Seduced and Enchanted (7 page)

However, he still had a lot of explaining to do.

When he reentered the bedroom again, looking fabulous in the slightly rumpled clothes he’d worn last night, she wanted to lick him from head to toe. She couldn’t help it.

To distract herself, she asked, “What about you, Rio? Tell me about you.” It was time to explain the “I’m a
linchetto
of the Etruscan
Fata
” comment.

He didn’t answer her right away but she knew he was mulling over a response rather than avoiding her question. Then again, maybe she didn’t want to know how delusional he really was. Of course those ears she’d been trying not to think about made her doubt her own sanity.

Finally he sighed and walked over, stopping directly in front of her. “You know those fairy tales you were telling me you like to rewrite?” He waited until she nodded 50

Seduced and Enchanted

then said, “Well, most of those stories have a basis in reality. Not the story so much as what the story is about.”

Okay, she’d play along. But she couldn’t keep the hint of skepticism out of her voice. “So fairies and elves and goblins are real?”

He nodded, looking completely serious. “Yeah. We’re just not that…generic.”

Generic?
“What do you mean, ‘we’? What’s a
linchetto
, Rio?”

He looked deep into her eyes as if trying to predict how she was going to react to whatever he was about to say. “A
linchetto
is part of the
Fata
, one of the two magical races of the Etruscans. The
Enu
are the other. The
Fata
are what you would consider mythical beings…elves, fairies and so on. The
Enu
are humans with magical abilities, like the
streghe
and
versipelli
.” At her blank look, he added, “Witches and werewolves.”

Her mouth opened but she couldn’t think of a damn thing to say. A sudden heat flash engulfed her body and she swayed. Rio grabbed her arms as if to hold her up.

After about a minute, she felt the heat subside and took a deep breath.

“So you’re telling me those…creatures are real?”

He stiffened slightly. “We’re not creatures. We’re people. Just like you.”

The hurt look on his face stung her. “So what…what does
linchetto
mean?”

“Night elf,” he shot back.

Her eyebrows lifted. “And that means…”

“That means I can dissolve my body into shadow.”

Her jaw was going to come completely unhinged after all this. “Huh?”

Just like that, Rio disappeared before her eyes. As in, one second he was there, the next he was gone.

The short little shriek that left her mouth was involuntary. The one she uttered when he reappeared was just as embarrassing.

She stared at him in wide-eyed wonder. His expression was wary, uncertain.

“Oh my God. Rio, that’s…” She didn’t find words for it.

51

Stephanie Julian

Rosie had her hands out of her pockets and was reaching for him before she remembered they were dangerous weapons. Rio swayed at the force she threw at him but managed to move back only a few steps. He grabbed her hands then laced their fingers together. His growing smile nearly made her forget the entire screwed-up situation.

“I’m sor—”

He put a finger on her mouth. “Hey, babe.” That smile turned sinfully sexy. “No more sorry. This isn’t your fault.”

“Can you do what I can do?” she asked.

Pulling her closer, he guided their hands around his waist and flattened hers on his back. Then he moved his hands around her waist and pulled her body tightly against his.

“No. But I can work spells. And my brother Cam can translocate.”

At her puzzled look, he added, “He can move himself and others from one place to another.”

Right.
“What about your other brothers?”

“Well, Antonin and I can dissolve. Teo can dissolve but he’s…different.”

“Different how?”

Rio shook his head. “I can’t really explain. It’s a long story. Just take my word for it.”

She was about to ask another question when he said, “You seem to be handling this pretty well. Are you sure you’re not in shock?”

No, of course she wasn’t sure. She’d never been this frightened in her life. If Rio hadn’t been here, she’d probably be on the floor in a dead faint. His presence helped calm her, steadied her enough to face whatever was going on. And something was definitely going on. Hell, things moved when she waved her arms. “Well, it’s not as if I 52

Seduced and Enchanted

fell into the
Twilight Zone
, right? I mean, I’m still me. I just have…an ability I didn’t have yesterday. Right?” Her tone sought reassurance.

Rio smiled again and a sense of calm invaded her. “You’re still you. With a new ability. So are you ready to get some answers?”

She could do this. Rosie nodded, trying to feel as confident as she hoped she sounded. “Lead on.”

Rio couldn’t believe how well Rosie was rolling with the punches.

Sure, she was worried. But she wasn’t hiding in a corner, crying. Her eyes were bright, maybe a little too big, but the smile he couldn’t get enough of had reemerged.

But now he was taking her to see Sal, and that might freak her out. He knew it would…

He’d given some thought to calling his brother Cam to ask for his help. But Cam would chew him up one side and down the other for having a one-night stand with a girl he didn’t know anything about.

Of course Cam didn’t have much room to talk. He’d seduced his mate Stella with the intention of using her to bring down her evil uncle. Still, Rio knew Cam would give him a lecture and he didn’t want to deal with that. Nino would be the same and Teo wouldn’t have a clue how to help. He might actually make things worse without even trying.

No, he’d take her to see Sal. He’d already given her the rundown on the
Fata
and the
Enu
. Sal would be a shock, but Rosie could handle it. He had no doubt.

As they walked down the stairs, Rosie held on to his hand with both of hers.

“Do you have a car, hon, or should I call a cab?” Rio asked. “I can go get my car from my brother’s apartment but it’ll take me about a half hour or more.”

53

Stephanie Julian

“My car’s parked in the space behind the house but I couldn’t get it started yesterday,” Rosie said. “I had to walk to work. You still didn’t tell me where we’re going.”

He ignored that question for now. “Do you mind if I take a look at your car?”

Her eyebrows lifted. “Do you know anything about cars?”

“Hey,” he gave her a mock-offended look, “I’m a guy. It comes with the territory.”

There was that smile again, the one that made him want to take her back to bed.

“Right. Just like girls have the gene for cooking. I’m hell with a microwave but don’t expect me to make you a gourmet meal.”

“No problem.” He shrugged. “I can cook too.”

“Well, aren’t you just too good to be real?”

Was that sarcasm in her voice? It sure sounded like it. As they walked through a kitchen that looked like it held the entire contents of a kitchenware store, Rio wanted more of her earlier smile. He stopped in his tracks, bringing her to a halt and her gaze back to his. Her eyes widened as he lifted her right hand and splayed it on his chest. His heart kicked into a faster rhythm. “Does this not feel real?” he asked quietly.

Her gaze held on to his but he saw her chest begin to rise and fall more rapidly. She swallowed hard and her fingers flexed, digging into his pecs. Then her eyes flashed to his ears. They were covered again by his hair but he knew she was thinking about them from her slight frown.

“I’m just as real as you are, Rosie. I have parents. I went to high school and college.

I had a first kiss. My favorite writers are J.A. Jance and Stephen King. I like metal and classic rock and horror movies.”

Her expression softened but there was still no smile. “What? You’re not a huge
Lord
of the Rings
fan?”

The gentle teasing in her tone lit his libido as surely as if she’d set a match to a can of gasoline. He wanted her. He wanted her more than he wanted to breathe—but she 54

Seduced and Enchanted

was still freaked out. He could see it in her eyes, in the slight dilation of her pupils. Still, sex as a tranquilizer wasn’t a bad idea…

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to rein in his desire. Rosie was probably on overload and he didn’t want to do anything she might regret later.

Her fingers flexed again, the slight movement not triggering any force—except making his blood pressure rise, and his cock along with it.

Letting his gaze drop to her hand, he watched her small, unpainted nails dig into his t-shirt. A memory from last night—the slight pain those short white crescents had inflicted on his balls—made heat burn low in his body.

When he lifted his eyes again, he could tell she was right there with him. Her pretty lips were parted as she drew in a deep breath. Then her tongue darted out to lick her top lip. Her heavy-lidded gaze caught his and, just so he made no mistake, she leaned forward and nipped his bottom lip.

He let the sensuality of that touch unlock the hold he had on his libido. Rio stepped right into her body, molding her to him with both arms around her back and trapping her against his chest. He kissed her hard, forcing her mouth to open under his and letting his tongue plunder the warm cavity beyond.

Rosie moaned, desire and a hint of relief evident in the sound. It was the relief that had him vowing she was going to forget her problems, even if it would only be for a short while. For that, he needed to set some ground rules.

He walked her backward a few steps until she came up against the counter, his mouth still sealed against hers, his tongue sliding against her tongue.

Then he took a step back, watched her hands clench into fists and spun her until she was facing the cabinets.

She gasped, not in fear but in excitement. He knew the difference well and it made him smile. Wrapping his body around her from behind, he pressed his throbbing cock against her ass and rubbed, teasing another groan out of both of them.

55

Stephanie Julian

“It’s going to be fast and hard, babe,” he whispered in her ear. “If that’s not okay, say so now.”

She shuddered against him, as if the words themselves caressed her. “Do it, Rio.”

Grabbing her hands, still clenched into fists against her chest, he lowered them and forced her to curl them around the edge of the gray granite countertop. “Don’t let go.”

He spoke directly into her ear, nipping the lobe for good measure. “Not until I tell you to. And bend at the waist.”

She nodded and did exactly as he told her.

“Good girl. Now don’t move.”

He knew they didn’t have time to play and he also knew if he took too much time, her brain might start to kick in and then she’d worry. About her new powers, about him and where he was taking her.

So he unzipped his jeans and pulled them and his boxer briefs down below his ass until his straining cock was freed. With a quick spell, he materialized one of the condoms from her room into his hand, sheathed himself then reached for her jeans.

He wasn’t careful. His hands were rough as he popped the top button and yanked the zipper down. He wasn’t going to bother with her t-shirt. He liked her half-clothed.

When he had her jeans open, he shoved them and her plain white underwear down her legs and let them gather at her ankles, restricting her movements. It’d make for a tighter fit. Just thinking about it made his cock pulse in expectation.

Rio didn’t waste any more time, just stepped up behind her, her hip in one hand, his cock in the other, and guided it straight into her wet slit.

Gods, she was hot and tight and with her bent over like she was, he sank deeply on the first thrust. Her sheath rippled around him, grabbing on to him with the strength of a fist. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he tried not to come right away.

“Oh my God, Rio,” Rosie gasped, her head lowering even farther. “Do that again.”

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Seduced and Enchanted

No problem.
He didn’t say the words aloud. Her grip on his shaft intensified and he felt the pulsations as her body prepared to orgasm. Only one more thrust…

Rio pulled back until only the tip of his cock had contact with her sleek lower lips then held there for two heartbeats before he slammed back in.

With a cry, Rosie climaxed, her back arching, her fingers clenching white on the counter’s edge. He noticed those details only because he wanted to hold out. Just one more thrust…

He pulled out again, halfway out this time, making her groan. She tried to move with him but he held her hips steady. Another breath and then he shoved it back forcefully with a cry of release. He came, his cock jerking and spurting, giving her everything he had. Including his heart.

He suspected it was hers already.

After a minute or so, Rosie drew in a deep breath and shifted, as if her arms were tired.

“Hey, you okay, babe?”

Pulling free, he let her straighten, though she still held on to the counter.

“Yeah, you could say that.” She laughed, just a short exhalation of air, but she sounded much more relaxed than she had been. “But I could use a little help with my clothes.”

His hand stroked across her bare ass. “I don’t know. You look pretty good to me.”

She laughed again, this time longer. “Yeah, well, I’m not exactly going out of the house like this.”

“All right, let me just clean myself up first.”

She directed him to the drawer with the dishtowels and he first disposed of the condom in the trash before he wet a towel and used it to wipe them both. Then he redressed her, letting his fingers linger over her skin for a second. He wanted the touch to be comforting, soothing, anything not to make her worry again right away.

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Stephanie Julian

But as soon as she turned around, she stuck her hands into her pockets. Reaching for her, he grabbed her right hand, lacing their fingers together as he pulled her toward the back door. It was early morning and the sun had just risen.