Tame the Storm: 2 (Cinder Mated) (5 page)

This was the plan, after all. To get inside the house and stay here until tomorrow night.

“Of course.” Clarissa patted her hand and Griffin’s fingers tapped on the table, drawing Astrid’s gaze.

He stared at Astrid’s hand where the other woman had touched her—however briefly. But a water mage like Clarissa could risk touching a syphon.

It didn’t need to be said. Griffin would never touch Astrid, even in such a casual way. The possibilities were all bad news for the weather mage.

Her stomach hollowed and she dug into the pasta to fill it.

They grew quiet as they ate. Astrid kept her attention narrowed to her plate, only pausing long enough to do as manners required. “This is quite good.”

And she meant it. Her mother never cooked like this.

Clarissa murmured her thanks as noise from the hallway echoed into the dining area.

“Ah, they emerge from their honeymooning,” Griffin murmured.

Curious, Astrid turned in her seat.

A beautiful young woman in a flowing dress and long, curly hair sauntered in with a striking man of indeterminate age walking so close to her they appeared joined at the hip. He smiled at Astrid and she smiled back.

A growl from Griffin sounded through the room and the newcomer woman laughed. Sound rolled through the room and Astrid’s hair stood on her arms. “Uncle, don’t tell me you’re jealous.”

“Not of Sean. The man is wrapped and everyone knows it.” Griffin settled back in his chair.

Sean—he was the telepath that had mated with Daisy, the one she’d been briefed on—signaled a reply with his hands. Astrid had no idea what he’d said, but whatever it was made Griffin laugh and Ray frown.

Clarissa, as cheerful as ever, offered, “There’s still more pasta. Dig in.”

“Gladly.” Daisy gave a wolfish grin. “Breaking in Sean as a partner has been quite a workout. I’m famished.”

Astrid fisted her hands next to her plate and refused to blush at the overt sexuality in the couple’s words and stance. Constantly touching, they moved to fill plates. When they sat at the table, Sean took a chair and Daisy did not. She sat in his lap, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him deeply and passionately.

Ray cleared his throat. The two reluctantly pulled apart—it was almost as if the deaf telepath could hear. Was that possible?

Daisy raised a brow at Astrid. “So who are you?”

“Don’t be rude, brat,” Griffin scolded.

Astrid squared her shoulders and introduced herself.

“The old bat Collins actually had it in her to procreate? Who knew?”

“Really, Daisy, if you can’t be polite to our guest, you’ll have to leave.” Ray didn’t put much heat into the censure and Astrid wasn’t sure what to make of that.

Clarissa tried her best. “Astrid. Daisy says whatever pops into her head, the ruder the better. It helps us remember what a handful she is, as if we could forget.”

“Pfft. You’re just jealous I have a hot man in your bed. I’m not uptight like you are. Instead of waiting, I went out and…”

Sean’s hand reached around and covered Daisy’s mouth. She relaxed back into him and he let his hold fall away.

“Listen.” She stopped for a moment to kiss a clearly amused Sean’s cheek. “I’ll just shovel in some grub and take Sean back to bed.” She picked up her fork and reluctantly added with another glance at Sean. “And thank you so much for making this fantastic meal, Clarissa.”

Sean patted Daisy on the back and picked her up, depositing her in the empty chair next to him, and with a nod at Astrid, ate his food.

“Wonders never cease. Maybe he can get her to behave.” Griffin’s expression lightened and he also returned to eating.

“All I ask is she be polite at dinner,” Ray added.

Unsure of the dynamics at play, but taking an instant liking to the couple and their obvious devotion, she followed the lead of the others and concentrated on her food. A companionable silence fell and she ate so much she thought she might need to be rolled back up the stairs to her room.

When Astrid finished, she waited for the others, careful to keep from staring at Griffin. The draw to memorize his tanned features was nearly impossible to resist. Tension tightened her shoulders and the pasta sat heavy in her stomach.

“Well, thanks again.” Daisy’s loud voice disrupted Astrid’s wandering thoughts. She stood and yanked the silent Sean after her. “See you tomorrow. Or next week. Send food to our room.”

Sean shook his head and let himself be pulled out of the room. As they left, Astrid noticed they were both barefoot. Somehow that struck her as incredibly intimate.

“That was great, Clarissa.” Ray put his napkin on the table and once again jolted Astrid from her thoughts—this time over what it’d be like to share intimacy with a man and go barefoot in their own home together. As it was, she was afraid to bump Griffin’s foot under the table.

“Your turn is tomorrow, pretty talker,” Clarissa answered.

Astrid shoved her chair back and gathered her plate, Daisy’s and Sean’s before rounding the table to a frowning Griffin.

“Why are you cleaning the table? You’re a guest.”

“That’s…” She clamped her mouth shut. If she said, “That’s what I’m supposed to do” they’d think her a child.

“I’ll take them.” Griffin rose. And rose and rose. So damn tall. And broad-shouldered.

Her mouth watered.

“I’ve got it.” She stepped back and Griffin sighed.

“I’ll help.” Griffin sauntered to the sink before she could protest. For a moment she froze in place.

“Let’s play a board game.” Clarissa remained placid with a hint of cheerfulness. The fast moving currents in the room hadn’t daunted her.

“Monopoly?” Astrid blurted and stood there holding the dishes.

“Sure. I’ll get it. Ray, come find it for me.” Clarissa gave a smile that slid from her face as she faced Ray.

“You know where the board games are. They’re just right over…” Ray swept his hand toward the other side of the kitchen.

“Come, help me find it.” Clarissa gave him a pointed look and Ray scowled but followed, grumbling under his breath.

“Guess she’s going to tell him exactly what he did wrong.” Griffin leaned against the kitchen counter next to the sink. His arms crossed, his legs stretched, he appeared relaxed. The muscles of his arms bulged beneath his shirt and his jeans fit his legs perfectly. She was so the opposite, nervous and wondering why she still stood immobile in the middle of the kitchen floor.

“What did he do?” Deflecting attention from herself could get tricky while she needed to dig deeper to learn more about the Cinders. She pretended she wasn’t alone with the storm mage and distracted by the strength of his arms as she finally got her legs to cooperate and put the dishes in the sink.

His heat warmed her side and the air swirled with his fresh rain scent. “There’s a connection between them. He doesn’t want to see it.”

His answer hung heavy with portend, as if there were layers of meaning that she only had to look and find. “Do you mean they’re talent-partners? Like Daisy and Sean? How can anyone ignore that? That’s impossible.”

Griffin remained silent and she stared at her hands as she turned on the water to spray sauce off a plate. From the other side of the room, a whispered argument ensued but Griffin didn’t move, didn’t speak, but she could swear he moved closer. His jean-clad hip brushed her elbow. She stiffened and turned off the water to grip the sink ledge.

“Partners should be opposites. Ray and Clarissa are. Fire and Water. They should balance. They both seem strong, capable. Partners can be friends, married or lovers.” Her last word wavered.

“They aren’t partnered.” Blowing hair against the sensitive shell, his words whispered in her ear. “Yet.”

She shivered. Above the sink, the kitchen window reflected the room. Astrid stood stock still, eyes wide as a frightened deer. Griffin bent toward her. His mouth nearly touched her cheek.

“You should step away.” Her lips moved but couldn’t hear herself over her inordinately loud panting.

“There’s nothing to worry about. You concentrate on not pulling power from me and I’ll do these dishes.”

Somehow, she didn’t expect that last bit and a gurgle of laughter pulled from her chest. She shut it down. She had no business being amused by this man, but he had to be joking about the dishes, didn’t he?

Apparently he wasn’t. He grabbed a sponge, soaped it and thoroughly washed several dishes before she shook her head to dispel her daze.

“My mother had me doing dishes from I don’t know when. I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t the one doing them.” That wasn’t the only chore she was solely responsible for, but that was just the way it was. No reason to worry over it.

Griffin’s elbow brushed against the side of her breast. She jerked her attention to his face and away from the long fingers buried in suds. His mouth curved at the edge. He seemed relaxed and at peace. Perhaps he hadn’t noticed her nipples harden so much she feared to glance down.

“I usually just use the dishwasher.” He reached around her to stack the rinsed plates in a drying rack.

“Dishwasher?” She glanced down and there it was, at her knee. “Why are you hand washing then?”

“It gives us some alone time. You seemed uptight around me. But my storm is leashed. Your syphon abilities, you seem in control. You have no reason to fear me.”

She jerked.

“I don’t fear you.”

“Yeah? Here. You finish the glasses.” He dried his hands and backed away. She was able to breathe again. He’d caused her a certain amount of nervous energy and admittedly, a dizzying sexual buzz.

Shuddering, she reached in the warm water and grabbed the first glass.

Instead of giving her space, he stepped behind her and his heavy hands, those long fingers of his, landed on her shoulders. Her back went ramrod straight.

“Relax. If you just work on those glasses, I’ll help relieve some of this tension. Your shirt there, that’ll keep me safe enough. See? I’m still standing behind you. No drain.”

Her eyes blurred and she locked her knees. Her mouth opened, but she couldn’t utter a word. Nobody had willingly touched her, not those who knew what she was. Only strangers and only briefly.

“You’re okay?” she croaked.

“Of course.” His hands tightened for a moment. Then he did something so amazing she nearly fell on the floor in a puddle. He massaged her. With amazing skill, he rubbed her shoulders, applied pressure and kneaded her muscles. It felt so good, so wonderful, she couldn’t quite be mortified when her breasts went heavy, her skin shivery and her pussy throbbed.

His warm breath whispered across the back of her neck. Gooseflesh erupted all over her and she wanted to lean into him nearly as much as she wanted to rip away and run far, far from here.

“I could put my hands all over the outside of your clothes. Everywhere.” His husky words purred inside her. A light pressure touched her head briefly and was gone. “And I could kiss your sweet-smelling hair.”

She stumbled. Her ass connected with his crotch and there was no mistaking the ridge there. He was hard. Her breath stuttered as her stomach clenched and her core throbbed.

“This is a bad idea.” Chest heaving, she jerked away. Her wet hands dripped on her pants and she couldn’t get her bearings.

Clarissa and Ray sat at the table and talked quietly while they set up the board game. They didn’t appear to notice Astrid’s complete confusion, her turned-on body, nor her incredible urge to just get the hell out.

Griffin brushed past her. A light touch on her waist lingered for a moment. Then she shuddered. This was craziness. She wasn’t here to get weak-kneed over her first massage.

But oh, what a massage. It’d been so heavenly.

Sagging into a chair, she chided herself for letting the man get to her. And playing Monopoly with the Cinders, it just added one more to her list of bad ideas.

Confused and tired, she finally blurted, “Listen. I usually play this with my mother. And I. Well. I cheat.”

Griffin grinned, his straight, gleaming teeth akin to a shark’s predatory smirk. “Don’t worry. If I catch you cheating, it’ll be my pleasure to punish you.”

Her nipples tightened. The pain of arousal struck fast and deep, and the hard chair beneath her provided no relief. Much as getting away from the source of her discomfort appealed to her, she had to stay. If for no other reason than the others provided protection from her treacherous thoughts.

The game started, and thankful for the distraction, she rolled the dice for her turn.

“Nice to see a lady make the first move,” Griffin murmured.

Astrid quirked a smile but didn’t trust herself to make a comeback.

There were four of them playing but it didn’t matter. The only person she noticed sat across from her—the one whose hardened cock had briefly nestled against her ass. She wondered what it’d feel like to have it inside her. A few years ago, before she’d resigned herself to partnering with Neil, she’d given up on having someone to touch her and had gotten a few toys. She knew how a dildo felt and what pleasure that was. Would it be different, the warmth pressing her into the mattress while a man slammed into her?