Strong and Sexy.2 (33 page)

“We should have done this from the very first,” Blackburn whispered roughly, and plunged again for her pliant tongue as his hands stroked their way down her back and to the sides of her breasts.

Against his mouth, she whispered, “This makes no sense...” But she wound her arms around his neck, shuddering at the feel of his palms molding her breasts. She sank into his kisses, long, leisurely, wet incursions that left her so weak he had to hold her up in his arms.

As if he had all the time in the world, and as if a good number of Le Comte’s guests had not spied their impromptu rendezvous, Blackburn traced a voluptuous trail along her parted lips, her smooth cheek, the curl of an ear, the highly sensitive, he discovered, curve of her neck. He moved his mouth to the softness of her shoulder and felt Devon shiver at the touch of his mouth, his teeth, the soothing stroke of his tongue.

No longer distant nor in complete control of the encounter, Blackburn felt himself become harder, tauter, his body contemptuously mocking his attempt at detachment. Her skin was like rich cream beneath his lips, her body sinuously lush as it melted into his. She drew a shuddering breath and, against his will, his hard fingers slid from her breasts to the back of her head where they tangled in her thick hair. His mouth, a hot brand, closed over hers once again.

His eyes closed in self-defense and he immediately saw her naked beneath him, warm and soft and ready. He groaned against the tidal wave threatening to overtake them both. Her open and ardent sensuality startled him like nothing had in a very long time, and he had drunk from the very depths of decadence, manipulating, controlling the most sophisticated of carnal games.

He forced his eyes open, pulling back and releasing her by slow degrees with small kisses, erotically tugging at her lips, willing himself to ignore the clamoring of his heated blood, willing his erection to subside. She was just another of de Maupassant’s women. His pulse slowed, he tensed and ice water began to replace the blood in his veins.

The objective was to have her secure the Eroica, at whatever cost.

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“I had a woman read my tea leaves today, too.” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she knew that wasn’t it.

And unfortunately, Ren’s interest was piqued.

“Oh yeah. And what did you find out? Something about having a wild fling with a long-haired, white-eyelashed musician?”

From her violent blush, Ren realized his flirtatious joke had been dead on. Well damn. He had to find that tea leaf reader and give her a big kiss.

He studied Maggie. Had she revealed that she wanted him to the fortune teller? There was something thrilling about the idea that she’d made it clear to someone else that she wanted him. Even after his brush off. He didn’t deserve that, but he was damned glad he was getting a second chance with her.

And a wild fling was exactly what he wanted, too. Man, this all seemed to be falling into place so easily. There were brief times in his existence when he didn’t feel quite so cursed. This was definitely one of them.

Of course he still sensed some reservations in her that would need to be worked around. Actually two distinct feelings swirled around her like a cocoon. One real and one manufactured.

Her announcement had her embarrassed, and she’d also drunk too much. He could take care of her embarrassment. She had nothing to be ashamed of, period. But he did not want sex with this woman to be the drunken variety. He should have realized in his presence alcohol would affect her more.

Humans always got more drunk, more tired, more overwhelmed in his presence. A side effect of his nature. Even when he wasn’t trying, he still stole some of a human’s energy, which brought their natural tolerance down. A part of being a lampir that he couldn’t totally control.

He did not want Maggie drunk when he was with her. He wanted her fully aware of him when he ran his hands over her soft skin, kissed her, and entered into her curvy little body.

His cock pulsed against the material of his jeans as if cheering at that idea.

And Maggie was so worth cheering about. Her energy snapped between them. So alive, so powerful. She had a wholesomeness to her that radiated from her and filled him. He liked that feeling. Wholesomeness. When had he ever known that feeling?

He started to reach out to tuck one of her flyaway waves behind her ear, but stopped himself. She was too uncomfortable now. He needed to give her time to settle down again before touching her, even in the most innocent way.

Instead, he pushed away her drink. “I think you’ve had enough Impaler for tonight.” God, no double entendre there. Although not in the direction he wanted to go.

She didn’t argue. “I think you’re right.”

“Do you want to get out of here?” he asked, needing to take her somewhere where he could touch her. Not that Sheri would think twice if he decided to make out with Maggie right where they sat. Hell, he’d done more than that at this very table. But Maggie so wasn’t like the women he was used to. She needed seduction, not the usual inelegant groping he’d simply gotten accustom to.

“I think that’s a good idea,” she said.

He noticed that her eyes tracked the features of his face as if they were moving. Oh yeah, she’d drunk too much—and he’d taken too much of her energy, too. It was so damned hard not to.

“Fresh air might be good,” she said, still looking a little disoriented.

Ren nodded, and immediately regretted the action as she nodded in response, trying to focus on him.

He waved to Sheri, thanking her. Maggie thanked her too, her voice sweet and only a little slurred.

“Maybe we should walk around for awhile,” he suggested.

“I think that’s a good idea.” This time “that’s” was only slightly slurred.

He took her elbow. She allowed the touch, even leaned into it. He liked the feeling of her against his side, warm and soft. He focused on giving some of his energy back to her. Another trick a lampir had. He constantly took energy from those around him, but he could also give it back. That didn’t make him so much of a leech, right?

They stepped out of the bar and he headed left onto Bourbon, only to take the next side street off. The smells of Bourbon were not even close to the equivalent of fresh air. Between the smell of beer, trash, and other disgusting things, it was not the place for sobering up someone who was a little tipsy.

He walked slowly, not pushing her into conversation in case she didn’t feel quite up to it. But once they were away from the music blaring from within the bars and the air was mildly less aromatic, she spoke.

“I already feel better. Thanks.”

“Sure. Not like I haven’t been there.” It took him a lot more than three tumblers of wine and a half an Impaler to get there, but he did understand. And yes, he had been counting her drinks. He’d been aware of everything she’d done since she’d walked into the bar tonight.

They reached Jackson Square, and he gestured to benches lining the outside of the wrought-iron fence. “Want to sit?”

She nodded.

Once they were settled, she turned to him, her big gray-green eyes regarding him solemnly—and more focused.

“I’m sorry I told you about the—thing at the cemetery and the tea leaf reading.”

He wasn’t. He liked both announcements, a lot.

“Well,” he said slowly, “technically you didn’t tell me anything about the tea leaf reading. And I really liked what you had to say about the cemetery tour.”

The dim light couldn’t hide Maggie’s blush.

“That was a really good story,” he added when her gaze dropped to her hands folded on her lap.

“I don’t think blurting out that I wished to have a wild fling really constitutes a story.”

Ren smiled at that. “Oh, I don’t know, I think there’s a story there. And frankly, I’m really hoping that I get to be an integral part of it.”

Her head popped up, surprise clear in her wide-eyed expression. How could she possibly be surprised by that? Did she still doubt that he wanted her? Silly woman.

“Ren,” she started, and the slow way she said his name didn’t make him think he was going to like what she had to say after it. So he did the first thing that came into his mind.

He kissed her.

Copyright © 2008 by Jill Shalvis