Impractical Magic Part 19

The small table lamp was on, creating a dim pool of light in the darkness. A glance at the clock confirmed the time. It was nowhere near the hour he usually awakened. He slid from the bed, then paused, realizing he wore only his black bikini briefs. Well, it wasn't like she hadn't seen him in underwear before.

He scooped her up into his arms, enjoying the feel of her warmth pressed against his bare chest, and her eyes flew open at once. "Wha... ? Brand, put me down." "I was just putting you in bed where you'd be more comfortable." And closer to him... an image that had him hardening in response.

She squirmed in his arms. "Put me down."

With reluctance he set her feet on the floor. "Fine."

"Are you all right?" she asked as soon as she steadied herself.

He sighed. If one more person asked him that... "Don't I look all right?" He spread his arms for emphasis, then grinned when Rose's eyes widened. Her gaze dropped to his briefs, barely able to cover him in his current condition, then flew back to his face.

"Y... yes." Her voice came out slightly hoa.r.s.e. She cleared her throat. "I am so sorry, Brand."

His smile faded. Leave it to Rose to blame herself. Yet he'd done the same thing when she'd been near death. "I know it wasn't your fault. You have no control over what people wish." He hesitated and frowned. "Though I'd sure like to know who hated me enough to make that kind of wish."

'The guy sitting next to me. He was jealous of you. Apparently you met his girlfriend the other night after your show and kissed her. He also believed you'd slept with her." Brand blinked. He hadn't slept with a woman in a long, long time and right now only one held any interest for him. "Do you know her name?"

"Samantha."

He'd found several women waiting for him after the show two nights ago and had willingly signed autographs, all the while wis.h.i.+ng he was with Rose instead. Noting the intensity of Rose's gaze on him, he smiled. Was she jealous? Good. "I did meet some fans," he admitted. "And I gave them a quick kiss like this." He bent forward to place a chaste kiss on Rose's cheek, but even that stirred the ever-present longing for her. "You're leading them on when you do that." Rose sounded like a strict schoolteacher, but the glimmer in her eyes was far from demure. "Nah. This is leading them on." Not giving Rose a chance to back away, he pulled her into his embrace and claimed her lips. They were so soft, so responsive with a sweetness uniquely Rose. He could kiss her forever. Her initial surprise gave way to a return of his pa.s.sion and he dived deeper, mating with her tongue. When he drank a moan from deep in her throat, he clasped her tighter, cradling her head, unwilling to let her turn away.

She was what he wanted ... needed ... craved.

The ache in his gut tightened and he swelled even more, poking out from his briefs now. He held her bottom, pressing her against him, seeking the heat between her thighs.

When she gasped, he left her succulent mouth and nibbled along her throat, behind her ear, lingering at the beat of her erratic pulse. Her head fell back and he cradled her breast. He could feel her taut nipple even through her bra and ached to touch her flesh.

Gliding his fingers over the open skin exposed by the scooped bodice of her turquoise dress, he slid beneath the material into the bra to caress the hot silkiness of her bare breast.

Desire, fevered pa.s.sion shot through him, drawing a groan. "G.o.d, I want you, Rose."

"I..." To his surprise, she eased away from him, her breathing ragged, her cheeks flushed, her nipples prominent.

"Rose." He clenched his fists, the urge to touch her overwhelming. Was she going to back away from him again?

"Are ... are you well enough for this?"

Well enough? He was tired of waiting, tired of wanting. In an impulsive gesture he stripped off his briefs, letting his erection jut forward proudly. "Any more stupid questions?"

Her eyes grew large, her jaw dropped slightly, stroking his ego. She swallowed and brought her gaze back to his face. "There are things you should know first."

"Such as?" He couldn't think of anything to make him change his mind at this point.

"I'm going to use my magic from now on. The deal is over."

"Fine." Then he wouldn't have to worry about leaking wishes anymore.

"But I promise I won't use it to get my story." Her words tumbled out as if she didn't say them fast, she wouldn't say them at all.

"I know." He'd discovered how off-base his a.s.sumptions about her were. Rose was as honorable as they came.

Surprise crossed her features. "You're okay with that?"

"I'm very okay with it." At the moment anything to do with magic was far from his mind-other than the magic he wanted to make with Rose. He stepped toward her and she took an equal step backward.

He froze, every muscle tense. "I trust you. Don't you trust me?"

"I do, but-"

"Are you going to make love with me, Rose?"

Her slight hesitation added to the knotting on his gut. "Yes," she whispered. "But I... I've never done this before. I don't want you to be disappointed in me."

Disappointed? Not in this lifetime. Her other words slowly filtered in and he jerked his head back. "You're a virgin?" From the way she exuded s.e.x appeal, he hadn't expected that.

At her tentative nod, he took a calming breath. "Why?" The question erupted before he could think. She'd always had men swarming around her. He'd a.s.sumed ... evidently, he'd a.s.sumed wrong. Again.

"I've never met anyone I wanted to share my body with." She met his gaze, her blue eyes filled with longing. "Until you."

As proud as that made him, her words also terrified him. He wanted her desperately, but this needed to be special. Very special.

Spotting the vases of roses on the floor, he nodded toward them. "Where did those come from?"

"I made them."

He nodded, then broke the heads off several stems and scattered the petals over the bed, the seductive aroma one he'd always a.s.sociated with Rose. His Rose.

Turning back to her, he caught a glimpse of her trepidation. "Don't worry," he murmured. He intended for her to be very well satisfied before he was done.

He kissed her thoroughly, banking the pa.s.sion that wanted to seize control, and unzipped her dress. It slid to the floor, leaving her in scanty black underwear that accented her creamy skin. If possible, his desire increased, the urge to bury himself in her growing even more fierce.

Forcing himself to go slow, he kissed a path down to the slopes of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, then slid first one strap, then the other from her shoulders. Unfastening the clasp, he let the bra fall away, and sucked in a deep breath. "Perfect." Her silken white b.r.e.a.s.t.s were firm, large enough to fill his hand yet small enough to stand proud, the rose-colored nipples puckered into hard nubs. He had to taste her. Lowering his head, he drew her breast into his mouth, savoring her gasp and moans of pleasure as he teased her tight peak. Sweet, seductive, and s.e.xy.

Moving to her other breast, he slid his hand over her heated skin to the edge of her thigh-high panties. Slipping inside, he found her wet, welcoming, and hot. He located her swollen nub and gave it extra attention until her knees buckled.

He caught her and removed her panties as he set her on the bed. Unbuckling her sandals, he blazed a path up her leg to her inner thigh to her sweet moistness. With his tongue and lips, he nibbled and plunged, giving her a sample of what lay ahead.

Rose twisted on the rose petals, releasing their erotic scent, and reached down to clutch his head, her breathing raspy. Whether to pull him away or forward, he never knew, for he chose that moment to nip at her, and she arched up with a cry of pleasure.

Tfie urge to plunge into her contracting womb had him hard enough to break off, but he managed to retain control and kissed his way back to her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, to briefly torment the swollen peaks, then find her lips.

'That's only the beginning," he murmured against her mouth.

"I never..." Her pupils were huge, her lips red. He'd never wanted anyone this badly in his entire life, yet he took his time, sliding his hands over every inch of her flesh until she squirmed on the bed, her cries incoherent.

"Brand, please."

He couldn't wait any longer. Kissing her deeply, he positioned himself between her thighs, finding the barrier that blocked his way to paradise. He drew back, bringing a murmur of protest from Rose, then plunged forward to embed himself deep within her tight embrace.

She cried out once and he struggled to keep still, to allow her pain to pa.s.s. But she raised her hips against him. "More."

He didn't have to be asked twice. He reined in the fierceness of his desire, yet found her moving with him, answering each stroke with her own. They fit together perfectly, as if she'd been made for him.

When she arched again, crying out his name, and rippled around him, he finally allowed himself to release his pa.s.sion with a groan. To his surprise, he felt a tingling that spread throughout his body, a pleasant yet odd experience.

Of course, what did he expect? Making love to Rose wouldn't be ordinary.

He remained within her as he bent to kiss her. "You okay?"

"I'm wonderful." Her eyes glowed. "That was magnificent. No wonder s.e.x gets so much press."

She really was good for his ego. "You were pretty magnificent yourself."

"Is it always like that?"

Recalling previous, less exciting experiences, Brand hesitated. "I imagine it is with you."

Her luscious b.r.e.a.s.t.s beckoned him and he nibbled first at one, then the other, and her insides clenched around him. "You are very responsive," he murmured.

"Is that because I'm Fae?"

She appeared serious and he grinned. "More likely because you're you."

A slow smile slid across her face and she rocked against him. "Then we ought to test that theory. Several times."

As she moved against him, he stiffened again, surprising himself. Yet he'd never before wanted someone with the urgency he desired Rose.

"You aren't sore?" The last thing he wanted to do was harm her.

Rose gave him a seductive smile and drew him closer for a kiss. "I have magic to take care of that. But you may be aching before long."

"We'll see about that."

He lost himself in her kiss, her touch, in her. Who needed magic when they could share this?

Making love to Rose was a magic all of its own.

Sixteen.

Rose jerked awake, startled to find a hand loosely surrounding her breast, then smiled as she recalled the morning's events. If she'd known how wonderful lovemaking could be, she doubted she would have waited this long.

Then again, would it be this wonderful with anyone other than Brand?

She stretched, easing out the slight soreness of her body. A s.h.i.+mmer of internal magic erased it completely. Before she could turn to face Brand, his hand caressed her breast, his thumb teasing her nipple into tight awareness. A ripple of pleasure flooded her body, and she eased back toward Brand to feel his erection press against her thigh.

Rolling onto her back, she smiled up at him. "Are you always this ... alert?"

"Only for you." The sleepiness left his eyes as he kissed her with enthusiasm.

Her body responded at once, the tight knots of potential pleasure curling within her. She'd never suspected she had such wantonness, yet she wouldn't call it a bad thing. How could anything that felt this good be bad?

And more than the sensual enticements was the feeling this sharing with Brand created-of safety, of caring, of love. No wonder her mother had warned her against falling in love. It was consuming, almost frightening in its intensity.

She wanted more time with Brand yet knew that time was limited. Sooner or later it would end.

But for now-she moaned as he captured her breast again-for now she would enjoy it.

An abrupt knock of the door startled them both just as she had straddled his hips. "Who is it?" Brand called.

"Carter. We need to talk."

Rose grimaced. She kissed Brand quickly. "Bye." And transported to her room.

The last thing she wanted was to be caught naked in Brand's bed. Thank goodness she could use her magic again.

Now to get dressed.

The phone was ringing when she emerged from the bathroom. "Coward," Brand said, his voice warm and teasing.

"Practical," she responded, her body reacting at once just to the sound of his voice. Boy, she was in bad shape.

"I need for everyone to meet in the restaurant for breakfast, okay?"

She frowned as the serious note. "Everything okay?"

"Wonderful. Excellent. Incredible." He chuckled. "How can you even ask?"

"I..." She shook her head. "I'll see you downstairs in a few minutes, then."

'That's already too long."

Brand broke the connection, but Rose caught his eagerness and used her magic to create shorts and a tank top.

Sequoia met her at the restaurant entrance. "You're glowing," she declared.

"I don't glow," Rose said. Not unless she played with fireflies.

"You're glowing," her cousin repeated. She glanced past Rose as Brand approached. "And he's glowing."

"Brand doesn't glow." Yet Rose had to admit he had the look of a man well satisfied.