Celeste Anwar: Born Of Night

The blonde curse was striking, leaving her open and vulnerable.

“You know I’m right, don’ you? Would you like me to show you what lips can do?” He grabbed her arms suddenly.

She looked down at the manacles of his hands one stunned moment, marveling at the contrast of bronze against her pale skin. Erotic images flashed in her mind, of cream and golden bodies entwined, rough and soft. The contrast of his flesh against hers seared her mind’s eye. She looked back up at his face, wondering frantically if he could read her mind, wondering a breathless moment if he was going to kiss her like she wanted to be kissed.

What the hell. She didn’t care what anyone in the bar thought. For once, she just wanted to give in and enjoy herself. She shrugged mentally, closed her eyes, and leaned in.

His arms closed around her, and suddenly he was moving her backward. She stepped back, instinctively keeping her balance.

Coming out of the fog, Jessica opened her eyes and blinked up at him in confusion.

She was still a little dazed when he took her hands and began guiding her on the dance floor. She stiffened instantly when she realized his intent.

“I don’t dance,” she gritted out and tried to pull away. She felt like everyone was watching her and her two huge left feet. They knew she couldn’t dance. They were just waiting for her to fall on her face.

His hands tightened at her waist, his fingers locked on her hand. “It’s jus’ like makin

’ love.” He moved his hips against hers, making her feel weak. “You rock with it.”

“That’s original. I must be really bad in bed then.” She felt like a robot, all stiff and cumbersome and obvious.

Gabriel melded her to his body, his heat melting her resistance until she felt mellow and relaxed in his arms. If dancing was an indicator of love making, Gabriel had to be an exquisite lover. Just feeling his body move against hers made her weak in all the right places. She could barely keep her feet under her. All she wanted to do was lay her face against his chest and feel his arms around her.

“It jus’ takes d’right partner,” he murmured huskily against her hair, his breath sparking a chain reaction of pleasurable responses.

He swayed and took her around the dance floor, keeping her distracted from her flighty nervousness with subtle strokes from his fingers at her waist, on her wrist, his lips at her temple, his breath at her ear. Every pore of her body sighed with pleasure.

The dance felt too intimate for public, but wasn’t that part of the appeal?

He’d managed to do what no man had ever done before--got her to enjoy a dance.

She could get used to this kind of treatment.

The thought was like an ice bucket dumped on her head.

Jessica stiffened and attempted to pull back from his relaxed grip. Her efforts failed.

He continued moving her on the dance floor, paying absolutely no attention to the fact that she was trying to get away.

“I need to get back to my hotel.”

“I’ll take you,” he said, looking down and giving her a smoky look that spoke volumes.

She knew exactly what he was thinking. “I’m not going to sleep with you.”

He arched one brow, looking amused. “Who said anythin’ bout sleepin’, chere?”

The iciness from moments before melted in a puddle at her feet. He flustered her with such ease, it was disturbing. She tried to cover it with a sarcastic tone. “You know what I mean.”

“Maybe I don’. You tryin’ to gi’ me a hint? I tell you what, I don’ see dem so good. Maybe you need to be a liddle more direct. If you don’ wan’ to sleep, what do you wan’ to do?”

“Not what you’re thinking,” she said, frowning.

“How do you know what I’m thinkin?”

“I can tell by--by....”

He grinned. “I’ll make it easy for you, chere. You can have me if you wan’ me.

How bout dat?”

Jessica harrumphed under her breath. “Thanks,” she muttered. “You could just hit me over the head and make it easier all the way around. Let me go, and I’ll turn around so you can do it.”

He chuckled, one hand roaming around her back and creeping too close to her ass for her comfort level. His eyes gleamed with wicked mirth. “And here I thought you an ange. You really diabolique, petite. You like things a liddle rough, no?”

He was being deliberately obtuse, probably all in an attempt so he could continue feeling her up. “I’m suddenly exhausted,” she said wryly, trying to loosen herself from his hold.

He finally relented and released her, looking disappointed. “Ah, too bad. You sure you won’ let me take you to d’hotel?”

Jessica held up her hand, stopping him. “No, thanks. I’m used to taking care of myself.” She was the only person she could rely on. It wasn’t safe for a woman to put faith in a man these days. They didn’t protect, they didn’t take care of--all they did was use until a woman had nothing else to give, and then they threw them away for the next sucker. She was better off being single.

Jessica beat a hasty retreat back to her hotel, leaving Gabriel in the dust before he could use any more of that lethal charm on her.

One thing she knew now: Cajun accent + dimples + good looks = loss of brain function. She felt like a cat hooked on catnip, and there was no way this pussy was going to play and rub all over that.

Jessica had just looked at her watch. She thought for one stunned moment of confusion, and embarrassment, that she had walked into the wall. Then two hands gripped her biceps, steadying her as she drew back.

A faint smiled curled Gabriel’s lips. “But, cherie, we hardly know one anodur.”

“What?” His accent confused her for several moments, but even when her brain finally interpreted the unfamiliar pronunciation, she was still all at sea.

“Las’ night you didn’ even wan’ t’kiss me, now you rush into my arms?”

Jessica sputtered indignantly and looked up at his eyes. “I did no such thing!”

“So, you forget your reward already?”

“What are you talking about--wait. My reward. You’re really full of yourself. It was your reward for rescuing my necklace.”

One dark brow arched beguilingly. “So what do you give me for savin’ you from a fall,” he murmured, leaning too close.

Jessica pulled back so sharply she almost fell, and it was exactly the opening he was looking for. His bare arms wrapped around her, the hair sprinkled skin abrasive against the portions of her back bared by the strappy sundress. Did the man never wear a shirt? She couldn’t think straight with all that potent male flesh exposed to her view and the skin of her palms.

Her fingertips tingled as his muscles played beneath them, moving as he trapped her. He tightened his hold, pulling her close, closer. Jessica flattened her palms on his chest, ignoring the fluttering in her stomach touching his bare flesh aroused, and pushed away. It did nothing to stop him. “Gabriel, we can’t do this here in the middle of the hotel.”

“Perhaps we cou’ go up to your room?” he whispered, brushing his lips against the delicate shell of her ear, his warm breath ruffling her insides with delighted shivers.

“I don’t think so.” She gasped as his tongue thrust, wet and hot, in her ear, sending goosebumps chasing over her skin. He withdrew it, then tugged her earlobe with his teeth before swiping a wet path behind her ear.

“Mmm. You taste good. I cou’ eat you right here, chere.”

“Please don’t.”

“You don’ soun’ sure. You soun’ like maybe you think yes.”

With an effort, Jessica reined in her careening libido. “I think I said no, Gabriel. You