The Golden Bell (8 page)

Boldly, he swept down the covers and snuggled
closer. The kisses alternated on her lips and ears, trailed down
her jaw and caressed her neck. The hand on her back slid down to
cup the curve of her behind, massaging, pulling her closer.

She should have objected. Should have said
no. Instead she gasped, unable to remember why this was a problem.
It had just been so long since she’d felt pleasure of any kind, and
he was giving her his full attention. Pitiful, but she was starving
for his touch…any touch.

If she couldn’t have love, then at least she
could have this.

Heaven help her, the man was gorgeous, nice,
and he wanted her. It was all she could ever hope for, and she
would take it.

Her sleeveless linen shirt twisted around
her, the soft fabric suddenly chaffing. Fallon sat up and pulled it
off her, sinking back down into a kiss before she could object to
the exposure. His weight was so good, the sensation of his leather
vest on her naked breasts exciting, scary in its newness. She
didn’t want to stop.

He lifted from her slightly and stared at her
breasts, then slowly licked his lips.

She shivered and covered them.

Smiling wickedly, he covered her hands with
his and rotated.

Shocked, she yanked hers away and gasped as
his hands took over, massaging, pinching her nipples, causing a
wicked fire to race through her blood. She arched under his
hands.

He kissed her, took his time to deeply
explore her mouth and lifted to watch her. “Want it, sweetheart?
Need it?” he whispered rakishly. “Have some.” His mouth closed
around her nipple, gently bit.

Rain’s body arched off the bed. She moaned
his name and closed her eyes as his hands reached under her to grip
her butt.

Bursts of pleasure raced through her, causing
white hot flashes of light behind her lids. What was this? It went
on and on and ebbed, only to rise again and consume her.

She was so hot. Couldn’t get enough, but when
she tugged at his vest, wanting closer contact, he slipped down her
body instead.

“No, love. Tonight is all about you. You want
to invite my pleasure another night, I’ll be happy to oblige. For
now…just enjoy.” His tongue caressed her belly, lapped at her
navel, dipped inside. Kissed the skin just above her pants. Taking
his time, he untied the bow of her drawstring trousers.

Rain knew what came next, trembled in
anticipation. She’d heard about it, wanted it. Wasn’t about to tell
him no if he wanted to do it. This was better than the Bell, better
than…wait! What was she thinking? The Bell was safe, in its way. He
wasn’t. “Wait! Uh. Oh. Ahhh….” His fingers had slipped below the
pants, which he’d inched down. He had her clitoris in between his
thumb and fingers and was gently massaging.

“More?” he said suggestively, and lowered
them a fraction. “Do you want my kiss there, too, baby? Say
it.”

“Say what?” She couldn’t think.

“Tell me that you’re wet, dreaming of my
kisses. Tell me that you want my kisses there.”

“I can’t!”

“Yes, you can. Say, ‘Fallon’.”

“Fallon.”

“I want your kisses.”

“I-I want your kisses.” She moaned in
pleasure as he rewarded her, then squirmed when he stopped.

“Fallon, I’m wet, dreaming of your kisses.”
His voice was low, seductive. It was nearly as bad as his stroking
fingers.

“That’s embarrass…” she broke off with a
squeal as he dipped a fingertip a fraction into her. Sadly, he
stopped again.

“Say it. Say it all, or I’ll stop now.”

“No!”

“Say it.”

“F-fallon. I…I’m so wet, dreaming of your
kisses there.” Just saying it made a gush of liquid heat wet her
thighs.

“That’s my sweet kitten,” he murmured.
Deftly, he flipped her onto her stomach and tucked a pillow under
her hips, raising her up. He stripped off her pants, leaving her
totally exposed, totally naked to his vision.

She tried to sit up. “What…”

He spread her thighs and licked her, right
where she’d told him she needed it.

It was too good, but she couldn’t get away,
couldn’t stop him with her hands. The more she squirmed against the
sheets, the worse the friction teased her. Her butt was high, her
thighs clamped in his big hands, spread wide for his pleasure…and
hers.

It was such sweet pleasure, such a relief to
surrender. She couldn’t fight him, didn’t want to. Could only buck
and squirm as his tongue sank deep into her, crying out when his
deliberate moan vibrated inside her.

Fallon knew he could have anything he wanted
at that moment, but he wasn’t about to take it. She was passionate
and hungry, needing a lover who would put her needs first. This
first loving was about healing, about teaching her the power of
pleasure. It was also a binding, though she wouldn’t recognize his
power over her at first. They would have plenty of time for more,
and he was a man with self-control. So instead of bringing her
higher, driving her mindless, he brought her down easy, left her
floating on a plain of pleasure. When she had drifted down enough
not to hurt when he stopped, he got off the bed and pulled her up.
“Come on. It’s time for dinner.”

She wobbled in his arms. “W-what?”

“Dinner. Oddly enough, having dessert first
always whets my appetite.”

She blushed and looked around for her
clothes. Happy to keep her off balance, because he didn’t want her
to think, it was always a headache when women thought in these
situations; he helped her into her dress. Mm, he liked that blue
outfit on her. He was tempted to buy her that style in every color
of the rainbow.

She still looked dazed when he brought her to
his suite and seated her at the long table. Larger than her own
apartments, his was furnished in soft greens, bronze and tan
leather. It had three bedrooms, suitable for the family he’d one
day have. The houseplants were few, but well cared for thanks to
his housekeeper. He looked at Rain, but whatever she thought of the
place, she seemed too unsettled to comment.

The meal had just been laid out on the table.
Content to leave the unfocused expression on her face, he filled
her plate and poured her wine before serving himself.

She ate, but kept her eyes on her plate. He
let her have silence for a little while, then said casually, “I
thought we could fish on the bay in the morning. I’ve arranged to
borrow a small sailboat, and the weather promises to be fine. We
should enjoy it before the storms come in the fall and we’re forced
indoors much of the time.”

She risked a glance at him. “Storms?”

“Fierce electrical storms. How do you like
your dinner?”

She looked down at the half-eaten roast. It’s
good.”

“And did you enjoy making love with me,
too?”

CHAPTER 6

Rain looked at him with a stricken
expression. “You’re so casual about it.”

“Not casual. Frank. I enjoyed it. I don’t
want it to be swept under the rug. Preferably, I’ll like to share
it again with you…at your invitation, of course.”

She remained silent, her eyes on her
plate.

Fallon waited.

“I think you’d better find someone else,” she
whispered.

“I’ve no interest in somebody else.”

“Today.” Her voice gained strength.

“You’ve decided I’m some sort of
playboy.”

“Aren’t you?”

He considered that. “In the past, I’ve been
as wild as any youth. Trust me, the lifestyle pales as a man gets
older. I’m thinking differently these days, planning differently.
You have nothing to fear from me.”

She met his eyes with apparent difficulty.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means I’m looking for a wife. My friends
have settled down and I like what they’ve done with their lives.
They’ve got a good thing going.”

“Well, if you’re looking for a wife, we know
you won’t choose me,” she said bitterly. “Besides, you barely know
me. Like I said, find someone else.”

He continued doggedly, “There’s an appeal to
coming home to a house with someone in it. I like the idea of a
wife lighting up my home.”

“You want kids,” she accused him.

He shifted uncomfortably. “Not really. Not
right now, at least. Don’t misunderstand, I like playing with my
cousin’s children, but it’s a relief to know that they’re his at
the end of the day.”

She raised a skeptical brow. “You’re going to
have a hard time marrying a girl who doesn’t want kids.”

“Do you?”

That caught her off guard. “Well, no. Not
really. I mean, I don’t think I’d be a bad mom, I just don’t have
the urge, you know? I don’t like the idea of being pregnant, or
childbirth, or diapers. I think it would be better to adopt a kid.
Someone else has already done the worst stuff, that way.”

“What about the teenage years?”

She shrugged. “I’m not afraid of teens.
They’re easy to talk to.”

He smiled. “You see? We’d be perfect, not
that anything’s decided now. Here, try these fruit jellies. They’re
delicious.

“Did I tell you I’ve officially retired from
my post as ambassador to Earth? Kirk took it over. Not that there’s
much traffic these days. There are only a few families left on
Earth, most of which are making noise about crossing over. Some of
the Elders are retiring, acknowledging that their roles are being
phased out. Elders Azion and Traforte should arrive in a couple of
days.”

She stiffened. “Really?” That couldn’t be
coincidence. She was a sitting duck, nicely boxed in by Fallon’s
protective care.

She suddenly realized that Fallon hadn’t
asked her any more questions about her father’s death and the Haunt
involved. He’d seen how much the experience still affected her. For
all she knew, even her allergy to Haunt fur could be
psychosomatic.

Granted, he sometimes came off as a flake and
a playboy, witness his talk about marrying her…but how much of that
was real? Someone had put him in charge of the portal, and that was
no position for a fool. He might be easygoing around her, but she
remembered her first glimpse of him, wreathed in dust from the
bomb. This was a dangerous man. Relaxing around him was
hazardous.

Becoming his lover was the act of a
madwoman.

“There’s going to be a party for them in a
couple of days. We’re invited, of course.”

“Not interested.” She picked up her wine and
took a slow sip, just to have something casual to do. She had a
poker face when she wanted, and these weren’t thoughts she wished
to share.

Her father had talked to both Elders Azion
and Traforte within days of each other. Soon after that they were
swarmed with murderous Haunt. For a girl who hadn’t known about
them until her teens, nor ever seen one transformed, it was a
horrific experience. If she hadn’t wanted to be one of them before,
she really wasn’t happy about it then.

One of them wanted the Bell, and they wanted
to keep quiet about its existence. She wasn’t eager to reveal it,
either. It was her ticket out of there…she thought. After all, it
hadn’t been tested yet.

“You’re still angry at them for sending you
here?”

Fallon’s casual question made her refocus. “I
have no use for the council,” she said coolly. “Like I said, I’m a
US citizen. I’m here under protest.”

He watched her. “You’ve been very quiet about
your protests.”

“Who’s listening to me? I said it to the
council and my stance hasn’t changed.”

“You enjoyed the market and seemed to like
your new garden.”

Rain shrugged. “I learned a long time ago to
make the most of the moment. Yeah, they were cool. I enjoyed parts
of Ireland, too, but I wouldn’t want to live there
permanently.”

“What would change your mind?”

She looked away, toward the glass patio
doors, and blinked. There were three moons in the sky. “Whoa!”
Unable to resist, she crossed the room and stepped outside, his
question forgotten.

Moonlight bathed Fallon’s private garden,
making it almost twilight. Why did they call this place the Dark
Lands?

Fallon followed her out, lounging against a
tree trunk. “Pretty?”

“Beautiful,” she agreed, soaking it in.

“You didn’t answer my question.”

She sighed. “What would make me stay here? I
don’t know. Whatever it is, I haven’t seen it yet.”

His eyes glinted in the moonlight. “Haven’t
you?”

She considered a moment, then answered
honestly. “You haven’t shown me yourself yet. I don’t really know
you. Maybe you really do want a wife, but you’re blowing smoke.
Whatever you are, it’s not what you pretend to be. You’re different
since we came here, but I remember what you looked like when you
shot Rory.”

He looked down with a slight smile. “They
said you were a genius.” When he looked back up, his eyes were
smoky, with flashes of hot embers. “So you want to see the real me,
do you?”

“No.” She had a feeling that it wasn’t
pretty. No one who did the things he had to would be all sweetness
and light. “You want to know what I want? A boring, suburban
existence. I want to fight with the cable repairman, go grocery
shopping early to avoid traffic, pay a mortgage. I’ve lived a life
of adventure, and you know what? It’s not all it’s cracked up to
be. I want to sleep in the same bed every night with sheets that
I’ve washed and not have to worry about bedding down in an alley
where a drunk might stumble in to harass me. I don’t want to have
to kill anyone else.” She looked away. “I’m tired of them trying to
kill me.”

“I can guarantee the man who wants to hurt
you is going to find it hard,” Fallon said firmly. “I’m trying to
give you what privacy I can, but the security around you is very
real, Rain. I’m watching out for you.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Why would you feel the
need? After all, without the Cult here, I’m just another penniless
immigrant.” She watched him picking his words, wondering what he
suspected, what he knew.