Then after what happened with Meg at the club… I was afraid you wouldn’t let me near you again. So what else could I do?”

He took her into his arms again and ran his finger over her lips. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I didn’t leave you much choice.”

She tugged him with her to sit on the edge of the bed. “Why didn’t you call me back? When you dumped me I thought you’d decided you didn’t want to see me again. Yet even then, I couldn’t believe it. Not after all we went through. I had to talk to you one last time, to find out the real reason. I just hoped you’d open up to Serena. Then after what you said today, I knew I was right. Tanner, what’s going on? I’m very confused.”

He grew serious and clasped her hand. “My mother threatened you again. And after the threesome scheme blew up in our face, I had to agree to stop seeing you. I had to keep you safe.”

“She’s really going to hurt me, isn’t she?”

“Yes. No one should ever ignore her threats. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have let you go.” He cupped her cheek, ridding her of the chill. “I couldn’t let her harm you. Even if it meant losing you.”

His kiss started out soft, then turned hungry. She slid her hand up his chest and grabbed his shirt, holding on to him as though he might disappear into thin air. He nibbled on her bottom lip, and she returned the caress, tugging his lower lip between her teeth. Breaking free, she gazed at him, determination washing the tendrils of fear from her.

“I don’t care what your mother tries. We can’t let her keep us from each other. I can’t live without you, Tanner.”

“I won’t risk your safety.”

“So instead, you’d rather we both face a future alone? I couldn’t stand that. If I can’t have the love I’ve searched for all my life, then I won’t have anything at all.”

He kissed her again, this time quick and hard. “You’re very brave, but I wonder if you really know what you’re getting into. I’m willing to face her, alone, but to put you in her line of fire?” He shook his head. “I can’t take the risk.”

“Am I not worth fighting for? Are we not worth taking the chance?” If he didn’t think so, was she wrong to believe in them?