Stealing Cupid's Bow (12 page)

He continued to torture her with his mouth while one hand worked its way down her hip kneading her flesh gently as it went. His name escaped her lips but he didn’t stop. Thank God he didn’t stop.

A tumult of sensation washed over her. She’d never known there could be so much. With each new stroke, each new touch, it only grew, expanding her in a way she’d never imagined.

His lips blazed a trail of fire as they moved to the soft skin of her belly and she unclenched one of her hands to grasp his shoulder instead. His hand had moved from her hip to the tender flesh of her inner thigh—stroking, kneading. His thumb gently grazed against her heat and a moaned pulled from deep in her throat.

His mouth covered hers, as his fingers moved to probe her folds, and she moaned into him. The tip of his index finger circled her entrance with delicious pressure while his palm and his other fingers teased the surrounding flesh. It was heaven. Bliss. Nirvana. There were no words that really fit…. He nibbled and touched as though he could do this all day. It struck her that he probably could.

Frantic with arousal, her body and mind sought more, much more. She undid the button and zipper on his pants and pushed at the fabric, trying to move them down his hips.

He chuckled, a devilish look in his eyes. “Are you sure that’s what you want?”

She nodded wildly. “Yes.” She couldn’t stop now. No, wouldn’t stop. The pull toward most beautiful man she’d ever seen could not be denied. When would she ever get the chance in her life again to have an ultimate fantasy such as this come true?

With the experience of a master, he removed his remaining garments without leaving her side, kissing her neck while he did so. There was a brief pause while he opened the drawer of the nightstand to take out a condom. There couldn’t be anything more erotic than the sight of him kneeling over her, rolling the condom over his shaft. His eyes skimmed her body and returned to her face. He was going to take her and she wanted him to so badly.

He moved himself to cover her, nudging between her legs with his hips.

The firm length of his large member rested against her moist folds, feeling so delicious.

He paused and looked into her eyes, waiting, assessing.

Impatient, she kissed him and pulled at his hips. He didn’t resist. With the full length of him against her, she began to move her hips in a tiny back and forth moment, rubbing herself against him just right, oh so right. Her hands were at his hips frantically guiding him.

In response, he moved exactly the way she wanted. He pressed himself firmly against her, his shaft stroking up and down within her slick moisture. The feel of his hardness against her causing her to become even more wet and engorged.

The tip of his penis rubbed her clitoris, releasing a world of pleasure. His stroking motion became stronger and then the tip of his penis was inside her, spreading her entrance.

She gasped.

Her hands moved to the round firmness of his buttocks and, although she pulled to bring him inside her, he moved slowly. So erotically slowly that she felt every single inch of him as penetrated deep. She panted from the pleasure and writhed beneath him. Capturing her hands he pinned them above her head and watched her face as he withdrew and plunged and then withdrew and sank deep again.

She began to move her hips in desperation and he moved to match her. Not quite as quickly, just a little slower, keeping control of the rhythm. Giving an extra little shove with each thrust down to the hilt. She thought she might lose her mind. How had she ever felt complete without him? Their bodies belonged together locked in pleasure. Noises of passion escaped her that she’d never known she could make. They came from a deep place of satisfaction within in. A place that was awake now.

Her legs moved up to wrap around him, cling to him. In one deft move he shifted them both so that he was sitting on the edge of the bed with her astride, her legs laid out on the bed behind him. She clung to his shoulders to steady herself.

“Hold on tight,” he whispered. He leaned forward over her and she bent back supported by one of his arms. Feeling the precariousness of her position, she clutched at him.

“I won’t let you fall,” he murmured. Reaching diagonally down across her back he grasped her buttock.

The strange position surprised her but she surrendered to him and was glad she had. The hand that grasped her buttock lifted her body in the merest fraction of movement and then pulled her back down on him, his mouth suckled her breast. He continued the minute movement. Lifting her up and then down, all of the most sensitive parts of her body rubbed and pressed against him intimately.

All that she had felt before was surpassed now by the feel of him deep inside her. Her mound was deliciously trapped and pressed between them as he bent over her. She let her head fall back, surrendering to the movement, and his glorious strength as he supported her. Deep, guttural sounds came from her as she reached a new peak.

She didn’t think she could take much more. She was ready to break apart. The shadows they cast created a beautiful twisting shape that danced on the wall. Time suspended as she took in every feel, every detail of him not wanting to forget a single thing.

She was close now and he seemed to know what she was ready for. Shifting her back onto the bed, he laid her across the center. Lifting his torso from her, he sat back on his heels, and then continued to move inside her while his thumb massaged her slick nub.

She was soaring, reaching the peak, and she was almost there.

He lifted her legs with his hands so that her feet were upon his shoulders. His eyes gleamed wickedly with passion. “Hold on,” he said. Grasping her hips he rose into a kneeling position and she had no choice but to hook her heels into the pocket of his collarbone to steady herself as her body assumed a forty-five degree angle. Her arms were tensed, splayed underneath her at this new position. But then she clenched the sheet as he began thrusting again.

The position brought him even deeper than before, at a new angle, reaching the delicate core of her. He moved more and more firmly, sinking to the hilt each time. Her breasts jiggled with the force of it. He was a heady, golden vision towering over her, blue eyes lit like two flames. She consumed his silhouette hungrily.

When the jagged waves of contracting pleasure began inside her, he climaxed with her, adding to the amplitude, causing it to reach the highest spikes as they both went over the edge together into pure ecstasy.

In the morning, Raine drifted back to consciousness in the most glorious mood. She was lying in Alexander’s gigantic bed. The largest, most comfortable bed she had ever been in. It definitely was an unusual size but she supposed it was a fitting thing for the god of love to have. She imagined that many interludes had taken place here over time. And then tried not to think about it.

Her flesh was still singing from the intimacy with him. She’d never known such passion existed in the world but was thankful to have experienced it for even one night. Closing her eyes, she reimagined his lips on her body and sighed. That’s when it registered with her that he wasn’t in the bed. The late-morning sunlight shone through a gap in the curtains showing her that she’d slept the morning away.

Sitting up, she looked around.

The fine white sheets were thoroughly rumpled. One wall was made entirely of windows. Most of them had the curtains drawn across them, blocking out the light. Her clothing was folded and sitting in a neat pile on one of the chairs in the sitting area with her shoes on the floor beneath them.

“Good morning,” said Alexander, as he strolled in carrying a tray.

She blushed. “Good morning.” She suddenly felt the need to smooth her hair and pull the edge of the sheet higher on her chest.

He was wearing a suit, wings gone again to wherever he made them disappear, looking freshly showered, shaved, and perfectly rested.

How did one face a god the night after lovemaking? From all the tales she’d ever heard, one-night stands were the specialty of the gods. Would this be the last she would see of him? What had he thought of their lovemaking? She was only mortal after all, and he had centuries of experience.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Yes.”

He smiled at her. “Good. I brought you some coffee and a croissant and some fruit,” he said setting the tray down on a side table near her clothes.

Her heart melted. What a sweet gesture. “Thank you. Um, it looks like you are dressed for something. Do you have somewhere to be? I can be out of here in a minute.” She gathered the sheets around her and scooted toward the edge of the bed.

He waved a hand at her. “No hurry at all. Take your time.” He glanced at his watch. “I do have an appointment though, yes. It’s almost noon if you can believe it. I would stay and eat something with you but a new client wants to meet with me. Feel free to use anything you want. There are all kinds of supplies in the bathroom. Cole can drive you home when you are ready. Just let someone at the desk know and they’ll call him for you.”

She tried to imagine herself talking to one of the people at the desk and felt embarrassed already, envisioning the knowing looks they would give her.

He sat next to her on the bed. Slipping his hand into her hair he kissed her tenderly, seeming not at all put off by the morning breath she was sure she had.

“You’re beautiful,” he said. “I like the way you look all rumpled and sleepy.”

She smiled, unable to help herself. It was easy to do around him; he was so charming. But at the moment she had other feelings about him, overwhelming ones. Ones she wished she didn’t have. She knew it would be foolish to fall for a god. What would really come of it anyway? She was mortal. He was immortal. Her life would pass before him in the blink of an eye. It would have to be just a one-night stand. She almost didn’t care though. The memory of last night would last her a lifetime.

His hand clasped hers and he looked into her eyes. “Can I see you later?” he asked.

With that one question all her anxiety melted away to be replaced by a cozy hope.

“Yes,” she said, cursing the grin that came to her face once again.

“Great. I don’t want to take you too much away from your family, but I know you’re only here for a short while. So, I want any spare time you have.”

Her heart bloomed. He wanted to see her again. To spend time with her. That had to mean something. More than a one-night stand, she thought. She hoped.

He stroked his fingers along her cheek and then rose to leave.

At the sight of his retreating form, her mind conjured her most pressing issue. She had to try again.

“Alexander, before you go. I just have to ask you again about my parents. I mean, I understand what you said last night. But, please? I really need your help. Can’t you just try to help them?”

“Raine, I already told you. There is nothing that can be done right now. I’m afraid they’ve run their course just like the others do.”

“But what about those other people in the hotel? The ones I saw you shoot at? How come you would help them and not my parents?” She was beginning to feel desperate. “My parents love each other. I know they do. Of all the people on earth you could possibly help they are definitely worth your time. They’ve had a strong marriage for forty years already. That in itself proves it, and they need your help now.”

“It’s not the same—”

“Why not help the good people for a change, the nice people? Why just work for paying clients? There are so many that could truly be helped by you.”

He watched her silently, without expression, his hands in his pockets.

She stood from the bed, sheet clutched to her chest. “Alexander, please. You say you don’t believe in it, but you must. Why else would you have picked up the bow for those people in the hotel?”

He sighed. “It’s simple, Raine; that was a VIP paying client and we were able to find him a good enough match. The company has a success rate to maintain. That’s all there was to it. Their relationship won’t last either.”

She was stunned. Was that all it was to him now? Business? Since when did gods care about business or money for that matter? “Won’t last? Why won’t it last? I thought you made them fall in love.”

“And they will be. For a while. The matches we make aren’t true love. We put people together who have a spark for each other. We just take that tiny bit of feeling and magnify it. They aren’t real love matches. Most of our clients aren’t ready for that anyway.” He shrugged. “When they come to us we find the best match we can for them, take the best shot, and bring them together. It works…for a while. Enough to make them satisfied customers.”

She was appalled.

“I don’t mean to disappoint you. Quite the opposite, I mean to spare you the frustration. It’s as I said before. It doesn’t last and the pain that comes after, well, I don’t need to tell you what it feels like.” He shifted his stance. “I really do hate to deny you your wish, but I hope that you will trust my vast experience in this area.” His tone was firm. His decision was final.

She said no more, knowing it wouldn’t get her anywhere right now. And, after the night they’d had and the emotions she was feeling, she hesitated to push him further. Mentally closing the door on that train of thought, she lifted her eyes to his. “Okay.” For now anyway.

“See you later?”

She nodded and watched as he left the room.

Inside, she struggled to accept what he said. Who was she to question his actions? But another part of her was angry—furious, actually. It raged against her cage of cooperation and threads of it seeped through into her mind, stirring up her emotions. It did
not
have to be this way. How could he give up? How could he be using his power that way? He had the ability to make things better; she knew it. But instead of making things better he was making money. Money!

True love was real; her parents had had it. She’d witnessed it. There was proof right there that he was wrong. What harm was there in trying to fix it? Who in their right mind would not try to help preserve something so precious and rare? Alexander was definitely mistaken.