Riley Jensen 03 - Tempting Evil Part 3

"I just thought it would be nice to drop in and see you," he continued softly.

Part of me wanted to melt into his arms. The harder part knew I couldn't afford to. Not until I truly knew why he was here.

"Meaning, of course, I have no life and just sit around waiting for you?"

"That's not what I meant-"

"It's hard for me to ever know what you mean when you never bother taking the time to explain."

"And when do you give me the time?" he retorted, his anger a hot wash of emotion that seared at my skin.

I rubbed at the ache beginning in my head, and suddenly felt wearier than I'd ever felt in my life. Why did this have to happen now?

"You at least owe me the courtesy of listening," Quinn continued.

"She doesn't owe you anything," Kellen cut in. "You are not wolf. You have no rights-"

Something inside me snapped. "You know what? Neither of you have any rights where I'm concerned. I'm not a prized bone that can be fought over and won." Even if my hormones were dancing with delight at the idea of having two gorgeous men fighting to win my affections. "Right now, I'm not in the mood to deal with this. Why don't you both just get the h.e.l.l out?"

Kellen's expression became as dark as Quinn's. "But we have tickets-"

"I don't give a f.u.c.k about the tickets, or the premier or whatever else you have planned. I've had a s.h.i.+t of a day, and it only seems to be getting worse." I glanced across at Quinn. "Nor do I care why you're here. Just leave."

Quinn studied me for a moment, then asked, "Why? This is something that needs to be sorted out."

"No, it doesn't. Because I'm seeing you both, end of story. If either of you can't accept that, then walk away. I don't care."

Which was a lie, but one I wasn't willing to admit. "Get out. Both of you."

Quinn studied me for several seconds, then turned and walked out. I glanced at Kellen. "And you."

"So you're serious?"

"Totally."

His expression was one of disbelief. I couldn't say I blamed him, and part of me was hoping he'd put up a right, that he'd stay, and just hold me, comfort me.

But all he said was, "I'll call you."

"Do that."

He hesitated, his gaze sweeping me briefly, then he followed Quinn out the door. I closed my eyes against the sudden sting of tears. Not because the night I'd been so looking forward to had just been so thoroughly shot to pieces, but simply because neither of them had asked me if I was okay. Neither of them had even seemed to notice that I was battered and bruised. They'd been far too busy snarling at each other and trying to stake their claim to even notice something as obvious as my swollen jaw and cheek.

And yet both of them claimed to care for me.

I would have laughed at the irony if it wasn't so d.a.m.n sad.

I scrubbed a hand across my eyes, then pushed away from the wall and headed into the bathroom. I lit a candle as the big old tub filled up, added some lemony-lime bath salts to the steaming water, then stripped and eased into the bath. Where I just relaxed, and tried to ignore the screaming frustration of my hormones.

I don't how long it was before I realized I was no longer alone, but enough time had slipped by for the water to become tepid.

I opened my eyes. Kellen stood in the doorway, one shoulder resting against the frame, his expression a mix of fierce desire and even fiercer determination.

And he was holding the biggest bunch of red roses I'd even seen.

Something inside me melted. Rejoiced.

"You really have to learn to lock your door when you have a bath," he said softly.

"But if I did, nice men bearing beautiful roses wouldn't wander in."

"Not only flowers," he said, and produced a small tube from behind his back. "But ma.s.sage oil. I figure all those bruises meant a hard day at the office."

"And here I was thinking no one noticed."

"It took me a while." He placed the roses and the oil on the sink, then took off his jacket and rolled up his s.h.i.+rtsleeves before sitting on the edge of the bath. "I was too busy protecting my territory to even notice said territory was in pretty bad condition."

"I'm n.o.body's territory."

He smiled and dipped a hand in the water, touching my leg and gently running a finger up and down my thigh. Heat ignited low down, and trembled through the rest of me as furiously as a firestorm. My body might be battered and bruised, but everything else was in full working order.

"When you are with me, you're mine," he refuted softly. "And I'll fight all comers to reserve that right."

I raised an eyebrow. "Even vampires with a fierce right hook?"

"Even vampires. Though I cannot believe you're still with that particular vampire."

"I like him."

"Then I must accept him as compet.i.tion. But don't expect me to be happy about it."

I smiled. "Asking that wouldn't be fair."

"No." His gaze rose to mine. The desire so evident in those mint green depths scorched deep. "I want you, Riley."

My name rolled off his tongue as sweetly as a lover's kiss, and my whole body seemed to hum in answer.

"I guess if you're gentle, we might be able to manage a kiss or two."He reached between my feet and pulled out the bath plug, then turned on the hot water. "And a caress or two?"

I pursed my lips, as if considering a question there could only ever be one answer to. We both knew it. The smell of my arousal was as thick as his. "I suppose there's a few unbruised places to find."

His gaze drifted down, a slow perusal that was all-consuming. Heat p.r.i.c.kled across my skin, and my nipples hardened, as if reaching for his caress. Bone-tired and body weary I might be, but I was also a wolf who hadn't had any s.e.x for almost a week.

And that ache took priority over all others.

"I can see one or two interesting possibilities," he murmured, leaning forward to replace the plug then turn off the tap. "Seeing it's such a big bath, do you mind if I join you?"

"Please do." It came out husky, thick with desire.

He smiled and rose, then unhurriedly began taking off his clothes. I enjoyed the show, the gentle reveal of skin and muscle. The candle's dancing light lent a rich warmth to his chocolate colored flesh, highlighting some areas of perfection while leaving others to shadow and imagination.

When he was fully naked, he stepped into the bath, but rather than lying beside me, as I'd expected, he lowered himself over me, using his elbows to keep his weight off me even though his body covered mine as completely as a blanket.

"Nice," he murmured, his breath whispering across my lips.

"Very." The heat of him washed over me, and the wet, raw scent of masculinity and desire had my heart racing so hard I swear it was going to tear out of my chest. I ran a hand down his muscular back, letting it rest on his rump and pus.h.i.+ng him down lightly. The thick heat of him pressed in all the right places, and I sighed. "Very nice indeed."

The words had barely left my lips when his mouth claimed mine. He was a man who knew exactly what he wanted, exactly what I wanted, and his kiss reflected that. It was urgent, hungry, his mouth plundering as our tongues tangled, tasted, teased.

G.o.d, the man could kiss.

After what could have been hours, he groaned, an almost demanding sound that vibrated through my mouth. A sound I understood completely. Because, just like him, I wanted more than just his lips. I wanted him inside, deep inside, thrusting long and hard.

I moved my legs to give him greater access, then raised my eyes to his. "If you want me so badly, why don't you take me?"

"Because I'm trying to be considerate of all those bruises." He pressed himself between my legs, sliding his c.o.c.k back and forth, teasing, but not entering.

"I don't want consideration." But it came out a strangled sound as the heated tip of him began to slide inside.

"Then what do you want?" he murmured, withdrawing briefly. "This?" he added, sliding back inside again, harder and deeper this time.

Pleasure rippled through me, and I groaned. Heard his answering chuckle.

"I'll take that as a yes."

"Do," I gasped, and almost came as he rammed himself deep.

Then he began to move, to thrust, and I closed my eyes, savoring and enjoying the sensations flowing through me as the heat of him filled me and the cooling water lapped with ever more force across our skin.He took his time, stroking slow but deep as he licked and nipped and kissed. Eventually the pressure began to build low in my stomach and fan through the rest of me, first in languorous waves, then quicker, faster, until it became a molten force that made me tremble, twitch, and groan. Had me wanting more, and yet not wanting it all to end so soon.

His breathing became as harsh as mine, his tempo more urgent. Water rocked over the bath's edge, splas.h.i.+ng across the tiles, but right then, the only tide that mattered was the one of pleasure rising between us, and boy, was it rising. I shuddered, writhed, until my moans filled the night and it felt as if I was going to tear apart from the sheer force of enjoyment.

"Let go," he whispered, pressing b.u.t.terfly kisses against my nose, my cheek, my lips as he thrust deep and hard inside me. "I want to hear it. Feel it."

As if his words were a trigger, my o.r.g.a.s.m hit, and suddenly I was shuddering, squirming, my moans so loud they'd surely have to hear them in the apartment next door.

Then he was coming with me, his lips capturing mine as my body clenched around him, his kiss urgent as his body thrust and thrust, until there was nothing left but exhausted, joyous satisfaction.

For several minutes afterward we didn't move, just allowed the cooling water to wash the heat from our skin and our breathing to return to normal. Then he stirred and gave me a sweet, gentle kiss.

"Far better than attending a premier," he murmured. "Though I have to admit, I was intending to take you during the show."

I grinned. "Imagine the headlines that would have created, 'Son of billionaire thrown out of premier for indiscriminate s.e.x'."

"Oh, there wasn't going to be anything indiscriminate about it-and we had a private box."

"I do like a man who thinks ahead."

"Rather than a man who thinks with his head?"

The cheeky twinkle in his eyes made me chuckle. I raised my hips and rubbed myself up and down his p.e.n.i.s. He may have just reached the heights, but he was half ready to go again.

There were definite advantages to being a werewolf, and a revved up s.e.x drive was certainly one of them.

"Thinking with the lower head can sometimes have its advantages."

"Hmmm," he murmured, brus.h.i.+ng my lips with another kiss. "Shall we retreat to your bed and discuss just what those advantages might be?"

"Most definitely."

So we did. And much enjoyable "discussion" was had.

It was only later, when I was lying warm and replete in the circle of his arms, that he asked the question I'd been waiting for all night.

"So, how did you get all the bruises?"

"Training." I yawned, fighting tiredness and the need to sleep, simply because the subject of my bruises would lead pretty neatly into the fact that I'd be disappearing for a while.

"Given the intensity of the bruising, I'd have to say it was more a beating.""I'm a liaison. Given we have to work with guardians, we've got to know how to defend ourselves. As you can see, it gets pretty full-on."

His fingers were caressing my arm, not in a s.e.xual way, but a caring, protective way. It made me feel warm and fuzzy inside- which wasn't something I'd really experienced before and I wasn't sure what to make of it. It wasn't love-I'd been there before, knew what it felt like, and this wasn't that. It was oddly different-safer, nicer.

"So, now that they've beaten you to a pulp, I'm gathering the training is over for the next year or so?"

"I'm afraid not." I looked up at him. "As of tomorrow, I'm on a survival retreat. I won't be able to contact anyone."

Anger, and frustration, seared the depths of his beautiful green eyes. "At all?"

"I'm afraid not."

"For how long?"

I shrugged. "It depends on how well I cope." And how fast we brought down the bad guys.

His hand slid down my side and across my rump as he pulled me closer. "I've only just found you. I'm not too happy about having to let you go again."

Neither was I. But then, if turning my life upside down for several months meant actually getting my life back on track, I wasn't about to grumble. "Look at it this way-I'm going to be one frustrated wolf when I return, so you can be sure the reunion will be a good one."

He grinned. "Now that sounds a little more like it." He s.h.i.+fted slightly, turning onto his side. My head slipped from his chest to his arm, but it felt just as good resting there. "I'm guessing, then, that I'd better let you get some sleep."

I slid a leg over him and adjusted my position as I pressed him close. A s.h.i.+ver of delight ran across my skin as he sheathed himself inside. "I guess you should."

He did. But only after several more hours of loving.

Kellen left at seven. I grabbed some clothes then walked into the bathroom for a quick shower. Once dressed, I headed toward the kitchen to make myself breakfast. Only to discover Quinn sitting cross-legged and elegant in my living room.

I stopped short. He'd changed sometime during the night, because he was now wearing black on black. More than ever he looked like a dark angel-a sinfully s.e.xy dark angel. "I really am going to have to start locking my front door."

"It wouldn't keep me out."