Vanished Pride (The Seven Sin Sisters 4) (3 page)

“I
like your touch,” Donovan spoke softly as if to a frightened animal.

“I
shouldn’t have done that. I…”

“You
may touch me wherever and whenever you’d like.”

Paige
forced herself to avert her gaze. She tugged her hand, which he obligingly
allowed her to reclaim. His strength was like an aura that surrounded him. When
she got close, there was no telling how in control she could stay. She could
see so much of her father in Donovan with those same abilities all Valendite
Breed shared, but Paige wondered what his unique traits were.

“How
about I get us drinks?” Donovan moved away and leaned against the kitchen
island.

“Please.
There’s a wine chiller below the cabinet on the other side. Any red wine will
be fine.” Good, keeping his hands occupied and away from her was good. Those
hands were massive, formidable and made Paige wonder how they’d feel against
her. Her heart was thudding, and when she swallowed, she realized she really
did need a drink after all. Her throat was dry. She also really needed to find
a few minutes alone to get a hold of herself.

Paige
wasn’t going to get that lucky though. She finished folding ingredients into a
pocket of dough and popped it into the oven. Stromboli made the simplest dish
and she couldn’t do much more on such frayed nerves. Then a few seconds later,
Donovan handed her a glass of wine. His hand was cooler than hers, but not
overly cold, and his skin was smooth but firm—softer than she expected. As her
skin tingled, Paige realized she could sense his emotions; there was a tenderness
fighting with his need for dominance, and his hunger. She knew she was sensing
his hunger for her, and it was incredibly erotic. She’d taken lovers, always
humans, but never had she felt so in tune with them. This was what it meant to
be mated.

“Come,
sit down with me while we wait for dinner to cook,” Donovan offered. Paige
complied, following him to the smaller kitchen table. The big table in their
dining room was reserved for large family gatherings. “Now, ask me anything
you’d like to know about me. Here is our chance to get to know each other.”

Toying
with her wine glass, she hesitated and then asked, “How old are you?”

“That’s
the first question you ask me? First, tell me why you want to know this over
all other things you could know about me.” Donovan watched her intently, a
dimple in his cheek indicating amusement.

“To
me, it’s the most important because it tells me about your life experience. If
I’m to spend the rest of our existence together, I want to know how long you’ve
lived before finding me,” Paige acknowledged, hoping to lure him in to answering
more of her questions. For good measure, she scrunched up her nose in a way
only her father thought was endearing, but Donovan didn’t even blink. He simply
chuckled once and stroked his finger along her jaw.

“Not
going to work,
Principessa
.” He
laughed as she stared at him. How’d he know what she was trying to do? And why
exactly didn’t it work? Crap. Maybe none of her magic worked on him. She’d
never seen her mother use magic on her father. “You have spunk. I like spunk.”

“What
a beautiful thing to say. You sure know how to seduce a woman.” Paige answered
sarcastically, but she was also mulling over his use of a pet name with her.

“No
worries, there’s no seduction necessary. We’re destined to be mated.”

“Right.
I’m a sure thing,” Paige blurted out without thinking, only to be delighted by
Donovan’s robust laugh—a full belly laugh that made her laugh at herself as
well. It pleased her that she could make him laugh. She considered the idea she
might like him too.

Once
he stopped laughing and realized she sat stoically waiting for his teasing to
end, he said, “I truly do like you, Paige. I’ve done a lot of investigating
while you’ve been busy ignoring me.”

Paige
rolled her eyes but maintained her smile. “Great. I can only imagine what you
found,” she teased. Secretly, she was desperate to know exactly what he’d
uncovered about her, but no way was she going to beg for the information.

Donovan
smiled back at her and nodded his head, taking a sip of wine while watching her.
It seemed he never took his eyes off her. It was unnerving how warm they felt,
as if they were touching her, stroking her. She felt naked under his gaze. She
adjusted herself in her chair, uncertain why she was uncomfortable with such
intense attention when the spotlight was something she thrived in.

“Let’s
just say that I’ve never met another like you,” Donovan paused, taking another
sip of wine, “in all of my one hundred twenty four years.”

“Wow.
That’s old.” Paige knew enough to do the math. He was seventy-four years experienced.
With the Valendite Breed genes, he matured to mating age at fifty years old.

“Not
really. In your terms, I’m still just twenty four, which makes me the very same
age as you.” Donovan grinned and Paige found herself lost in the softness his
smile brought to his angular face. He was a contradiction of sorts between his
strict persona and gentleness, and she found it to be quite an intriguing
combination.

“What
else do you want to know? I’m all yours,” Donovan encouraged her to go on.

 
“Okay. Tell me about your powers,” Paige gave
him a pointed look to see if he would cower. Nope. He just continued to grin at
her. “And I know you’re all too aware of my powers. I’m betting my meddling
sisters spilled all our secrets. So now I want to know yours.”

“I
bet you already guessed that I can block any of your mindreading or other
trickery you try on me,” Donovan acknowledged her earlier assumption.

“Keep
going,” Paige encouraged as she rose to pull dinner from the oven.

Donovan
rose as well and re-filled their wine glasses. Then he waited and watched as
she brought their plates to the table and sat back down. The man had impeccable
manners. She was impressed.

He
took a bite of his Stromboli and moaned. “This is amazing.”

“Yea,
yea, I know but go on, tell me more about your powers,” Paige said though
somewhere inside, she was quite proud of the fact he was enjoying her cooking.

“I
can use telekinesis. It doesn’t work on people or anything with a personal will,
just inanimate objects.”

“Awesome.
Layla mentioned she’s seen Madden move things but I’ve never seen…” Before
Paige could finish her thought, the bottle of wine was dancing its way across
the table to hover over her glass. “Amazing.” She clapped her hands and he set
the bottle down.

 
“That’s just for fun. It’s more impressive when
I use it for important things. As a medic with TEU, I can often gather supplies
with my mind so I don’t need to leave the patient.” Donovan went on to explain
his work. His enthusiasm told Paige just how much he enjoyed his job. He truly
cared about his ability to heal for people.

They
ate in silence for a bit. It was a comfortable silence she appreciated since so
much of her life was filled with noise.

“What
about dessert? I have another useful talent, a keen sense of smell, and I smell
chocolate,” Donovan said as he raised his eyebrows in a silly gesture.

“I
made them this morning. Chocolate lava cakes are Gracie’s favorite. She’s been
blue lately so I thought they’d cheer her up,” Paige grinned at Donovan and bit
on her lower lip. “But since she’s not here, I guess we get to enjoy them.”

“They
sound delicious.” Donovan scooted closer and placed his hand on her knee. It
felt good. Paige wondered again how much longer she could hold out.

“They
look even better.” Paige bit down on her lip again, realizing her comment was
laced with innuendo.

“I
just bet they do.”

Oh
Goddess, Paige shot up so fast the chair fell backwards. If she didn’t move
away from the heat they were creating, her plan to wait was not going to work
at all. “Let me get our dessert and make some coffee. We could sit in the
living room.”

“I’ll
clear the table,” Donovan offered as he tried to keep from laughing at her
antics. How could he not? She wanted to crawl under a rock at how she was
reacting to him. Head high, girl, keep your head held high.

* * * *

Donovan
dangled his fork laden with chocolate cake in front of Paige. “Take a bite.”

“I
can feed myself,” Paige snipped.

“I
know. I just wanted to have some fun. Play along,
Principessa
.”

With
the slightest hesitation, Paige opened her mouth and took in the bite. She
moaned her pleasure as she closed her mouth and savored the rich decadence as
Donovan pulled the fork from between her lips. His eyes were fixated on her
mouth even as he took another forkful and placed it in his own mouth.

“Delicious,”
Donovan’s voice was deep and rough, full of the lust he was finding difficult
to reign in.

He
fed them alternating bites and watched as she enjoyed the moment. For once, she
almost seemed unconcerned, unhurried and, dare he suggest it, relaxed. Unable
to stop himself, Donovan leaned in to lick a tiny smudge of the chocolate sauce
from her lip. When she didn’t flinch—thank the Goddess—he brushed his lips
against hers, this time for a kiss. It was gentle and slow at first, until she
responded with her own need, and then he couldn’t help but deepen the kiss. Paige
sighed ever so gently and opened to him. He ran his tongue along her lips and inside
her mouth. She was delicious; a tempting blend of chocolate and desire.

Touching
her after being denied all this time made him tremble with need. She was an exquisite
beauty and yet…magical. It was as if he held a fairy in his palm, so delicate
and soft. Donovan wanted to feel this power between them for all time. His mate
was spectacular.

Suddenly
she pulled away. “Stop this,” Paige said as she pushed against his chest with
her tiny hands. Donovan was huge, broad compared to her slighter frame, and his
muscles bulged as he took deep breaths to steady himself. He reigned his power
in and sought self-control. Perhaps bringing her around wasn’t going to be as
easy as he thought. He needed a way to show her she needed him as much as he
needed her.

“Principessa,
that was a close call. I can’t play this game of red light-green light with you
without ramifications.” Only a fraction of the warning contained in Donovan’s
eyes was conveyed by his tone.

“I
need to focus on the Coupe du Monde. Once it’s over, once I’ve accomplished
that, I can give myself to you.” Paige used her high-pitched, sweet-as-sin
voice that seemed always to get him to agree. He was on to her now though, and
it was not going to work this time.

“Here’s
the thing about that, Princess, you don’t get to choose the when.”

“Yes,
I do,” Paige actually crossed her arms in front of her chest and pouted, “And
stop calling me Princess. I know you don’t mean it nicely.” She actually
sounded hurt. Goddess, he wanted to bite her pouty lips, remembering the taste
of only a few minutes earlier.

Instead,
he asked, “Do you control everything in your life?”

“Yes.”
Paige’s eyes flared and then turned sad. Donovan now saw how her need for
control affected her. She was actually spiraling out of control and could
barely hold on. He knew just the way to help her. Smiling, Donovan realized
Madden had been right in his advice.

“Paige,”
Donovan spoke her name very purposely, “You’re right. I use Princess when you
are acting like a spoiled one. Now, you will need to forgive me for this but I
have only now discovered what it is you have needed all along. Giving you time
was not the answer.” As he made his final statement, he grabbed firmly onto her
upper arms and brought her body across his lap.

* * * *

“What
do you think you’re doing?” Paige shrieked as she kicked out her feet and
grabbed onto Donovan to gain balance. Shock was an understatement at how he was
treating her. He’d just been so sweet and now this. What was he thinking?

With
her torso dangling down from his lap, her legs hanging off the other side and
his arm banded across her back, Paige was held firmly in place. She attempted
to get loose from his hold, but to no avail. She was completely at his mercy
and that just pissed her off. How dare he do this! He still hadn’t spoken and
her anger was steadily building.

“Donovan,
please, what are you doing to me?”

“We’re
trying things my way,
Principessa
.”
Donovan’s voice frightened her, but then a flush rushed over her skin as he ran
his hand under her skirt. Cool air nipped at her skin as he pushed her skirt
around her waist and bared her tiny scrap of a thong.

Donovan
rubbed along the cheeks of her ass and, as if that wasn’t enough humiliation,
wedged his hand between her thighs. His fingers deftly found Paige’s small
bundle of nerves and a shiver rippled through her body. Her clit grew engorged,
now on fire. The blood rushed to it from everywhere else in her body and she
couldn’t think straight. Her concentration was shot as everything in her
focused on her mate.