| |
THE COVEN HALL BUZZED with activity. Paige’s group, which included Aidan, was responsible for decorating the large room for the upcoming winter masquerade ball. After her run-in with the intruder earlier in the day, the man had practically been her shadow. Not that she minded the attention.
After he’d taken her back to retrieve her car, which was still parked a block away from Harker’s home, he’d followed her to the shop. Instead of leaving as she’d expected, he’d stuck around and helped Ember with closing. She wished he was spending time with her out of choice and not because Drake had insisted he accompany her. At least he wasn’t glowering at her anymore and actually seemed to be enjoying himself.
They’d spent the last hour working as a team and decorating the artificial ice trees. She stood near the top of a short metal ladder, clutching a rung. She leaned to the right and hung a plastic blade of ice on one of the nearest branches. Without glancing down, she dropped her arm and wiggled her fingers. “I need more icicles.”
When her hand remained empty, she peered over her shoulder. He was ignoring her, his attention focused across the hall. She followed the direction of his gaze and spotted Selene, strutting straight for them. The woman’s sheer black dress exposed ample cleavage, clung to her hips, and barely reached the middle of her thighs.
Paige scanned her own plain cotton blouse and worn blue jeans. Just effing great. How am I supposed to compete with someone who looks the way she does? Aidan still wasn’t paying attention. She finally lost her temper and growled at him. “Aidan.”
“What?” He jerked his head toward her.
“I need more.” She nodded at the tree.
“Sorry. Hold on.” He bent forward and pulled a handful of the long glass ornaments out of the cardboard box sitting near his feet on the floor.
Exasperated, she jerked them from his hand. “If you have somewhere else you need to be, I’m sure I can get someone else to help me.”
“No, I—”
“Aidan,” Selene purred his name. She raised her clipboard, propping it on top of her arm and balancing it against her stomach, below her breasts.
Paige inwardly groaned. The woman had spent the entire evening walking around and giving orders. Not once had she lifted a finger to help anyone do any work.
“Nice job.” Selene’s fingers traipsed a path down his arm.
He flinched and took a step back. “Actually, Paige has been doing most of the work.”
Selene scowled. “Of course she has.” She glanced at the clipboard and tapped it with her pen. “Since you’re being so helpful, would you mind getting a box of crystal snowflakes from storage?”
The urge to tell her to get the damn snowflakes herself rode on the tip of Paige’s tongue. She wasn’t an idiot. Selene could have given several other people the assignment. She wanted to get rid of her to be alone with Aidan.
Well, if he was stupid enough to fall for her antics, there was nothing she could do about it. Rather than argue and cause a scene, she shinnied down the ladder and hopped onto the floor between them, forcing Selene to take a step back.
Gritting her teeth, Paige plastered on a fake smile. “No problem.” She dropped the handful of icicles onto the clipboard. She’d be damned if she’d let Selene get to her. Instead of bolting to the other end of the hall like she wanted to, she forced herself to walk away gracefully.
#
LETTING PAIGE CLIMB the ladder to hang decorations had been a great idea. Having a nice view of her finely shaped ass had greatly improved Aidan’s foul mood. He shuddered every time he thought about how close he’d come to losing her today. Even before Drake suggested he stick close to her, he’d already decided he wasn’t letting her out of his sight. No matter how much she tried to resist.
Since he hadn’t found any signs of a struggle the day he’d found Harker’s body, he assumed the healer probably knew his killer. Combined with the attempted break in at Paige’s apartment, there was a good chance the person was someone working alongside them. He split his time between watching her hover above him and scanning the people in the hall.
Aidan knew the minute he observed Selene heading toward them, things weren’t going to end well. And he’d been right. Within minutes, she’d managed to ruin the playful routine he’d settled into with Paige. And now the beautiful blonde was hastening across the hall.
For a petite woman, she moved quickly when she was angry. He definitely gave her credit for not losing her temper or spearing Selene with one of the icicles, especially after the way she’d been provoked. Determined to recapture the magic between them, he rushed after Paige. It took him several long strides to catch up with her. He tugged the long sleeve of her blouse. “Hey, wait up.” He kept pace beside her. “I’m coming with you. I can help carry boxes.”
“I don’t need your help, St. Claire.” She shot him a nasty look and kept walking. “I’m pretty sure I can handle a box of snowflakes all by myself.”
Over the years, he’d had plenty of opportunities to discern her various levels of irritation. He’d expected her to swat his hand away. When she ignored him completely and jerked the door to the storeroom open, he knew she’d reached a level nine out of ten on her madder-than-hell scale.
He followed her into the room, letting the door close behind him. “I know you can handle it. Maybe I want to help.”
She turned down an aisle between two large shelves whose frame touched the ceiling and butted up against an enclosing wall. With nowhere left to go, she spun around. “Maybe you should go check with your girlfriend and see what she needs help with.”
Girlfriend? She can’t seriously be talking about Selene, could she? “What girlfriend?”
She crossed her arms and huffed. “The one with the clipboard who can’t seem to keep her hands off you.”
Is she jealous? Damn, he hoped so. He stepped forward, trying to hide his amusement when she nervously backed away from him. “Selene is not my girlfriend.”
“Really?” she asked.
“Really.” He took several more steps, forcing her back until she bumped against the concrete wall. “There’s only one woman I’m interested in.” He braced his hands on both sides of her head. “And it’s not her.” He leaned in closer. “But I think you already knew that.”
He loved watching the way she bit her lower lip when she was flustered, like she was doing now. “Unless pretending to be angry was an act so you could get me alone in here with you.”
#
DESPITE THE COOLER temperature in the unheated room, Aidan’s roguish grin and his consuming stance sent a wave of heat skittering through her. “Of all the arrogant and egotistical...” Paige pressed against his chest. “You’re delusional if you think I...”
“What?” His pupils darkened. There was a deeper, huskier quality to his voice. He shifted until their bodies were only inches apart.
She breathed deeply, inhaling his masculine and spicy scent. If she got any hotter, she was going to explode.
He cupped her jaw and lifted her chin. His warm lips came down on hers, an electric shock of heat that wiped away the rest of the world. Damn if she didn’t want him, didn’t need him. She moaned and surrendered to his kiss and allowed her mind to indulge in every fantasy she’d ever had about the man.
She felt his hand slide around her waist, pulling her against the strong muscles of his chest. She gripped his shirt. His erection pressed into her belly, and a soft whimper rose in her throat.
He nipped, played, and stroked—coaxing her mouth open for a deeper kiss. She couldn’t get enough of him and slid her arms around his neck, tangling her fingers in the soft hair at his nape.
He slipped his hand beneath her shirt and splayed his hand along her ribs. His fingertips inching higher, grazing the skin below her breast. His used his thumb to push away the fabric of her bra and rasped the pad across her sensitive nipple, sending shivers to her core.
She’d been right, the man definitely had skillful hands. She arched her back and ground her hips into him. His growl made her shiver. All thoughts of where they were and why they shouldn’t be doing this disappeared.
A banging door jerked her out of the moment. Cassie hollered from the other side of the shelf wall. “Paige, are you in here?”
She has the worst effing timing.
Aidan broke the kiss first but remained snug against her, panting. He pressed his face next to her cheek and whispered, “Don’t answer. Maybe she’ll go away.”
“You obviously don’t know Cassie,” she whispered between uneven gasps.
“Too bad.” He took a step back. She moved away from the wall at the same time a dark head of hair poked around the corner. “Oh, there you are.” Cassie grinned and stepped into the aisle. “Sorry, but the bossy bitch with the clipboard said you might need some help.”
“I’ll bet she did,” Paige grumbled.
“About time you guys finally got after it.” She wiggled her eyebrows, then turned to leave. “Seems like you’ve got it covered, so I’ll be going.”
Before the door closed, her friend yelled, “I’ll be sure to tell what’s-her-face I couldn’t find you.”
Paige groaned. “We should probably get back to work.”
He tugged her into his arms and nuzzled her neck. “I think it’s going to take us a while longer to find those snowflakes. Don’t you?” He placed soft kisses on her throat and worked his way along her jaw.
“They do seem to be a lot harder to find than last year.” She cupped the side of his face and pulled him into a kiss.
#
ONCE THEY’D FINISHED decorating the hall, Aidan had followed her home in his car. Paige paced the entryway of her apartment. Drake’s words from earlier in the day weighed on her mind. Could she trust Aidan with her secret? With her heart?
She peeked out the living room window. It had been a half hour since she’d arrived, and Aidan’s sedan was still parked across the street. All the St. Claires had a stubborn streak, and he was no exception. She silently cursed and tugged on her jacket and boots. She walked outside, trudging through the two-inch-thick layer of snow until she reached his car.
He lowered the glass and leaned his head through the empty window frame. He wrinkled his brow. “Is there a problem?”
She pulled the coat tighter, trying to keep out the late-night chill. “You’re planning on sitting out here all night, aren’t you?”
“If I have to, yes.”
The man could be so damned irritating yet charming at the same time, reminding her of the kisses they shared earlier.
Over the last few weeks, he’d done everything he could to help her, to protect her. And though she didn’t want to admit it, Drake was right. At some point, she needed to tell him the truth, even if she risked having him walk away.
She didn’t know if she had the courage to do it right now, but she couldn’t stand the idea of him spending the night in his car. “Fine. You can come inside.” She clamped her hands on the cold window frame. “And just so we’re clear, you’re sleeping on the couch.”
Once inside, Aidan shed his jacket and plopped down on the couch. Paige needed something to take the edge off her stress and headed for the refrigerator. “You want something to drink? I’m afraid all I have are wine coolers.”
“Cooler sounds great.”
She grabbed two bottles and walked back into the living room. After handing one to him, she curled up on a cushion next to him.
“Thanks.” He unscrewed the lid and took a drink, his gaze never leaving hers.
She popped the cap off her own and drew a long swig. She propped the bottle on her thigh and concentrated on the best place to start.
As if sensing her anxiety, he leaned forward and snatched her bottle. He set it next to his on the coffee table, then took her small hands into his larger ones. “You know you can tell me anything, right?” His thumb gently massaged her skin. “Please tell me what’s going on.”
His voice soothed her, touched a hidden place deep inside her, until she thought she might dissolve from the inside out. “Remember last month when everyone was experiencing problems with their powers? After...the incident.” She watched for his reaction and battled her fear of his rejection.
“Yeah.” A muscle ticked along his jaw.
“Well, mine never went away.” She swallowed against the dryness building in her throat. “I still have demon powers coursing through my veins.”
“How? It should have been a temporary thing.”
“Drake thought the dark powers were drawn to my charmed magic. And because I was in the same room when they were released by the demon fire, I absorbed a higher dose.”
“That’s why you were seeing Harker, wasn’t it?”
“Yes. He was doing research for me, trying to find a way to dispel the energies.”
“Which is why you wanted to access his files?” He gave her a wounded look. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“’Because I care about you, and I didn’t want you to feel worse than you already do. I know you think it was your fault I was kidnapped.”
“It was my fault.” He ran a frustrated hand along the back of his neck. “If I’d used a stronger protection spell, the bastard never would have gotten in here.”
“Then he could have taken me from somewhere else. It could have easily been you or Drake he used to lure Alex that night instead of me.”
By his contemplative expression, she realized the thought had never occurred to him. “Maybe so, but there’s something else you’re not telling me, isn’t there?”
She inhaled deeply. “Harker told me the energies have bonded to my magic. I can’t create charms anymore, not without this happening.” She lifted her right hip, slipped the tarnished heart out of her front jeans pocket, and handed him the charm.
He examined the small piece of metal by holding it up between his thumb and forefinger.
“There’s a chance it will never go away. That I could end up insane like the warlock and the elders would have to...”
He placed the charm in her hand and wrapped his hands around her curled fingers. “I’m not going to let that happen. We’ll find a way to fix this. Together.”
He’s not going to abandon me. She blinked, fighting back the threatening tears. “What if we can’t?”
“We will.” He cupped her cheek. “I promise.”
#
PAIGE’S EYES GLISTENED with fear. Fear Aidan wanted to wash away.
She placed her hand over his. “Thank you.”
“For what?” he asked.
“For being there for me.” Something he’d been doing since they were kids. Back then, she’d assumed he was watching out for her because she was Alex’s best friend. Not anymore. This was different.
“Always.”
She gave him a gentle kiss. “We should try to get some sleep. Tomorrow’s the ball, and it’s going to be a long day.”
He pulled his hand away, hating to let her go. “You’re probably right.”
Paige picked up the empty bottles off the coffee table and tossed them in the trash under the kitchen sink. She turned and said, “If you’re planning on staying, you can use Alex’s room, instead of sleeping on the...”
He didn’t let her finish before pulling her into his arms and kissing her. She leaned into him, her warm hands pressed firmly against his chest. He loved the way she felt in his arms—a perfect fit, as if she’d been designed uniquely for him. Liquid fire swept through him and straight to his groin.
Despite his building need, he kept his movements slow and tender. He captured her moan and pulled her closer. He lifted her, setting her on the edge of the center island. Using his hips, he coaxed her legs apart. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he pulled her firmly against his erection.
He dipped his head and placed gentle kisses along her throat. “I think I’ll be sleeping in your room tonight.” He tugged her shirt free from inside her jeans, and slid his hand underneath the fabric, skimming his hand along her ribs.
“Really,” she gasped. “And what makes you think that?”
“I can be very persuasive.” He cupped his hand over her breast, pulling back the material before running his thumb over her hardened nipple.
He’d held back his feelings for so long it was hard to control his hunger and suppress the overpowering urge to take her right her, right now. As much as he’d enjoy spreading her wide and thrusting into her on the counter, he wanted to savor the moment and make it memorable for both of them.
When she grabbed a handful of his T-shirt, he captured her wrists and placed her hands on his shoulder. “Wrap your legs around my waist.” As soon as she complied, he scooped her off the counter and braced her ass with his arms.
She squealed and locked her arms around his neck. “I can walk.”
“Yeah, but it wouldn’t be as much fun.” He laughed and headed down the hall.
When he reached the foot of her bed, he eased his grip, allowing her to slide down until her feet touched the floor. Starting at her jaw, he kissed his way along her throat to the base of her neck. “These need to go.” He slowly undid the buttons of her blouse and eased it off her shoulders.
He ran his finger along the inside edge of her jeans, smiling at the way she quivered. He pressed gentle kisses along her belly as he unzipped her pants and eased them off her legs.
None of the fantasies he’d ever entertained did justice to seeing Paige wearing nothing but a white lace bra and panties. “You are so beautiful.”
#
PAIGE HAD FANTASIZED about this moment for years. She remembered the night she’d come home from probably her worst date ever and found Aidan passed out on the couch. She’d imagined how wonderful it would feel to slide in next to him and fall asleep in his arms. Instead, she’d stolen a kiss and gone to bed frustrated.
Now that she had him alone in her room, she planned to do more than steal a kiss.
“We should get rid of these as well.” She grabbed his T-shirt again and tugged it up his chest, grazing a path along his abdomen with her fingertips. His breath hitched and he raised his arms, making it easier for her to drag the shirt over his head and discard it on the floor.
She ran her hands along his chest, then skimmed her fingertips over the scar on his upper arm. The scar he’d received from one of the wolf creatures the day he’d tried to rescue her from the warlock.
She licked her lower lip and reached for the button on his jeans. “And these.” She slid down the zipper and helped him discard the remainder of his clothing. Taking a step back, she took her time admiring his sculpted abs and trim waist. Her gaze stopped when she reached his thick erection. Damn if he isn’t one fine specimen of a man.
“Like what you see?” The desire and hungry intent in Aidan’s gaze hummed across her nerve endings. He reached behind her, unhooked her bra, and slid it down her arms. At the same time, he sucked her nipple into his mouth, rolling his tongue around the tip.
She hissed out a breath. “You have no idea.”
He slid his hands to her waist, catching the edge of her panties and pushing them to the floor. “Much better.” He pressed his palm against her ass and pulled her tight. The feeling of his cock rubbing against her belly shot hot sparks to the sensitive area between her legs.
Grabbing his broad shoulders, she ground against him as she placed openmouthed kisses along his shoulder, slowly working her way to the base of his throat. She thrummed with need, and her senses were on overload. “I need...” She reached between them and rubbed his hard shaft.
#
AT THIS RATE, HE WASN’T going to last much longer. Not if her magical fingers kept stroking his cock. He needed to be inside her. And soon.
He knew exactly what she needed. “I’ve got you,” he said, scooping her into his arms and laying her on the bed. He lowered himself on top of her, bracing his upper body with his elbows, careful not to crush her with his weight. He wedged his hips between her spread thighs, then lowered his mouth over hers and slid his hand between her legs.
“You’re so wet.” He slipped two fingers inside her tight sex, pumping slowly at first, then increasing the rhythm. She moaned and bucked against his hand. “Aidan please.”
He hated to ruin the moment, but he didn't want to be irresponsible either. Witches were different from humans. Birth control could be administered magically, but he needed to be sure. “Should I worry about protection?”
Paige wiggled her little finger, flashing a thin silver band with ornately engraved symbols. “Alex got me a charm for my sixteenth birthday.” She rubbed her hips against him. “Now, do you suppose you could...”
Withdrawing his fingers, he shifted his weight and positioned his cock against her opening. He eased into her, taking his time and reveling in the perfect fit. “You feel so good.” He groaned and drew in and out slowly.
“Stop teasing and start moving,” she said.
“With pleasure.” He pulled out and thrust into her, hard and deep.
She gasped and spread her legs wider. Adjusting his hips, he picked up the pace, and angled deeper. He cupped her breast, rolled her nipple between his thumb and finger, and applied enough pressure to make her moan.
She bucked against him, wrapping her legs around his waist, and meeting each of his strokes. “I’m going to...” She arched her back and dug her nails into his shoulders. Her body shuddered beneath him as her climax ripped through her and she cried out his name. He gave one more deep thrust and trembled from his own release. He buried his head against her neck, panting. Once he was able to catch his breath, he rolled on his back, pulling her with him.
She curled against his side and draped her leg on top of him. “That was effing amazing,” she said through ragged breaths.
He kissed her forehead, then lifted her chin and held her gaze. “Give me a few minutes and we can try for fucking awesome.”
She laughed and snuggled closer. “I can hardly wait.”
