The Big Blind (Nadia Wolf) (15 page)

“What in the world are you thinking of?” Greyson asked.

The picture popped out of my head, jolting me back into reality. I slowly turned my head to peek at him. A smile grew at the corner of his mouth.

“Well?” He asked.

“I think there’s something wrong with your wine,” I said, hoping to turn the conversation to his hallucinatory wine and not my smutty mind.

“There’s nothing wrong with my wine.”

“Then maybe I need some cake from the restaurant.”

I hopped from the couch and peeked into the four dessert boxes. The chocolate cake took notice of me and winked. I scooped it on a plate and brought it back to the couch. I bit into a giant forkful and enjoyed the chocolate enveloping my mouth.

“I hope you’re sharing,” Greyson said.

“I don’t share cake.” I took another forkful.

“Give me a bite.”

“No way.” I smirked as I cut a big chunk and shoved it in my mouth.

He paused the video and moved the computer off his lap. “Give me a bite.” His eyes were dark with hunger. I wasn’t sure if it was for the cake or me.

I jumped from the couch with my cake. “You can’t have any.”

He swiftly moved from the couch, grabbing at my waist. I turned and ran from his grasp. I took the last bite and wolfed it down.

He cornered me as I swallowed the last of it. “You ate it all!”

I smiled. “I told you I don’t share.”

“Yes, you do,” he said as he took the plate out of my hand, placing it on the table next to us.

He leaned down capturing my mouth with his. It was unexpected and so intensely welcomed. His lips moved hard against mine. Greyson grasped the back of my shirt and drew me in. His tongue flicked my bottom lip, and I parted instantly. I held onto his arms as his tongue took over mine. I could taste the smooth wine in his kiss. Moving my hands down his chest, I felt the muscles beneath his shirt. I explored his arms, his back, and then traveled down to his firm butt. He stopped in surprise for a moment but came back at me harder.

His hands began their own assault on me. My breath hitched as his warm hand glided up the front of my shirt. He cupped my breast as his mouth traveled down to my neck. My back arched to his touch as his thumb circled my nipple over the flimsy bra material. Raking my fingers through his hair, I brought his mouth back to mine, biting his lower lip. He groaned and swooped me up from the floor. Wanting him closer, I wrapped my legs around him.

I could feel the sway of him walking but was too involved in kissing him to care where we were headed. He carried me to the bedroom where we fell on top of the bed. His hands brushed under my shirt, against my skin, and carried my shirt with them. He pulled it off the rest of the way and lowered his head to kiss the valley of my breasts. I felt my bra clasp pop open. As he tossed the bra aside, he gazed down at me. His eyes were hungry but soft with passion. His mouth captured my breast. I moaned as his tongue played and teased. My hands moved down to fumble with the buttons of his shirt. He ignored the buttons, yanked it off over his head, and lowered himself onto me. His mouth pressed against mine but only briefly. His lips and skin were warm and intoxicating. I wriggled underneath him with need.

“Nadia,” he said into my neck, “please say you want me.”

I couldn’t get the words out. I nodded yes.
Oh please, yes!

There was a knock on the door. Greyson ignored it. His fingers unsnapped the button of my jeans and slid the zipper down. His hand found its way in as another knock on the door interrupted us.

“Dammit,” he said, rolling off the bed. He gave me a quick kiss. “Stay here.”

He shrugged his shirt on and jogged to the door.

I couldn’t hear what was being said, but from the stern tones, I think the person was receiving an earful.

My body ached with need for Greyson, but I fumbled with my clothes to shrug them back on. Greyson returned to the bedroom just as I slipped on my shirt. He cringed.

“I’m sorry, Greyson. I just . . . uh . . .”

“Nadia, it’s okay,” he sighed, but his body betrayed him. “I’ll just have to kill the next security guard I see for interrupting us.”

I arched my brow. “You wouldn’t.”

“I would,” he said, stepping closer. He bent his head down to steal another kiss from me. “Everything that happened felt so right.”

I nodded. It did feel right, but it happened way too fast. I may want him, but I wasn’t ready for him.

“Let’s go back to work,” he said. “I think you may be right. There might be something wrong with the wine. I’ve never wanted chocolate cake so bad in my life.” He playfully squeezed my hand.

I laughed. “Greyson, what did the person want?”

“It might be good news. The IT Department was able to recover some of the footage. Hopefully we can find something useful.”

He played the video on his laptop. I settled in next to him on the couch.

The footage was all the same. There was nothing different. People scurried around here and there. Stacks of money were sorted and piled. One man cut open a stack and removed a bill to inspect it.

“Wait,” I said. “Greyson, it’s him.”

Greyson rewound the footage. “For the love of God! How did he access the counting room?”

The man in the video turned around and stared into the camera. He gave the camera some sort of hand signal that I didn’t recognize. It was the same guy from earlier.
Who is this guy?
The video ended.

“Can you go to the police with this footage?” I asked.

“No, this doesn’t prove anything more than the theft of one bill . . . and most likely it was counterfeit.”

“This guy must know something.”

“I’m sure he does.”

“Why won’t you tell me who he is?”

My phone rang. “Doesn’t any one sleep around here?” I asked no one in particular as I answered the phone.

“Did he figure it out yet?” A man’s voice rasped into my ear.

“Who is this?”

Greyson snatched the phone. “Are you in on this, or are you just trying to fuck with me?” He snarled. Greyson handed the phone back to me. “He hung up.”

“Well, that was helpful.”

“Can you try to call him back?”

“The number came up as unknown. I guess I could try.”

“No, don’t bother. I’m sure he’ll call you back. Let’s continue with the footage.”

I curled next to him as we watched hour after hour of the most tediously mind-numbing footage of people coming and going. The morning sun rose after what seemed like a week of watching video. My eyelids drooped and my body sank heavily into Greyson. He nudged me back awake, but within a couple of minutes my eyes blurred and closed. Greyson shifted, dragging me into a sitting position.

“Nadia, you have to wake up,” he said.

I fluttered my eyelids trying to open them. I sank back into the couch and was on the brink of falling into a heavy sleep. I was barely aware of arms wrapping around and lifting me.

“Nadia, I’m giving you one last chance to wake up,” a smooth voice floated to me from the happy gates of dreamland.

I shrieked as water poured over me. My eyes popped wide open, and I grasped on to Greyson’s arms. “What the hell?”

“I told you to wake up.”

Greyson still held me in his arms as the shower water beat down on top of us. Our clothes were drenched and clinging to our skin.

“You can put me down.”

Greyson set me on the floor next to him. “Are you awake now?”

“Yes. I guess I should be thanking you, but for some reason I don’t want to.”

He hugged me in to his wet shirt. “Why don’t we grab some breakfast?”

“Yeah, okay. I’m going to be extremely happy when I can sleep.”

“So will I. I’m feeling a little tired myself.”

“I’m sorry you have to babysit me. Maybe Frankie is back and he can watch me.”

“No, I want to watch you. It’s fun. I’ve never taken a shower fully clothed before. It’s a new experience.”

“Do you think you can find me different clothes? This is all I have and I’m waterlogged.”

“Why don’t you finish showering. I’ll make a few calls and have some clothes sent up.”

“Thanks.”

Greyson stepped out of the shower, snatching a towel as he left the bathroom.

Attempting to peel off my clothes, I found they were anything but cooperative. I struggled with the wet material until I finally won. Letting the garments flop to the floor in a soggy puddle, I propped myself up against the shower wall for support. The water cascaded over me. It was so relaxing . . . so calming . . .

An arm reached in to the shower and plucked me out. A soft fuzzy towel wrapped itself around me; strong arms lifted me.

“Nadia, you need to wake up.”

I felt the sensation of movement and a gentle kiss on my neck. A soft bed compressed underneath me.

“Wake up or I’ll take drastic measures.”

More kisses traveled from my neck to my shoulder. I stirred. A nip on the earlobe brought me back to the surface.

“Are you awake?”

“No,” I muttered.

He kissed my eyelids. “You have to wake up.”

“Death would be nicer.”

Greyson unwrapped me from the towel. My eyes flickered open.

“I know what would be nicer than death,” he said, pressing his weight down on top of me. “And all the work of stripping off your clothes is done.”

His mouth lowered to mine. My pulse kicked up a notch, and all thoughts of sleep were banished from my head. I moved my hands up his back. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, and his skin was smooth to touch. I brought my hands up to his shoulders and wrapped them around him to press him further into me. We molded against each other. His kiss became harder; more urgent. I matched his kiss with the same demand. I pushed against him, and he rolled to his back taking me with him. I straddled him, placing my hands on his chest to balance me. I gazed down at him.

“Nadia, kiss me.”

I leaned down as he tucked his fingers into my hair, pressing me into him. Our bodies intertwined to the point where I didn’t know where my limbs ended and his began. His possessive hands roamed my body. He rolled me onto my back and claimed my budding breast with his teeth. I moaned. His hand traveled from my waist, flat against my belly, and then traveled down. I moved under his commanding hand. He propped himself up to focus on me.

“Nadia, look at me.”

I was lost in his eyes as his fingers found their way to my center. He gently stroked and teased. A tremor set off in all directions. I closed my eyes and let my body pulsate under his touch.

“Nadia, I want to see you. Open your eyes.”

I flicked them back open to peer into his gray eyes. They naturally wanted to close again, but I kept them open, focusing on him. He stroked; with each stroke I fell further into a frenzy of pleasure. I pulsed with delirious need underneath him. He held me down and didn’t stop until I was at the edge. I moaned and clung onto him.

There was a knock on the door. I jerked at the sound.

“Ignore it,” he whispered. “We are going to finish. Give into it, Nadia. Let me feel you give in.”

His caresses and words pushed me over the edge. I tumbled into a sweet release making me quiver in his hands.

He kissed my forehead and brought me in for a hug. “Thank you.”

“Thank you?” I asked, catching my breath. “I think I should be thanking you.”

He smirked. “Well, sure. But you trusted me enough to let yourself go.”

A second knock on the door made me jump. “You should answer the door.”

He let go of me and sat up. “I think it’s your clothes, so I should go fetch them; unless you feel you don’t need them.”

I chuckled. “Go get them.”

He left the room to go answer the door. I stood up and wrapped the towel around me. Voices drifted into the room.

“Where’s Nadia?” Mya asked.

“She’s in the bedroom.”

“Did you two just . . . did I interrupt something?”

“You always interrupt something, but I still love you because we are family . . . and we’re stuck with each other.”

“Very funny.”

“Nadia stepped out of the shower. I’m sure she’ll want her clothes. Why don’t you go in and make sure she’s still up. I’ve been having a hell of a time keeping her awake.”

There was a soft knock on the bedroom door.

“Come in, Mya,” I said.

She peeked in. “Are you decent?”

“As decent as a towel will allow me.”

She opened the door wider and pranced in with a shopping bag. “Here’s an outfit. I bought it from the boutique.”

“Thank you. Do you always help Greyson with errands?”

“Most of the time I do. I like it because it gets me off the casino floor. I don’t mind it, but walking around in circles serving drinks becomes a little routine. Not to mention, I get pinched a lot,” she said, rubbing her behind for emphasis. I didn’t doubt pretty and perky Mya got pinched and probably a whole lot more.