Part 31 (2/2)

”Stop. If we're going to do this, if we're going to be together, I want to feel you inside of me again. The last few days, since our child was born, I've felt an emptiness. You are what I need to fill it, I knew that the first night.”

He'd thought to woo her back to him slowly, with patience and skill.

This would do!

Up on her elbows, Mal watched as Ahmose stood, and moving too slowly, like humans, he pulled his tee s.h.i.+rt over his head. Her eyes roamed the ma.s.sive chest and tight, well-defined muscles of his shoulders, chest, and carved abdominals. He undressed slowly, and while she wanted him inside of her worse than anything, she knew that would come shortly. But this, unveiling his body to her appreciative eyes, painstakingly revealing his perfection, she immersed herself in the experience. Her eyes moved across thick, curved biceps to powerful forearms, and from there to his fingers as they unsnapped his jeans and slid them down.

He sprung free of the tight fabric, his c.o.c.k long, hard, precisely what she wanted right at this moment she had never believed would come.

Mal pulled her gown over her head and discarded it carelessly. ”Now.”

It was a demand. Anyone who knew Ahmose would have expected him to be the last person to accept a demand gracefully.

”At your pleasure,” he said as he lowered the body that she'd just watched, revealed to hungry eyes, drop down to cover hers. He stretched his full length alongside her, skin to skin, everywhere they touched, a spark of energy sizzled. Ahmose threaded the fingers of each hand through each of hers, and lowered his head to nip at her neck, just blunt nips, followed by his tongue to tease and taste.

”Can you feel that? The electricity? Our bodies know each other and know we were meant to be together.”

Mal wanted to tell him that was bulls.h.i.+t. Destiny? Meant to be? Hardly. Fairy-tale fantasies to charm little girls, it didn't exist.

Yet, as her body reached for his, as something indefinable came over her, she knew this was something more than physical. She knew she wanted to f.u.c.k him, that he wanted to f.u.c.k her. As much as she tried to tell herself that, her body responded to the touch of his as if it knew where it was going, needed to be there, and would not be denied this connection. This was not a f.u.c.k.

Ahmose lifted up and slid inside of Mal with no foreplay, no warning, he just went where he needed to be, and she lifted her legs to let them ride on his back so that he could thrust deeper. Her eyes closed, Mal saw him anyway, in her mind's eye, where she realized that she was inextricably linked to his life force. They did belong together. He was home, her home and that of the little girl they had made together six months ago.

He moved quickly at first, a crescendo of sensations building fast for both of them, but then he slowed and began to play, took time to nip at her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, which drove her to lift up into him, reaching for him. Even though Ahmose was deep inside of her, Mal needed more. An explosion of feelings rocked her as he suddenly stiffened and came, driving her over the edge too. They rode the o.r.g.a.s.m, the first for either since the last time they were together, emotionally and physically connected as neither had ever been with anyone else in their lives.

When they dropped back, spent, still, on the sand afterward, Ahmose reached for Mal, but she rolled away and began to walk down the beach, away from the house, away from him, towards the surf. Water curled around her bare ankles and licked up her legs. She moaned, because she was still fired up and the roaming water felt sensual to her heated skin.

She knew he'd followed her, and glanced behind to see him hovering.

”You're all right?” he asked quietly.

Mal didn't know how to answer. She was breathless and excited, and she was frightened. Having this man here, ready to take her to his home, to his life, to give her daughter a true family, she couldn't process it all. It was too sudden, too bizarre, too inexplicable. She would have to leave everything she'd ever known, a job that she loved, any chance at a normal life.

And he wasn't human. How would she fit in his world? She needed to talk to Erin.

And she needed her father.

”Ahmose, I understand what you're feeling. I'm feeling it too, but I'm overwhelmed. Do you have somewhere safe to stay on the island?”

He nodded. ”It's the first thing vampires do when they travel. I've engaged a house on the other side of the island with a windowless lower level.”

”Okay. The sun will be here soon and I'm spent. Will you go now and let me get some rest?”

”I will comply with anything you ask. See, you can control the vampire. All you need to do is ask.”

Mal shook her head and smiled. ”Quit being so charming or I'll come with you to that house now and wear you out.”

Now, he grinned. ”Please try.”

Mal gave him a light push. ”Get your clothes on and get out of here.”

Ahmose bowed and slid his hands up her arms until he reached her face. The kiss was soft, then deeper, but gentle, and as he stepped back, he sighed. ”I am so grateful that you are alive, Mal. May I come tomorrow night when I rise?”

”I wish you would.”

”It is done. Sleep well, little detective.”

Ahmose had no reason to hide his nature, he was dressed and gone in seconds. The speed at which he moved made her head hurt.

”d.a.m.n!” she whispered.

As she picked up her nightgown and dropped it into place, she walked slowly back to the deck and reached for her cell phone lying on the tabletop in the center of the lounge chairs.

Dialing, she waited, and when the call connected, a sleepy voice said, ”h.e.l.lo?”

It was a new cell and he wouldn't know who she was.

”Pop? Can you come to me? I need you and so does your granddaughter.”

Erin had the baby settled in. Her cell chimed and she glanced at it. Kai? She'd told him months ago she hadn't seen his daughter, at her request, and after the first two months, he'd stopped checking.

”Yes?” she answered.

”Erin, you owe me, lady. You've had my girl all this time and you didn't tell me.”

”I have? I didn't notice that. Well, I'll have to look around then, won't I?”

”Cheeky woman, but you always were. I know it's because she demanded you to keep it from me.”

Erin spoke softer this time. ”My loyalty belonged to her, Kai. I promised to help her disappear, but also to protect you. You were all she had left.”

”How's my granddaughter?”

”Kai, come here right away. She's incredibly beautiful. For all of her first blood features, I see you in her face.”

”I'm on my way.”

Chapter 19.

Jack waited on the deck, the sun was just beginning to rise, his head turned when he heard the door open to the house, and sighed with relief when Mal came down the stairs with a steaming mug.

”Where's our baby?” he asked.

”I left her with Erin. Good morning, Jack.” Mal waited for him to ask about Ahmose, but he didn't. She realized that Erin must have compelled him to forget about Ahmose's arrival. Thank G.o.d. The last thing she needed to deal with this morning was a jealous man.

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