Up in Smoke (4 page)

He cautiously scooted a bit closer so he could reach out and pick up her hand. “How old are you, darlin'?”

Tears sprang to her eyes and it confused him. Why was she upset? He watched as she tilted her pretty, little head upwards, her long, blond hair cascading down her back. She closed her eyes for a moment, pulling her emotions back in check. He watched her the entire time, gently rubbing his thumb over the pulse on the inside of her wrist.

Finally, she inhaled a shaky breath and opened her eyes, looking over to him. “Sorry, it’s just that I’ve been through a lot over the last few months. Every time I think I’ve got myself pulled together and moving on with my life, something happens that reminds me of the past few months.”

She stopped and gave him a wobbly smile. “I’m twenty-eight.”

“Walter told me about your husband. I’m sorry for your loss.”

She looked over at him for a moment. He could tell she was debating whether she should open up to him or not. He waited, not wanting to push her.

“Would you think me a horrible person if I said I’m not?”

“No, there is no way that I would think you’re a horrible person period. It sounds like you were in a very unhappy relationship.”

She shrugged her shoulders, but he watched as she leaned his way a bit. Ah, so she was being affected by the mating call, she just didn’t want to admit it. He took the chance and scooted even closer, until they were sitting next to each other. She placed her head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her, drawing her up tight against him. She sighed deeply and then buried her nose into his shirt. He watched her with a grin on his face as she rubbed her cheek against his chest. He leaned his head down and placed a small kiss on the top of her head.

“What is it about you that makes me feel so comfortable? We just met, and yet, I feel so comfortable with you one minute and so aggravated with you the next. I’ve never felt this way, it’s confusing. And your scent, whatever cologne you’re using, it’s potent.”

“Babe, it’s the mating call. I don’t wear cologne, because then I wouldn’t be able to stand myself.” She looked up at him with a puzzled look on her face. He tapped his nose. “Increased senses, remember?”

She laid her head back down on his chest. “Oh, yeah. That makes sense, I guess.”

“But,” she sighed again. “I don’t think I’m ready to jump back into another relationship. My first one was a disaster. We yelled and fought more than anything. He was just as unhappy with me as I was with him. And I know I don’t make a good wife.”

Walter told him that she had opened up to Sissy, stating that while there was no physical abuse in the marriage, there was plenty of verbal and emotional. Nathaniel knew from watching many other relationships over the years that emotional and verbal abuse was just as bad as physical.

He reached over and tilted her chin up with a finger. “You’re letting one man’s opinion rule you. From what I’ve seen, you are a caring individual. I heard nothing but praises coming from my brother about you earlier, and I know for a fact his wife thinks very highly of you. That tells me your deceased husband didn’t know what he was talking about.”

She shook her head sadly. “No, he knew what he was talking about. My cooking skills aren’t the best. And I can’t have kids. We tried the entire time we were married and never once did I get pregnant. Hell, I can’t even…well, never mind.”

“You can’t what, baby?” he pressed, already knowing what she wasn’t saying.

She shook her head, but kept it resting on his chest. “Never mind. I’m just not meant to be a wife, or mate, or whatever you want to call it.”

She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. “Nathaniel, I know you think I’m your mate. But trust me, I’d only disappoint you.”

He could have flipped her over and paddled her ass good for that last comment, but knowing that her low self-esteem came from ten years of being told she wasn’t good enough, he couldn’t hope to break down all of her walls in one day.

“Babe, I hate to break this to you, but fate doesn’t get it wrong. Okay, so maybe you are not the best cook. I’m a vampire, do you think I care one way or another? And as far as getting pregnant, again, I’m a vampire. While it isn’t impossible to have kids when the female is a human, it is difficult.

“Now, if you were going to tell me you’ve never had a climax, I’ve got news for you, babe. That wasn’t your fault. It was his. Obviously, he didn’t know how to make love to a woman. Slowly. Tenderly. Letting her simmer and then watching her climb that peak, toppling over the edge at just the right moment.” He reached over and stroked her cheek. “I bet you are gorgeous in the throes of an orgasm.”

She took a shaky breath before stating a bit sadly, “I wouldn’t know.”

Nathaniel could smell her cream growing stronger and stronger the longer they talked. He started with her forehead, trailing kisses down her face, across her jaw, and then finally finding her mouth. He was relieved to find her willing and open to his advances. He started the kiss off slow and easy, not wanting to spook her. He had a plan. He sipped at her lips and then watched as he pulled back just a bit. She leaned into him, her lips chasing his. This time when their lips met, he demanded entry, and she was quick to comply. At the same time as he was plundering her mouth and learning every inch of every crevice there was to find, he also took advantage of her being distracted and ran his hands up and down both of her sides. When he reached the sides of her breasts, she thrust forward just a bit and he took that as an invitation to explore the beautiful globes.

Finally, knowing she needed air, he broke off the kiss. Her head went back to his chest again as she attempted to replenish her lungs. He still had both hands under her breasts, cradling them, running his thumbs lightly over the nipples.

“Baby, would you let me pleasure you? It would be my honor to show you there is nothing wrong with you. I would love to watch you experience your first climax.” When she jerked her head up, he saw the fear in her eyes.

“Shh, sweetheart. All I want to do is pleasure you. No strings attached. I promise.”
No strings attached my ass, you are mine, but we will worry about that a later. I plan to seduce you until you are putty in my hands, my little mate.

“Nathaniel, I don’t want to disappoint you—” she started. He quickly put a finger up to her lips.

“Shh, baby. All you have to do is lean back and enjoy. Just feel for me. That’s all I ask of you.” Wrapping an arm around her back, he cradled her in his arms as he leaned forward, gently lowering her to lie across the couch.

Once he had her comfortable, he started at her ear, gently nipping her lobe before laving it with his tongue to take the sting away.

He nibbled her jaw line, listening to her heart beat pick up speed as he continued. When he reached her mouth, he took his time playing around the edges, nibbling as he went, and then soothing the area over with his tongue. He nibbled her lower lip, then gave her a quick kiss before going back to nibbling her jawbone on the other side.

When he had gone up to her other ear and back down again, he started with her throat and enjoyed listening to her heart beat kick up. He brought his hands up to her sides, well aware he was holding himself in check by a mere thread.

His fingers quickly found the end of her shirt and he worked it over her head. He immediately reached around and unsnapped her bra, discarding that offending item, as well.

He laid her back down and simply enjoyed the view for a moment. Her nipples were getting darker and harder by the second, just from having him look at them. He had to taste those sweet berries. “God, you’re beautiful,” he stated right before he leaned down and plucked one of those dark berries into his mouth. He sucked hard while using his tongue to curl around her nipple.

She reached up and grabbed his head with both hands, running her fingers through his hair as she held him tighter. My God, had she ever been this turned on? The answer was no, of course. She couldn’t help but love the delicious zings that seemed to travel from her breast straight down to her private parts.

He stopped and released her breast with a pop. For one second, she thought maybe he had changed his mind, that maybe, this was it and now he expected immediate sex. Her glazed over eyes cleared just enough for her to look down at him. She still held on to both sides of his head, and just as she was getting ready to let go, he switched over to her other bare breast. In mere seconds, he had her pushing as much of her breast into his mouth as she could as her fingernails came into play, running across his scalp.

Little did she realize that while he was working her breasts over, he was also inching up her skirt. The sudden draft of cool air alerted her as to what he had done. Just as she removed her hands from his head, intent on pulling her clothing back down, he grabbed both of her hands in his and raised them above her head.

“Grab the armrest and keep those hands in place, doll.” When she gave him a questioning look, he continued, “Just keep them up there and relax. This is all about you today, sweetheart. There will be plenty of time later for us.”

He waited until she complied, and then ran his hand across her bare abdomen. “So beautiful,” he murmured as he kissed and nibbled at her flesh. He moved down from there, taking the time to lightly skate his fingertips up and down her legs until she relaxed completely and gave herself over to him. He knew the second that it happened, because her body turned warm and soft and sank down into the cushions like a puddle of goo. He grinned. His mate might have thought she was unable to obtain an orgasm, but he was about to show her how very wrong she was. She was way too responsive for her not to be able to orgasm.

Something deep inside of him wanted to pound on his chest, caveman style, that he was going to be the first, and last, to show his mate how wonderful making love could be. He moved down to her bare feet where her pretty, little sandals were discarded under the coffee table. He grinned at her cute, little toes, complete with light pink polish to match her skirt. He picked up one foot and began nibbling on her arch, and then sucking on her toes. She had the prettiest, daintiest, little feet he had ever seen on an adult. He used his free hand to lightly run his knuckle over the instep of her other foot, enjoying watching her squirm.

Slowly, he made his way up her calf, nibbling and licking as he went, seemingly in no hurry whatsoever. He stopped at her knee and licked behind it, watching her squirm again. Dragging out his attentions, he came back around the inside of her knee and slowly started dragging his tongue up the inside of her leg. The scent of her arousal was doing nothing but getting stronger, and in this position, he could easily see her juices pouring out and running down underneath her.
Hmmm, another day
, he promised himself.

“Ah, baby, you smell like the sweetest ambrosia,” he murmured as he spread her legs wide, resting one foot on the coffee table and hooking the other on the back of the couch. Then, he moved with a purpose. Spreading her outer lips, he started at her hole and licked her all the way up in one swipe, collecting her juices as he went.

*****

OMG! He actually licked her! Like down there! And Susan was fairly certain she heard him moan. She couldn’t be completely sure, though, because she had been too busy moaning while her eyes rolled into the back of her head. This is what she had missed for ten years?!?!?!

Her head tilted back and she found herself holding her breath as he took another long, leisurely lick. Gawd! Her legs trembled in anticipation, her body wound tighter than a rubber band as she climbed the invisible mountain called ‘pleasure’, knowing that once she reached the top, there would be no going back. She took a quick peek down at the head buried between her legs. The eyes that met hers were that of a devoted lover.
But we just met
, her mind tried injecting, but her body wouldn’t hear of it. No, her body wept openly for this man. Her body yearned for the kind of attention he was showing her.

“Let it go, baby. Come for me. I want to taste all of your cream.” And just like that, as if her body had a mind of its own, she was thrown off the top of the mountain. Pulse after blissful pulse rolled through her as he continued flicking her clit. Just when everything seemed to be slowing down, and when she was fairly sure she had no more bones left in her body, he inserted a long, wide finger that had her inner muscles both quivering and clamping down around his digit.

“One more, baby. You can do it. Give me all that cream,” he crooned as he pumped his finger in and out a few times before hitting a spot that had her walls tightening immediately. “There it is,” he stated as if he had been searching for something special. She had no idea what he was talking about, and didn’t have time to think about it, as his wicked tongue came back down onto her clit. Just when she was sure she didn’t have the energy to have another orgasm,
because really, you were only supposed to climax once, right?
her body flung her over the edge yet again. This time, she yelled out his name as the pleasurable pulses seemed to go on forever. Her legs wrapped themselves around his head in a vise-grip, clinging to him like a lifeboat.

When she finally came back down to earth, her legs were no longer wrapped around his head. When or how he had broken free, she wasn’t sure, but he had her turned on her side so he was reclining next to her, gently running his hand over her arm as he pressed gentle kisses on her forehead.

She glanced up at him a bit sheepishly. What must he think of her for acting so wanton? She had never acted that way before. Hell, she’d never even dreamed sex could be like that. And he was still clothed! “Hi,” she croaked out.

“Hi yourself, beautiful,” he murmured in reply with a slight grin on his face.

She yawned, more than a little tired after having, not one, but two orgasms wrung out of her.

“Tired, love?” he asked as he plucked a throw off the back of the couch and placed it over her. “Take a rest, baby. I’ll be right here when you awaken. You’re safe.”