Awakening (4 page)

“Kim!”
Celeste
cried out, laughing. “I’m not the type of girl men like him want to kiss.”

Shock washed over him at that statement for he could hardly think of anything other than kissing her, taking her in his arms, making love to her. His chest constricted painfully at the thought, wondering if he could make her a
Calix
and then just as quickly dismissing the possibility. She would lose that spark, that
something
, that called to him. He could still bed her….

Her eyes flew to his and widened in alarm. Surely she couldn’t hear his thoughts. But, no, her friend had grabbed her hand and was pulling her his way. Her eyes grew wider as they
neared, excitement and fear dancing in the brilliant depths. God, he was losing himself in those hazel eyes.

“Who said anything about kissing?” the blond asked with a smile as they came closer. “It’s a simple intro….”

Her words abruptly ended as the blond jerked to a stop nearly ten feet away from him. Adam tore his gaze from the bewildered expression on Celeste’s lovely face and looked at the blond, who stared at him with trepidation, her eyes wide in her face as she simply stared at him with alarm.

“Kim?” Celeste asked softly, her gaze moving between his and the frozen blond. Longing and concern filled her eyes as she asked, “What is it?”

“We have to go,” the blond breathed, clutching Celeste’s hand and dragging his prey, his new obsession, away from him. “Right now.”

Annoyed, he followed them, slipping into the shadows to keep them from realizing he was there.

*****

“What the heck, Kim?” Celeste asked, once they were back at the hostel. She wasn’t sure if she was more annoyed or confused by her friend’s peculiar behavior; Kim had been so gung ho about meeting the gorgeous man and then
she had a sudden change of heart. Celeste still had the whiplash from the speed Kim got them the heck away from him.

Kim shook her head in bewilderment, her blue eyes even larger than normal as she stared at Celeste, “I don’t know; it just wasn’t the right time.”

Celeste arched an eyebrow, her lips quirking upwards in a wry smile, “That makes no sense.”

“I know,” Kim agreed, shaking her head. “It was just… a feeling I had; I can’t explain.”

“Oh, well,” Celeste sighed, flinging herself down onto her tiny bed. Staring up at the ceiling with a smile on her face, she murmured, “I probably wouldn’t have been able to speak anyway; my tongue would have been tied in knots and I would have made a fool of myself.”

“Somehow I doubt that,” Kim countered, lying down on the narrow bed next to her.
Turning her head to the side, she grinned, “Didn’t you notice how he watched you? I don’t think you would have needed a lot of words.”

Celeste felt the color in her cheeks as she laughed at Kim’s words, “I would have finally gotten rid of this pesky virginity.”

“Hey, don’t knock it,” Kim scolded with laughing eyes. “I was almost twenty-one before I even knew what sex was.”

The two girls giggled about the statement that was too close to the truth. For some odd reason Kim was completely asexual
all throughout high school and the first few months of college. Then a few years ago something strange happened and it was a whole new Kim; she realized she was a sexual being and she took to sex with a vengeance. Her boyfriend was a very satisfied man.

“Well, at least there
are still two members of the V Club,” Celeste sighed in resignation of never losing her virginity since there was only one man she had ever had the least bit of interest in and he was a complete and utter stranger, one she would never see again. Of course, there were only three members to begin with….

Celeste looked at her reflection in the tiny mirror, pleased with how the black dress hugged her body, smoothing over the curve of her hips and showing a little thigh through the slit when she moved. She knew that it was silly putting the little black dress on when she had no place to wear it; she wasn’t even sure she knew why she even packed the damn thing. No, that wasn't true; she had packed it in the off chance a gorgeous and fabulously wealthy man swept her off her feet and dragged her off to Monaco to drink champagne and gamble the night away. More likely she would have worn it if she could have talked her friends into attending the symphony, if she had been able to afford the tickets.

Of course, Kim and the other two girls who took the trip had decided to follow a couple of young French men to a club that promised to have anything the girls desired. Since the only thing Celeste desired was long gone, she had opted to stay behind and take a moonlit walk along the stone boulevards and absorb the Parisian air.
It was only when she was getting ready to go that the little black dress caught her eye and she was determined to wear it at least once on their trip.

Grabbing the hem, she started to tug it over her hips when there was a knock at the door. Wondering who it could be, she smoothed the material of the dress over her thighs and crossed the short distance of the room, opening the door and forgetting how to breathe. The stranger from the museum stood there, leaning against the door with his arms crossed over his broad chest and smiling down at her.
Celeste raised her head, and raised it higher still, looking at the man who towered over her, knowing that she would feel safe in his arms. Even if looking at him made her feel anything but safe. He was much taller than a mere six feet; he was probably pushing six five, nearly a foot taller than herself. She smiled, or tried to, as her lips trembled, “Hello.”

His lips curved into a sensuous smile as he gazed down at her with black eyes, “I never got the chance to introduce myself at the museum this afternoon. Allow me to rectify that most unfortunate oversight. I am
Adamanteros Vespari.”

Celeste swallowed hard, his voice impossibly sexy and warm, erotic,
and felt the heat pooling low in her belly. She automatically placed her palm in the hand he offered, catching her breath as he brought it up to his mouth and lightly kissed her fingertips. Sucking in a painful breath, she rasped, “Am I dreaming?”

“Not at all, my dear,” he murmured, his words caressing her skin.

“
Adamanteros,” Celeste whispered getting a feel for his name on her tongue. She wanted something else of his on her tongue…. Smiling up at him to cover her lascivious thoughts, she said, “Celeste and it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

H
is breath was hot and moist against her shivering skin as he kissed her fingers once more. She dismissed the fleeting thought that she should be concerned that he somehow discovered where she lived, that he had followed her back to her room. Instead, goose bumps trailed up and down her arm as he continued to hold her hand, her gaze. “The pleasure is mine.”

His
smile widened, making her heart do a little jig in her chest. Holding out their joined hands to the side, he looked down at her and his color burnished his cheeks. “You are a vision; did you know I was coming?”

“I had hoped,” she said softly, realizing how true the words were as she spoke them. Lowering her lashes, she felt the heat creeping into her cheeks, “It’s silly, I know, but I had hoped to kiss you
at least once.”

Smiling indulgently, he bent his head down and placed a chaste kiss on her lips
, sending little tingles of electricity into her mouth and through her body. It was over before she even registered it had begun. As he straightened, she stared at his mouth, his smile. When she didn't speak, he arched an eyebrow. “Well?”

“I was expecting more,” she admitted before slamming a hand over her mouth to shut up her wayward tongue.
But it continued wagging, “Not that your kiss was lacking; it wasn’t, but….”

His eyes darkened as he pulled her against his hard body and a gasp escaped as her breasts
pressed against the hard planes of his muscled chest. “Then allow me to indulge you, sweetheart.”

Their hands separated as his went to her shoulders to steady her and hers went to his waist. He
tightened his hold on her and she had to remind herself to breathe. His body was solid, crushing her breasts and stealing her breath. Closing her eyes for just a moment, she took a breath, his intoxicating aroma filling her senses leaving her even dizzier than before. Her cheeks were rosy as she looked up at him through long lashes, wetting her lips with the tip of her tongue. Wanting nothing more than to taste him, she reluctantly murmured, “You don’t have to do this, Mr. Vespari….”

H
is hand moved from her shoulder to her cheek, his thumb brushing across her moistened lower lip. Her mouth parted slightly and his thumb caressed the inside of the lip, feeling the heat and warmth. Bending his head slightly, his mouth next to her ear, his voice rasped in need, “Indeed, I do.”

There was a slight whimper as she leaned into him, her tongue
stabbing out, tentatively tasting the pad of his thumb, the dark essence of the man. With a low growl sounding in the back of his throat, he gently placed his mouth over hers. Her slender fingers curled into his waist, bracing herself, as she melted into him; her lips were soft, responsive to his touch.

Impossibly,
she couldn’t get enough of him quickly enough and the feeling seemed to be mutual as his arm snaked around her waist, pulling her body even closer to him. His other hand cupped the back of her neck, drinking deeply. As her lips parted, he slid his tongue into the heat of her mouth, consuming her.

She touched her tongue to his and felt the fires raging out of control. Her fingers pulled the shirt out of his pants and her hands slid beneath the fabric, feeling the smooth
, hard planes of his abdomen, his chest. He pressed his hips against her and she could feel the heat and length of his rock hard erection.

Holding the back of her neck, his other hand began to explore her body. Running down the side over the swell of her breasts, the ridges of her ribs, the indent of her waist, her hip, he groaned when she sighed into his mouth.
She felt his hands grabbing her skirt, gathering the material up, and she was desperate to feel the touch of his hot hand on the skin beneath. Awkwardly, she worked on the fastening of his pants…

“
Ahem!” an offended voice pierced through the sensual fog she was lost in. In a heavy accent, an older woman squawked, “Get a room!”

Slowly, reality began to break through and
Adam reluctantly pulled away from her, her eyes still glazed over, still lost in passion. Horrified, he quickly released the skirt and stepped back, his arm around her shoulders to keep her standing upright. Smiling slightly, he ran his free hand through his hair, “I do not know what came over me; forgive me.”

“
Mmmm,” she murmured in response. Shaking her head slightly, her eyes widened in embarrassment; she would have had sex with him right then and there had they not been interrupted. No matter how gorgeous he was, this was not at all like her. Her cheeks reddened as her hand flew to her swollen lips. “Oh, my goodness; Mr. Vespari!”

“
Adamanteros,” he purred, brushing a strand of hair from her face, letting his fingers linger on the soft skin of her temple. He ran his other hand down her back, and she shivered. As his hand stopped at her waist, Celeste jumped, taking a step out of his arms. Smiling, he shook his head, “Or Adam if you prefer.”

“
Adamanteros,” she breathed, tasting his name once more; she loved his name. It was exotic and tasted like sin and salvation on her lips. Her skin tightened painfully as sexual lust stampeded through her entire body; she was ready to lead him back into the tiny room and have her way with him.

Celeste tilted her head, studying him, she
suddenly realized how disheveled he was. Her red cheeks turned nearly purple. Deliberately, he slowly tucked his shirt back into his pants, refastening the buttons she had undone. He gazed down at her with such lust in his eyes that she knew if it weren’t for the stranger, he’d be buried in her right that very moment….

He groaned, reclaiming her hand once again. His voice was rough, dark, as he murmured,
“Let us go somewhere private, where we will not be interrupted, yes?”