Draven's Crossing: Tempestuous Crossings Read online

  “Later, going to be inside of you. Going to make you scream,” he murmured as he pressed hard kisses along her neck.

  As the desire ebbed, she turned over, placing her forehead on his desk. Panting, she tried to keep her eyes open. Sweat slipped between her breasts, down her back, and over her face. Her hand was still curled around the edge of his desk. Her nerve endings tingled as he withdrew his hand. The maelstrom within her died away leaving a smoldering pile of embers.

  “So beautiful and all mine,” he murmured. All she could do was nod. Her body felt like jelly. She had a hard time focusing.

  A gentle knock at the door jolted her into action. Draven wrapped his arms around her and picked her up. She didn’t protest as she allowed him to carry her across the room.

  “Can you stand, baby?” He placed a kiss on her temple and continued to hold her around the middle.

  Nodding, she felt him lower her to the ground. When her feet touched, for a moment, she was sure her legs would give out. She reached out her arms, placed her hands against the wall and leaned on it for support as she found her balance. Once she was sure she could stand without assistance, she nodded, and he let go. The knock sounded again.

  Draven didn’t look the least bit concerned about the person at the door. Instead, his focus was on her. He reached over and turned a knob; the door swung open. “Bathroom.”

  With small steps she moved toward it until she was sure she could walk normally. Once inside, she shut the door and leaned on it for support. With a sigh, she slid down the hard wood and let her head drop forward.

  “He’s going to screw me up, I just know it. Somehow that man will get me naked in public.” The idea had her nerve endings tingling and her pussy tightening in response.

  “Sluts, all of you are sluts,” she groused. Her body’s response was to heat up. “For fuck sake, he’s turned me into a nympho.”

  Chapter Seven

  Draven licked Rose’s cream off his fingers, taking a moment to savor the salty, tangy taste. Desire shuddered through his body. His cock jumped in his pants and, for a moment, he contemplated the ramifications of saying screw it and following her into the bathroom. The knock came again. Sighing, he went to his desk and extracted some wet naps from a drawer before answering the door. He prayed it was good news. Bracing himself for word of another body or some sort of emergency, he opened the door to find, much to his relief, a deliveryman with bags of food.

  “Hey, Nate, how much?” Draven greeted him.

  Nate grinned and handed over a large carton of food and drinks. “Thirty-seven fifty.”

  Draven dug his wallet out of his back pocket and handed him a fifty. “Keep the change and thank Allison for opening up her kitchen for me. I know the restaurant is under construction, but there’s no one else I’d rather get food from.”

  Nate grinned. “No prob. Mom was getting antsy not being able to cook like she usually does.”

  Draven nodded. “Tell her to give me a call about catering for the Ball. I’ll talk to the organizers; see if we can make it an international affair.”

  Nate’s eyes lit up. “Oh really! That’d be wicked, man. She’d love that.”

  “How’s college going? Good? They giving you a hard time?”

  Nate shook his head. “No. Everything is great. I love it. Thank you for the scholarship. My family owes you one.”

  Draven grinned as pride filled him. “No need for thanks. I just gave you the application and then put it with the right people to look it over. You earned it yourself.”

  Nate ducked his head with a blush staining his cheeks. The soft, tangy scent of embarrassment wafted through the air along with the sweet smell of pride. He shook head. “No, I’m not that smart to get into DCU.”

  Draven bit back a harsh retort. Instead, he reached out and gripped the young man’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze. “Yes, you are. Don’t put yourself down. You’re an intelligent young man and very good at sports. But most of all you’re creative. I can see your art being put up in the DC Art Institute.”

  Nate lifted his head, eyes wide. “Really?”

  Draven smiled. “Yup, and I’m not just saying that. I’ve gotten a lot of compliments on that painting you did for me.”

  Draven nodded toward a large floor to ceiling painting of a bird’s eye view of Draven’s Crossing done in an abstract style with bright colors. Many people who’d come into his office had admired it. “A few people wanted to buy it off of me. I turned them down, of course. A little birdie told me that there’s a competition going on for a few spots in the summer courses at the Fondazione di Studi Storia dell’Arte. I’ll make a deal with you; I’ll pay for you to go if you make straight A’s this semester.”

  Nate’s eyes grew wider. Draven didn’t mention that he’d had a conversation with the school’s head of admissions when the school year started about securing a spot for Nate. The admissions director and dean all seemed to think that Nate had talent but needed a bit more polish, and they would be honored to have him with them.

  “But—but—that’s a lot of money,” Nate sputtered.

  “And I’m a vampire who’s been around a long time. Think about it.” The sound of the doorknob turning drew his attention back to Rose. “Now off with you. I have a lunch meeting to get to. Think about what I said.”

  Nate’s head bobbed. The young man whirled around and rushed down the hallway.

  “You’ve already secured a spot for him, haven’t you?” Rose came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

  Draven shut the door and sucked in a breath as her hand molded around his erection, stroking him through the thin fabric. He gritted his teeth as pleasure splintered and burst along his spine. The need from before flared to life like a match to dry tinder. He groaned aloud when she gave him a squeeze. She slid her other hand between his legs to caress and massage his balls through his pants, while she continued tormenting his shaft.

  “If you don’t stop…”

  She cut off his words by pressing herself more firmly against his back. “You’ll come? I’d prefer if you did that in my mouth or my pussy.”

  “Minx.” He groaned when she released both his cock and balls and undid his belt. She pulled down his zipper and slid her hand into the opening. He hissed when her fingers made contact with his shaft.

  “Mmm, so hot, and yet so soft. Wonder how it would feel in my mouth? Wonder how you’d taste. Should we find out?”

  A whimper floated into the air, and he was shocked to realize that the sound had come from him. Taking a step away from her, he placed the box of food on a nearby table, redid his fly and secured his belt. “Can’t. Later.”

  Ignoring the throbbing in his balls, he focused on trying to get through the meeting without throwing her to the ground and fucking her senseless. Giving her an orgasm had satisfied a small part of him. It had been important to him to take the edge off of her sexual desire so they could work together. Now he was the one struggling and needing release.

  “You need to come, Draven,” Rose murmured.

  He picked up the box and used it as a shield to cover his straining erection.

  “Later. We need to work now.” Each word had been hard to utter.

  “But—”

  He shook his head. “No, not now, baby. As much as I’d love to sink into your sweet pussy and fuck you senseless, I can’t. I have work to do. So do you.”

  It shocked him that he was the one being professional when just yesterday she’d been making sure they both stayed on track. He walked past her, placed a kiss on her temple and moved toward his desk. “I’ll set up the food. You tell me what you guys came up with.”

  He expected a sigh or protest. Instead, his answer was silence. The soft thud behind him said she was still there. A glance back showed her forehead scrunched up, while she chewed on her bottom lip. “Problem?”

  “Why—” She stopped, shook her head and then tried again.

  “What’s wrong?” He put the f
ood down and went to her. “Talk to me. I want to know what’s bothering you.”

  “Why didn’t you want me to…?” Rose still didn’t look at him. She turned her face away.

  She didn’t have to finish the sentence. He knew what she was asking. Slipping a finger under her chin, he pulled her head toward him and tilted it up. Concern, confusion, and doubt swirled in the coffee colored depths that stared back at him.

  “Honey, I am harder than a diamond here. I want to fuck you so badly, but I also want to take my time. As tempting as it is to bend you over my desk or take you against the wall, we have things to do.” He bent down and brushed his lips against hers. “Besides that, we still have our picnic dinner, and I think I’ve developed a new outlook on nature.”

  Her eyes widened. “Oh, hell no. I’m not fucking you in public. What we do is private.”

  He grinned. “And it will be. I know of a very secluded spot for us.”

  Moving in closer, he wrapped an arm around her waist and drew her to him. She went willingly, much to his relief. The doubts were gone from her eyes, replaced by a simmering heat that made him want to chuck his schedule out the window and spend all day with her. “But I’m going to remind you that this isn’t just about sex for me. I want to get to know you, understand?”

  “I remember what you told me. I was just hoping…” She turned away. Her embarrassment floated in the air, and he smiled.

  “Say it.”

  “I wanted to suck you off. Give you the same pleasure you gave me.” The soft, huskiness of her voice rippled along his skin like a heated caress.

  He bit his bottom lip and tried to hold back the groan that had started to form in his chest. It came out anyway. He shuddered. His cock twitched in his pants, demanding freedom. Taking a few moments, he shut his eyes and concentrated on anything but the image of her on her knees as she took his hard length into her mouth inch by inch. He gritted his teeth to keep from making a sound. Taking in big breaths through his nose and blowing it out through his mouth was the one thing keeping his self-control in check.

  “You’re testing me, honey, and that will be punished,” he managed to force out through clenched teeth.

  “You asked,” she replied sweetly before stepping out of his arms. “And you’re right; we have work to do. I’ve never been so horny on the job before. Never. Can vampires turn people into nymphos?”

  “Don’t blame me, darling. I’m just as fucked as you are in this. And I’ve got the more obvious equipment.” He palmed his cock through his slacks and allowed the groan to slip out as pleasure shattered and burst through his body at that small touch.

  “You better take care of that in the bathroom. Otherwise I may be tempted to…”

  “Don’t,” he warned. “Just don’t say it. Goddess knows how much I can handle right now. Start on the food. I’ll be back.”

  Taking her advice, he headed into the bathroom. Once the door was shut, he felt some of his control return, only to have it slip away when the door opened. A glance over his shoulder showed Rose with a skewer in her hand leaning against the doorjamb.

  “You didn’t think I’d miss the show, did you?” She took a bite of the meat and lifted an eyebrow.

  “Baby, I can’t—”

  “You need blood?” She reached up and traced her jugular with the tip of her finger.

  “I’ve already fed. Don’t need it.” But it tempted him. Saliva pooled in his mouth at the thought of tasting her blood again.

  “You fed already? From who?” A flash of jealousy dotted across her face.

  “Blood bag. Can you just turn around please? I’m not going to jerk off in front of you.”

  She pouted. “Why not?”

  “Because, sweetheart, I can’t right now. A cold water compress should help.”

  “Such a waste.” She shrugged one shoulder then turned and left, shutting the door behind him. “You will show me later,” she called out.

  “Good Lord, she’s trying to kill me.” He turned on the cold water tap and let it run, while taking off his shoes, socks and pants. After wetting a small towel, he squeezed out the excess and ran it over his cock and balls, hissing at the icy temperature. Latching onto the uncomfortable sensation, he used it to push back his need. After a few minutes, his arousal had ebbed away to nearly nothing, and his cock was flaccid. The throbbing of his balls had lessened. He dried himself then got dressed and headed out to the office to find Rose sitting at his desk, a plate of food set before her. In front of his chair was a stack of files neatly arranged next to her.

  She didn’t look up. “This lamb is divine. It melts in my mouth. Where’d you get this food? I made you a plate. Hope you don’t mind.”

  He grinned. “Not at all.”

  Walking toward his desk, he felt a sense of calm. The atmosphere in his office buzzed with sexual desire. It was time to work. Normally he hated having anyone in his office unless they needed to be there, but she seemed to fit. He slid into his seat, picked up a fork and dug in, savoring the spices and sweetness.

  “Try the stuffed eggplant. You’ll love it. So what is the plan for the Ball? Anything?” He pulled a file toward him and opened it.

  “We’re thinking of making it like a traditional Vampire Court setting. The food, we haven’t figured out yet.” She pushed a few pictures toward him. “Like that, but a bit simplified. I highly doubt I can find a place with a fountain indoors or such elaborate chandeliers.”

  Draven shook his head. “Baby, I’m going to have to take you around some time. We have a place like that. A castle actually. I’ll get you a meeting with the owners. A nice vampire family had their castle shipped to the States brick by brick and rebuilt here. You’ll love it, and I’m sure they’d be willing to donate the castle to the Ball for the night. As for the food, I’d suggest buffet, international style to display the talents of our local chefs.”

  “Wow, I’d love to get a look at it, and I like the idea, despite the formal atmosphere, to keep it relaxed while displaying some of the best food the town has to offer. If we can use the castle, then we can set up some of the spaces to look how we want for the Ball and use it in the ad campaign, give our target audience a taste of what to expect. What about music?”

  He looked over the pictures of the Vampire Balls. The rooms looked so elegant and plush, decorated to the hilt in opulent fabrics. A table depicting an elaborate spread of food made his stomach grumble. He shoveled another forkful into his mouth.

  “Can castle walls dampen the sound of music? I was thinking we audition some local bands and have the orchestra in the main room. Oh, these dumplings are so good. You have to tell me where you got them.” He watched a look of satisfaction and pleasure dawn on her face. Draven fell in love with that look and wanted to see it every day of her life.

  “It’s a secret. One day I’ll take you to the restaurant. And yes, the walls can dampen the sound. The owners had the castle modernized, so the music should be no problem. I love it. Now what about how you’re going to highlight the town? Not the usual stuff, please. We tried the beauty shots and highlight reel. Didn’t increase our tourism one bit.” He sighed and shook his head. A heaviness began in his chest and sunk down to his stomach.

  The touch of her hand startled him. He glanced down to watch her fingers curl around his. “Don’t worry, honey. We’ll figure out how to get more tourists here. Just let me work my magic.” The earnestness in her eyes moved him.

  “You haven’t really seen the town and yet… Thank you.” He squeezed her hand and let himself fall a bit in love with her in that moment.

  She shrugged. “It’s what I do.” When she pulled away, he refused to let go.

  “Uh, I can’t eat one handed.”

  He laughed, allowing the lightness of that statement to slip into the darkness and break apart. “Fine, but I can assure you, I can drive one handed.”

  “Oh my God, so filthy.” She pulled her hand back and made a face at him.

  “I meant I do
n’t need both hands on the wheel.” He shook his head and watched her back up her chair.

  “Stop, just stop. That is so wrong.”

  He grinned. “Baby—”

  “Don’t baby me, you pervert. To think I was trying to be nice to you.”

  The look of outrage on her face was too adorable. He chuckled. “Would you please come closer? I meant I could hold your hand while I was driving, geez. Whose brain is in the gutter now?” He raised an eyebrow and watched her lips twitch.

  “Is that a euphemism for something else? This holding hands you speak of?” Slowly, she pulled her chair closer.