Wicked Intentions (16 page)

“Don’t feel like.” He pressed a hand on her shoulder blade to push her lower as he placed the head of his dick against her entrance.

“Just there.” She moaned as Nathan pushed into her tip by tip, letting her coat him with her wetness and filling her completely. Everything about her was spellbinding from the way her walls clasped over him tightly to the way she pushed her body pushed back to meet him halfway. They both groaned when he was completely encased in her, her pussy pulsing in excitement over his shaft.

When he started to move, it was almost like he’d been transported into a whole other world where only Shakira and her body existed. She gripped the hot length of him hard, loathe to let him go each time he retreated and eager to swallow him up each time he entered.

“Harder.” She lifted her leg to the table to get him to hit it just right. With her words, Nathan let the beast in him out slamming into her hard. The table creaked in protest but was too strong to crash. Stroke for stroke he pleasured her, each length designed to please her until the only sounds in the room were her whimpers, his groans and the rhythmic slapping of skin.

Eager to shatter her even further, he slid his hand to her slit. With his fingers he stroked her pleasure point in time to his strokes until finally he drove her over the edge of madness. Her walls clamped tightly over his shaft as she came.

“Kira,” Nathan groaned her name as his strokes sped up and he followed her in.

“I’m serious,” she insisted thirty minutes later as they lay on the bed recovering from their energetic bout. “I think you should go.”

“No.” He shook his head. “She’ll think I’ve forgiven her.”

“And?” Shakira questioned. “I don’t see what’s wrong with that.”

“You don’t know my mother.” Nathan scoffed as he smoothed down her hair. Their activities had puffed it out again. “She’ll find a way to use it.”

“And you won’t let her because you’re not the same eighteen year old she tricked,” Shakira insisted. “Wouldn’t you like to know why she’s so interested in you right now?”

“Not, really,” he denied.

“I know you are.” Shakira rose and kissed his cheek. “Maybe she’s just trying to apologize for what she did.”

Edya. Apologize? When chickens started flying!

“No wonder Eve runs circles around you. You’re too soft, Baby.” Nathan lowered his lips to hers to ease the sting of his words. “My mother tried to destroy my career.”

“But she didn’t.” Shakira traced her thumb along his lips. “And I don’t think she even tried that hard to.”

Nathan drew his head back, cutting his eyes at her. “Are you serious?”

“Not that I’m saying what she did wasn’t awful. But think about it.” Shakira eyed him. “If Edya
really
wanted to destroy your career she could have. She could’ve paid off all those other people who you auditioned for after you quit college. She could’ve sabotaged the jobs you got. She could’ve held back your trust fund so you couldn’t start
Extreme Expressions
. Even now she can probably find a way to kill it if she wants.”

The horror. He’d never really thought of it that way. But it was true. Edya had enough power in her fingertip to turn everything he was into ash if she so wished. Why hadn’t she? And why hadn’t she even threatened it? It was very unlike her to ignore leverage like that.

“In her own weird way she let you follow your dreams,” Shakira said.

“You mean in her own wicked way.”

“Go find out what she wants,” Shakira urged. “Besides wouldn’t you like to be able to see Zeke and Danny without sneaking about around Edya?”

Nathan didn’t answer, but he knew that Shakira was right. Though it was a choice he’d made, it still felt like he was a kid pressing his nose against the glass window and staring into the candy shop he wasn’t allowed into. Once in a while his brothers would come outside to give him a piece of candy, but then they’d go back in leaving him standing out there – alone.

As if she could read his mind, she said, “It’s not weak to want to be part of your family again.”

“Are you sure she’ll be okay with me coming with you?”

“She better be,” Nathan dismissed, his eyes on the large black gates. Though his face was an expressionless mask, the rapid tapping of his fingers on the steering wheel was anything but calm.

Shakira wrung her hands nervously as she watched the gates slowly slide open. If she’d known he was going to insist that she come with him, she’d never have suggested that he come to his mother’s wedding. Eve was crazy but his mother was
crazy
. Shakira had no interest whatsoever of being sequestered anywhere with Edya for a whole night and day.

Shakira’s eyes widened as the gates opened revealing the estate behind. A large expanse of well manicured lawns and a concrete driveway yawned inwards leading into the estate. On the eastside of the driveway, several workmen dressed in white, were putting up tents and arranging seats, but what caught Shakira’s attention was the impressive mansion at the end of the driveway.

The closer Nathan drove towards it, the grander the three-storied Victorian manor seemed. It was like a work of art marring the startling blue skies. Reflected sunlight glinted over the long windows that lined the top floors of the house. Two white pillars sculpted as Grecian goddesses held up the awning to the house’s entrance.

She was still staring open-mouthed at the house when she felt Nathan’s hand close around hers. “Don’t be nervous.”

Yeah, right! Because that was possible! She gave Nathan a smile anyway. “I have you, don’t I?”

“You do.” He leant forward and pressed his mouth to hers. His tongue eased into her briefly to soothe her with a deeper kiss. When he finally lifted his head Shakira was feeling much better. Her eyes traveled past him to the entrance of the house.

Edya stood at the door staring at them with an unreadable expression.

Shakira’s anxiety returned full force.

Oh boy
!

CHAPTER 18

As the veteran of warped mother-child relationships, Shakira counted herself as jaded, but even she was surprised by the level of tension between Nathan and Edya. Where she came from, family members could hate each other, but when company came over they pretended like they were attached at the hip. These two didn’t even bother.

“Nathaniel,” Edya greeted.

“Mother.” Nathan nodded shortly.

Who calls their mother, Mother?
Shakira stood silently beside Nathan watching the exchange with curiosity.
But then again, who calls their mother, Eve?

“I see you came.”

“It would seem so,” Nathan returned tersely.

“I didn’t know you were coming with a guest.” Edya’s words were for Nathan but her eyes were on Shakira.

“Well, I did.” Nathan caught Shakira’s hand in his, tagging her just the slightest bit closer as he introduced, “Mother, this is Shakira Dalton, my girlfriend.”

Shakira didn’t even have a chance to absorb the ‘girlfriend’ tag; not with Edya’s eyes narrowing into thin slits as they took her in. The older woman’s gaze flickered downwards to their intertwined hands and then back up to Shakira’s face. “Is she?”

“It’s nice to meet you…Ms. Landa-Hollis,” Shakira remembered the Ms. just in time. Nathan had told her how his mother had reacted when his assistant had called her Mrs. Hollis.

Edya didn’t answer. She stared at Shakira silently and unsmilingly as she subjected her to another head-to-head toe inspection. By the rise of her perfectly arched eyebrow, it was obvious that Nathan’s mother didn’t approve. Nathan’s grip on Shakira’s fingers tightened. Shakira mentally winced, but did not pull away.

“Welcome,” Edya finally said, though the ice dripping from her tone was nowhere near hospitable.

They were saved from any further discomfiture when a tall swarthy-complexioned man in a dapper black suit, snow white shirt and black tie, strode out of the house. Edya turned to him. “Miguel, good. You’re here.” She instructed, “Get Nathaniel’s bags to his room and prepare a guestroom for the girl.”

“Yes, Ms. Landa-Hollis.” Miguel bowed his head slightly before making his way towards the trunk of Nathan’s car. With one last lingering glance at Shakira, Edya entered the house. Nathan’s tension seemed to ease with his mother’s exit. Though his back was still as straight and stiff as an ironing board, he let out a small hiss of breath that only Shakira heard and his hold on her fingers relaxed.

“She doesn’t like you,” Nathan muttered.

“She doesn’t like anyone, remember?” She didn’t want Nathan even more anxious than he was. Bumping his shoulder and adding a teasing note to her voice, she said, “Don’t worry I’ll survive it.”

“You shouldn’t have to survive anything.”

“Master Nathaniel?” Miguel drew their attention as with one hand he pulled their suitcase from the trunk.

Nathan swung around. “Yes?”

“Where are Miss…” he looked at Shakira as if in request for her name.

“Shakira,” she finished for him.

“Where are Miss Shakira’s bags?”

“We’re sharing.” Nathan added curtly, “We’re also sharing my room.”

“But your mother said-”

“My mother says a lot of things,” Nathan returned with a shrug.

Neither of them had even factored in Edya when packing within the same case. They’d only been thinking of convenience. But sharing a room with Nathan was bound to increase the other woman’s displeasure. Experiencing a pang of anxiety, Shakira whispered to Nathan, “Maybe I should get a different room.”

“Why?” Nathan asked.

“Because of your mother.”

“My mother?” The angry light was back in Nathan’s eyes. “Don’t worry about her!”

Men! He really had no idea how much this might make her interactions with Edya harder. Before Shakira could explain any further, Nathan called out to Miguel, “My suit’s in the back seat,” then asked, “Did you know José? He was the butler before you.”

“Yes,” Miguel answered with a small nod. “He was my father.”

“I’m sorry about his death…” Nathan said as they followed Miguel into the house.

Shakira let their conversation flow around her as she took in the house. The interior of the Hollis mansion was just as majestic as the outside; rich oak paneling, and ceilings and walls that had been liberally covered with gilded plasterwork. The walls of the foyer were lined in pilasters and wall units where expensive art pieces rested encased behind stained glass.

“Your home is beautiful,” she complimented Nathan, her fingers tracing the ornate railing that lined the stairway.

“Not my home.” He shrugged. Shakira didn’t bother correcting him. Despite everything between he and his mother, home was home; that’s why he’d missed it so much – even if he pretended he hadn’t.

Miguel led them to an outsized room that could’ve easily fitted half of Shakira’s apartment. White wallpaper covered the walls while the ceiling was painted a soothing shade of dark blue to match the light blue drapes on the window and the expensive blue satin spread on the large bed pushed against the north wall. The rest of the furniture in the room was made of pristine white leather and polished oak. It all spelled wealth.

As Miguel set their suitcase on the side of the bed, Nathan asked him, “Are any of my brothers here yet?”

“Master Ezekiel isn’t in yet but Master Daniel is in his laboratory,” Miguel said. “I’ll let him know that you’re here.”

“Thank you.”

Once Miguel was gone, Shakira turned to Nathan and looped her arms around his neck. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” Nathan sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck. Shakira rose on tip-toes and kissed his nose, her intent to at least ease some of the tension still visibly thrumming through him. She could only imagine how he felt being around his mother. Yes, Eve usually stepped on her last nerve, but for some reason whenever her mother was around she was just so glad to have her around and safe, that it was easy to forgive her.

Nathan slipped into the kiss easily his mouth meeting hers. It wasn’t a heated kiss, more like a soothing mating. Her tongue ventured into his mouth, stroking, calming and her hands eased over his back and neck in slow strokes. The feathery touch seemed to ease him because he sighed in to her mouth as his body relaxed into hers.

Breathing deeply, his mouth hardened over hers in long searching kisses, each more tender than the last. When they finally pulled apart for a breather, she felt like she’d been in a marathon and won. Just as breathless, Nathan pinned her with a simmering gaze before saying, “Thanks.”

She tilted her head. “For what?”

“For being here with me,” Nathan said huskily. “I know you didn’t want to come but I’m glad you did. I don’t know if I would’ve been able to deal with her if you weren’t here.”

It wasn’t the longest or most sentimental speech but coming from Nathan it was everything. He’d done so much for her that being here for me seemed like the least she could do. But it wasn’t just about giving back to him. She couldn’t imagine refusing this man anything.

That Nathan had carved himself a place in her heart was inescapable.

What she and Charlie had had paled in comparison to what she felt for Nathan. There had been no excitement in that relationship. In fact when she’d found out that Charlie was cheating on her, it was her ego more than her heart that had been pricked. It didn’t even bear thinking of the kind of damage Nathan could do to her heart if he ever deceived her like that.

But he would never do it. Nathan wasn’t Charlie.

Shakira drew her features into a scowl as she stepped away from him. “You going soft on me, Hollis?” Wagging her finger, she ordered, “Man up, soldier.”

“Did you just call me weak?” Nathan tried to mimic her scowl but it fell flat as a smile creased his face. “Oh, I’m going to get you for that.”

He lunged for her. Giggling Shakira darted towards the bed before he could catch her. She hadn’t been in her high-school’s track team for nothing. Nathan came after her but she was already on the bed. It bounced under her feet as she ran over it and then hopped to the floor on the other side, still laughing, and raced for the door. She yanked it open quickly but instead of empty space ran into a wide chest.

“Oomph!” she grunted as she splayed her hands over the soft grey cotton. Firm hands grasped her upper arms in an effort to steady her, drawing her attention upwards, from the broad muscular chest, six foot plus height, sexy thick lips to meet the most vivid blue eyes she’d ever seen rimmed by long girly lashes. They were the kind of eyes women went to bed dreaming of.

“Woah!” The sexy blue eyes clouded in concern. “You okay?”

Surprisingly, Shakira still had some breath to talk even after all the air he’d stolen with his entrance. “Yeah, I’m okay.”

“Are you sure?” Sexy Blue Eyes bent his eyes skimming her body as if searching for some invisible injuries.

“Get your hands off my woman.” Nathan’s voice cracked like a whip in the room, drawing both Shakira and Sexy Blue Eyes attention towards him.

“And if I don’t?” Sexy Blue Eyes asked.

There was silence. Tense silence! The kind of tense silence even knives shied away from cutting through. It lasted a whole minute or maybe even more as the two men stared down each other with narrow-eyed looks. And then all over sudden both men started laughing. After one last check to make sure Shakira was okay, Sexy Blue Eyes crossed the room to meet Nathan halfway. They dapped and then hugged.

There was no doubt that the two men were related. Sexy Blue Eyes was slightly taller and slimmer than Nathan but their hair was the exact same shade of midnight black and their facial features were curved by the same knife; patrician nose, sexy lips and a strong jaw-line.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Sexy Blue Eyes asked with a grin.

“I could ask the same of you,” Nathan said.

“Attending Mother’s wedding,” Sexy Blue Eyes said but when Nathan cut his eyes at him, he huffed. “Okay, fine! I’m trying to get her to fund my Back-a-Coster and she says she’ll think about it if I come to her wedding.”

“What’s a Back-a-Coster?” Shakira asked.

“Don’t even ask.” Nathan rolled his eyes. “Danny here pretends to be an inventor.” He slapped the back of his palm over Danny’s chest. “When are you going to get a real job, man?”

“Look who’s talking.” Danny turned his interest to Shakira as a wide smile suffused his face. “Who’s the pretty lady?”

If Nathan didn’t already have her heart, she would’ve given it to Danny for that smile. Good God! If Zeke was half as hot as these two, she’d have a hard time concentrating at dinner.

“The
beautiful
lady is my girlfriend, Shakira.” Nathan crossed over to stand beside Shakira, his hand dancing at the small of her back as he introduced, “Kira, this is my little brother, Daniel.”

“You can call me Danny.” He winked at her. “And there’s nothing little about me.”

“Keep flirting with my woman,” Nathan threatened, “and you’ll find yourself floating face down in Mother’s pool.”

Shakira laughed, “It’s nice to meet you, Danny.”

“Baby, don’t be nice to him,” Nathan warned. “You’ll only encourage him. This boy would hit on a moose if it wore a skirt.”

“Me? No. He’s just jealous of my good looks.” Danny protested but the smile he threw at Shakira belied his words. She had a feeling Danny was the resident ladies’ man. It was proven when Zeke walked into the room thirty minutes later.

Though he sported the trade-mark Hollis hair and blue eyes and had the same physique as Nathan, Zeke wore spectacles and seemed more standoffish than his brothers. His reception of Shakira was a sedate nod and ‘
welcome
’ but he wasn’t overtly rude. She didn’t take it personal. Zeke just seemed like the ‘look before you leap type’ which she could appreciate.

Watching the three brothers interact was refreshing. Nathan seemed a lot happier than when they’d walked into the house. When he asked if he could join his brothers for a game of pool before dinner, she was all too willing to agree. “No, it’s okay. I don’t mind.”

“Shakira.” Zeke nodded his head in silent goodbye before he left the room.

Danny followed his brother with a last smile and a, “It was nice to meet you, Kira.”

Nathan stayed behind. “You’re sure?”

From the look in his eyes she could see that he was torn between the guilt of leaving her alone in a strange house and the need to spend some private time with his brothers. She was a big girl; an hour or two alone wouldn’t kill her.

“Go have some fun,” Shakira said pushing him towards the door.

“I’ll see you in a few.” Nathan dipped his head, letting his lips glance over hers before he too left.

After he left, Shakira grabbed her phone and headed out towards the balcony. Propping her arms on the balustrade, she stared out at the Hollis estate. Green lawns stretched out, punctuated by well tended flowerbeds, three gazebos and a swimming pool. There was even a mini forest right at the edge of the estate. There was no doubt about it; this was the kind of place poor man’s dreams were made of.