Vision of Seduction (10 page)

before she dropped it.

Grayson raised her hand to his lips. His intense perusal pinned her in place

before he brushed a light kiss across her knuckles and caused her to

tremble.

Get a freaking grip, Katelyn!

This man aroused her much too easily—and, apparently, so did the queen,

which irritated her and scared her for some reason she couldn't name.

What if she was hot and bothered for the whole planet? Talk about a new

reason not to attend social events!

Grayson slid into the seat across from her with the grace of a predatory cat.

No wonder I always feel like prey when I'm around him.

"You didn't need to lie about your vision. Did something about the queen

strike you as untrustworthy?" His steady gaze held only open curiosity.

Damn! He was too astute for his own good.

She barely knew this man. How would he react to a vision of her killing the

queen? Probably not well.

She couldn't deny she'd had a vision. Grayson knew, just like he'd known

the night at her shop.

Grayson smiled. "Forgive me. Trust is earned, not demanded. I know you'll

tell me when you're ready, and I'll be available when you are." He poured

himself a generous glass of tea and then grinned as though no response

from her was required, which caused a surge of guilt to flood through her.

"So, how are you feeling this morning, Katelyn?" As usual, her name

sounded erotic and forbidden as it flowed from his lips. "Did Holly treat

you well?"

She rubbed at the fading sore spot on her chest where the blue blast of

energy had hit her. "I feel better, now that my energy hangover is gone, or

whatever you call that. But I'm still not very steady yet, thanks to the new

vision." Her voice wavered as a sudden urge to straddle Grayson where he

sat flashed through her mind. She growled low inside her throat and let all

her frustration show as she grabbed a muffin and broke off a piece. She had

to get some carbs to counteract the vision. "Your arousal gift really pisses

me off. Is it a planetwide thing?" She chewed and glared across the table at

him.

The realization that Grayson had told her about his gift inside her vivid

vision this morning and not in "waking" reality slapped at her, and she

stiffened in her seat. What would his reaction be?

Shock seemed to travel across Grayson's handsome features, and then he

threw back his head and laughed. The amber highlights in his dark hair

glinted in the sunlight.

Katelyn's throat constricted as a sensation of dread made its way through

her anger. Maybe she really had imagined or dreamed that vision. Maybe,

even now, she was firmly locked in some room with rubber walls, and only

her mind was here in this beautiful place with a sexy, smiling man sitting

across from her. Her irritation and unease caused her to lash out at

Grayson. "What the fuck is so funny?"

It took several moments for Grayson's laughter to subside, and by the time

it did, Katelyn's temper had neared boiling point.

"I'm sorry." The mischief still glinted in his eyes and belied his words. "But

I hadn't expected you to admit that our interlude this morning was real. I

thought you would deny it and attempt to rationalize it away."

He took a drink of his tea, and she became fascinated by the way his

Adam's apple bobbed up and down with the motion. She wondered what

the skin of his neck would taste like under her tongue. "You continue to

surprise me in every way, Seer. I enjoy your surprises, and I enjoy you."

Katelyn started again as she realized she had just admitted to being hot for

him—no "gift" or magick of any kind involved. Just... him. She was afraid to

ask if this pertained to her reaction to Alyssa as well.

Mortification of openly admitting her vulnerable feelings roiled inside her

stomach, and her breakfast threatened to inch its way up her throat. She

dropped the muffin on the table and sank back against her chair, suddenly

weak and spent.

Katelyn gathered her tattered pride around her and raised her chin. "How

did you get inside my vision this morning? I know that's what it was, but I

also know it was real. But Seer's visions just don't work that way." She took

a deep breath in hope that the oxygen would revive some of her quickly

waning energy.

It didn't.

Where's a freaking Starbucks when you need a quick caffeine fix?

He pinned her in place with a knowing look—the same look he'd had in his

eye when he'd made her scream his name inside her morning vision.

Katelyn shuddered as goose bumps marched over her skin in a burning

rush.

"This is a world where partners can communicate on psychic wavelengths.

You and I are compatible enough for that communication to work. You let

me in, or I wouldn't have been able to enter your thoughts or our 'shared'

vision." Grayson's voice slid over her like liquid sex, and she had to admit

that, "gift" or no, this man could singe women's panties at a thousand

paces. "And you did enjoy it as much as I did, didn't you?"

Irritation sparked her temper. Just because she had enjoyed it didn't mean

he could be so fucking smug about it! "I'm no one's partner, Grayson. Let

me make that very clear up front." She pinned him with the most serious

stare she could muster. "I'll admit I'm very attracted to you, and we'd

probably be very good together in bed, but I'm not looking for more than

that. Understood?"

The corners of Grayson's lips curved, and he seemed unconcerned about

her warning. "My apologies for the poor word choice, Seer. I agree that we

would be quite compatible sexually, and, here on Tador, that would also

help us heal and recover faster—even from your lone visions." His smile

widened, and amusement danced in his eyes. "Besides, I don't recall

making overtures of love and marriage, unless you misunderstood

something I said?"

Katelyn gritted her teeth. She knew he was teasing her, and she hated it

that he had neatly turned the tables on her. The men Katelyn dated, or even

slept with, were always the ones receiving the "no commitment" lecture,

not her.

Somehow, Grayson made it seem like Katelyn had assumed too much,

instead of the other way around.

Fricking infuriating man!

Her brow furrowed as she reminded herself that no commitment was

exactly what she wanted. He was offering exactly that, so why was she

pissed?

"As long as we understand each other," she finally said grudgingly.

Her limbs seemed almost too heavy to move, as though every bit of her

energy was being slowly drained from her. She leaned her forearms on the

table, half tempted to rest her head on the surface and close her eyes. "I

can't believe I'm buying all this." When he reached out and captured her

hand in his, Katelyn didn't resist.

Grayson's roughened thumb stroked slowly over the back of her hand,

causing a flood of blazing energy from the point of contact to every

erogenous zone she possessed. Katelyn's breasts ached with need—

especially when a vivid image of his mouth closing over her hard nipple

flashed through her mind.

Maybe he and Alyssa were correct about this whole sexual-energy thing.

The carbs didn't seem to be helping at all.

"I know you have lots of questions, and Holly said you've not had a chance

to visit the baths yet. Why don't I give you a tour, and then I can leave you

at the baths for your morning ablutions?" Grayson's thumb continued to

feather over the sensitive skin on the back of her hand and scattered her

thoughts.

What normal person says "ablutions"?

Katelyn pushed away her arousal as best she could. "I'm not sure I can

stand, let alone take a tour. My—" She snapped her mouth shut as soon as

she realized she'd been about to say her vision about killing the queen had

wiped her out.

"No problem. I'll send the maid up with a bath for you and prescribe the

rest of the day for rest and recovery. There's time enough tomorrow to give

you that tour." He didn't seem to notice her silence. He stood and started

around the table toward her. "I think we can give you enough of an energy

boost to recover more fully, if you'll trust me."

Her eyes widened, and she stiffened, suddenly unsure of herself and what

to expect.

"Shhh." He walked behind her chair and laid his large hands on her

shoulders. "Just relax, Katelyn. Our world may need sexual energy to

thrive, but no one is forced to do anything they don't want to do."

His words caused her independent streak to bristle. "Don't worry about

me. I'm a big girl, and I can tell you if I don't want something." Then she bit

down hard on her bottom lip to keep from telling him that what she was

afraid of was finding out just how much she did want.

His strong hands kneaded her shoulders, and she nearly moaned. The heat

from his hands burned through her thin cotton top as his talented fingers

chased away the knots of tension coiled inside her tight muscles.

Her eyes drifted closed as pure pleasure seeped into her and dissolved her

resistance. His thumbs massaged her shoulder blades, and she arched into

his touch as soft sounds of approval spilled from her lips. Relaxed more

than she'd been in a long time, her head fell back to lean against his

muscled stomach.

Her blood heated from the intimate contact, as Grayson's touch moved to

her neck. Just the right amount of pressure chased away any discomfort or

soreness and left in its place a growing awareness of the man who stood so

close behind her.

Afraid to break the spell, Katelyn kept her eyes closed and allowed the

sensations to wash over her.

Strong fingers moved to her scalp and spread tingling heat everywhere

they touched. If he would only continue this for eternity, she'd sign over

her soul and several other people's. "Mmm. I could definitely get used to

this."

Grayson's soft laughter vibrated through her head, which still rested

against his stomach. His hands left her scalp. She opened her mouth to beg

him not to stop, when he feathered rough fingertips over her cheeks and

jaw, which drew a long sigh from her instead.

He thoroughly explored her face as though memorizing her in minute

detail. The exquisite soft friction over her temples, forehead, and lips

remained tender and gentle. When he caressed her lower lip with his

thumb, she sighed and couldn't resist pursing her lips to place a kiss

against his skin.

Her hands lay limp in her lap as her entire body turned into a noodle. She

was surprised she didn't slither out of the chair and onto the balcony floor.

Somehow, she knew Grayson wouldn't let her fall, so she didn't fight the

languor stealing over her.

The breeze brought the soft, gurgling sound from the fountain and the

scents of gardenias and other flowers, which only added to her lethargy.

"How do you feel?"

"Mmm" was all she could manage, although she thought the corners of her

lips might have curved. She took stock of herself, surprised to find that no

discomfort or disorientation remained. Her energy level remained low, but

apparently, her impromptu massage had worked wonders.

Thoroughly relaxed, she wished Grayson's wonderful hands would

continue their magic down her torso to her breasts.

Her nipples tightened as she imagined his strong fingers plucking them.

The languorous heat turned to a slow, molten burn, and she reached up to

cover Grayson's hands with her own.

As though he had read her mind, his fingers trailed down to trace the

opening of her top. His finger left a fiery trail of awareness, and she arched

against his hand, offering herself.

He pressed his lips to the side of her neck, and she realized he had knelt

behind her chair. His hands traced and teased her aching breasts, and it

seemed more erotic somehow that her bra and shirt remained a barrier

between them.

Her eyes slid closed, and she let her head fall to the side to give him better

access to her neck.

Grayson didn't disappoint her. While his fingertips teased her areolas, he

trailed openmouthed kisses slowly down her neck until he reached her

shoulder. Then he feathered his tongue along the neckline of her top,

ripping a gasp from her as cascades of sensual shivers marched through

her.

Katelyn fisted her hands so hard she was surprised they didn't go numb

from lack of blood. She wanted to demand more, but her brain didn't seem

ready to do anything besides absorb every sensation Grayson caused inside

her.

Finally, he cupped her breasts in his hands and gently pinched her already

taut nipples through the cloth.

A whimper escaped before she could stop it, and his warm breath

feathered against her ear. "Relax, Katelyn. Let yourself enjoy."

He stood, and the warmth of him at her back immediately disappeared,

leaving her cold and shivering. Her eyes fluttered open, and she realized

he'd moved around her and now stood in front of her. She had sank down

in the chair under his sensuous massage, and she now hung limply on its

frame, her feet stretched out in front of her, her skirt riding up her calves.